Rhubarb is a delicious and popular vegetable that can be grown in many different regions of the United States. If you want to learn more about growing rhubarb, read on to find out more about this magical plant. We’ll answer the question, ‘can you grow Rhubarb in Texas?’
Quick Answer
Yes. However, many people may think that rhubarb cannot be grown in Texas, but this is untrue. Rhubarb grows in this state and can even thrive for one season or even longer if it gets enough water during those hot summers.
Can You Grow Rhubarb In Texas?
The climate in Texas is better suited for growing rhubarb during the spring and fall seasons. During these seasons, the weather is cooler, and rainfall is more plentiful. To get a good harvest, you need to plant your rhubarb plants as soon as possible, so they have the most time to grow and produce fruit.
Rhubarb is highly edible with culinary uses, including a sweet, tart, or a savory ingredient in pies, tarts, jams, or sauces. However, for rhubarb plants to grow successfully and produce these delicious edibles, it needs specific environmental requirements.
Light
Grasping at the warm sunlight of spring and summer to produce their signature red stalks, the rhubarb plant requires about six hours of full sun for optimal growth. When planted in your garden space or container, place it on a south-facing wall or location to ensure maximum exposure to light levels necessary for successful photosynthesis.
Water
Rhubarb plants are susceptible to being overwatered. They can rot if they have too much moisture. If this happens, you will know when to take them out of the pot–they will be mushy and limp.
That can mean one of two things: either the rhubarb is getting too much water in the first place, or it’s rotting because you did not water it appropriately. You can tell if water is getting through by the number of raindrops rolling off the leaves and falling onto the ground or pooling at the crown’s base. Keep the rhubarb plants watered, but do not overwater them.
Temperature
Rhubarb plants must maintain 65 degrees F during the growing season (spring and summer). If temperatures exceed 65 degrees F for prolonged periods during your growing season, rhubarb leaves will wither and die, causing the plant to cease production of stalks.
Many people like growing rhubarb plants in their backyard because they are relatively easy to maintain and grow quickly. When planted in the spring, rhubarb often has time to grow new stalks before the first snowfall. When planted in the fall, the weather will be cooler, and there should be more rainfall than during the springtime. That will allow your rhubarb plants to thrive fully before the season ends.
Fertilizer
First, use only well-composted manure as your fertilizer. If you use manure that is not fully composted, you will have leaching problems, and your rhubarb plants will not grow nearly as fast or as well. Ensure that if you get fertilizer with manure in it, it has been composted for a minimum of six months. The ingredients list says “organic.” if you can’t find a variety of organic manure in your area, try to get steer manure. Avoid chicken manure because it doesn’t pack the same punch as steer.
Second, don’t fertilize too early in the season. Waiting until April or May to fertilize is best, so you don’t burn the roots before they grow. And don’t fertilize too late in the season either. Fertilizing too late will cause a plant to lose much of its foliage and become very weak and compact.
Third, you want to feed your rhubarb plants according to the size of the plant. If you are growing rhubarb 4 inches tall or less, gangetize it with a liquid fertilizer every month. If you grow rhubarb over 4 inches in height, give it 20-25-50-100% water-soluble fertilizer every two weeks (according to planting rate).
Where Can You Grow Rhubarb?
Rhubarb is most successfully grown in Zones 3 – 8, where it can be found growing naturally. It prefers to grow in soil with a pH level of 6 – 7.5 and likes sandy, loamy soil rich in nutrients. It prefers areas where it will get about 6 hours of sunlight per day but will also do well with partial sunlight. Soil should be well-drained, so the rhubarb doesn’t get too wet and rot or dry out completely.
Common diseases
1.) Rhubarb anthracnose
Rhubarb plants are susceptible to a disease called anthracnose, caused by a fungus. This disease causes black or brown, circular spots on the rhubarb leaves, which prompts wilting and defoliation of the plant. Anthracnose can also cause discoloration and holes in rhubarb stems. The spores from this fungus are transmitted by raindrops and splashing water and spread quickly among plants of the same species.
2.) Rhizoctonia infections
That is another type of fungal infection that affects both the root and leaves of your rhubarb plants. Although it shows up on the leaves, it can later cause damage to the leaves and stems. You can control this fungus by using a fungicide to prevent spread.
3.) Rhizopus stolonifer
Rhizopus stolonifer can also cause wilting and discoloration of rhubarb plants and yellowing of their stems and roots. In addition, this fungus produces tiny and sticky spores, which thrive in moist soil. To prevent this disease from spreading, avoid planting rhubarb in locations where there are many nearby plants, such as lawns or gardens.
4. ) Rhubarb leaf spot
This fungal infection causes your rhubarb leaves to turn brown, dry up, and die. The spores of this fungus are also transmitted by splashing water and spread to other plants of the same species. Once it infects a plant, it will continue to spread until the entire garden is infected.
5.) Rhizomania
Rhizomania is a fungal disease that affects the roots of your rhubarb plants, which then leads to wilting and death. It causes dark brown spots on the root surface that spread rapidly through rhubarb forests or fields. In addition, this disease is favored by wet conditions such as heavy rain and dew.
Can You Grow Rhubarb In Texas?: Final thoughts
Rhubarb is a popular plant that grows best in colder climates. But that doesn’t mean you have to give up on it if you live in the south of the United States. For rhubarb plants to flourish, they require lots of sunlight and well-draining soil with plenty of nutrients and moisture.
If you’re willing to put up with some hard work overtime, this plant will pay off handsomely as many unique dishes can be prepared from these juicy stalks.
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