When to harvest rhubarb

In Ohio, rhubarb is harvested in late April and throughout June, but only from the third year on.

The window: Late April and throughout June in Ohio, starting from the third year on; wait two growing seasons before harvesting any stalks.

Harvest stalks soon after the leaf expands, when they are fairly young, for the most flavor.
After about 4 to 8 weeks, the rhubarb should be large enough to harvest at 12 to 18 inches in length.
Stop harvesting when the plant begins to produce slender stalks, a sign its reserves are low.
Never harvest more than one-third to one-half of the plant's stalks to preserve enough foliage to sustain the crown.

The mistake to avoid: Do not harvest leafstalks the first year, and only take a few the second year, so the plant becomes well established.

Timing varies by region and year; your local extension office is the closest authority.

Grounded in: cfaes.osu.edu, yardandgarden.extension.iastate.edu. Every timing follows sentences verified verbatim on those pages.

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