When to plant rhubarb in Brookings and Gold Beach, OR

Plant rhubarb crowns in Brookings and Gold Beach Mar 25 – May 6.

Easy Plant dormant crowns

Why these dates

Brookings and Gold Beach's typical last spring frost is January 31. On the coast, the soil is usually ready for rhubarb around March 25.

Coast. Mild winters but cool, foggy summers. Frost is rarely the problem; warmth is. Pick early, cool-tolerant varieties of tomatoes and squash.

Difficulty: Easy
Sun: Full sun to part shade
Spacing: 3 to 4 feet apart
Planting depth: Crown buds 1 to 2 inches below the surface
Frost: Hardy perennial; comes back every year
First harvest: Light picking in year two; full harvests from year three

Step by step

Pick a sunny spot with soil that drains well, and mix in an inch or two of compost.
Plant rhubarb crowns Mar 25 – May 6, 3 to 4 feet apart. Crown buds 1 to 2 inches below the surface.
Mulch with compost each spring, and cut off flower stalks as soon as they appear.
Harvest: Pull (don't cut) stalks when they're 10 to 15 inches long. Take no more than a third at once, and stop in early summer. Never eat the leaves.

Varieties that do well here

Victoria
Canada Red
Crimson Red

Watch out for

Crown rot in soggy soil. In wet west-side gardens, plant on a slight mound or in a raised bed.

Plant it where it can stay for a decade. Don't pick the first year, and never eat the leaves, which are poisonous.

Common questions

When is the last frost in Brookings and Gold Beach, OR?

Typically January 31. In 9 years out of 10, frost is over by March 21. These are 1991–2020 NOAA climate normals for Brookings.

Is it too late to plant rhubarb in Brookings and Gold Beach?

The spring planting window runs through May 6. Potted plants can still go in later if you water them faithfully through their first summer. Fall planting also works well here.

How long until I can pick rhubarb?

Light picking in year two; full harvests from year three. Pull (don't cut) stalks when they're 10 to 15 inches long. Take no more than a third at once, and stop in early summer. Never eat the leaves.

Also plant in Brookings and Gold Beach around the same time

Planting dates for rhubarb in nearby areas

Astoria, OR Mar 25 – May 6
Coos Bay and North Bend, OR Mar 25 – May 6
Tillamook, OR Mar 25 – May 6
Newport and Lincoln City, OR Mar 25 – May 6
Aberdeen and Hoquiam, WA Mar 25 – May 6
Forks, WA Mar 25 – May 6

Full planting calendar for Brookings and Gold Beach · Rhubarb in every city