Often known as "pie plant", rhubarb is a hardy perennial that thrives in the fertile, well-drained soils of the Midwest. Rhubarb is grown for its thick leaf stalks or petioles, and several varieties are available. Some still have the greenish stalk common to the old-fashioned rhubarb, but several of the more recent introductions have quite red stalks. A deep red petiole tends to be more popular with gardeners, but green varieties tend to be more productive. Some people assume that red-petiole rhubarb is sweeter than the green-petiole types, but petiole color does not determine sweetness. Some varieties commonly available are 'Canada Red,' 'Green Victoria,' and 'MacDonald', says University of Illinois horticulture specialist Elizabeth Wahle.

Planting crowns should be done in the early spring as soon as the ground can be worked. Planting seed is generally not recommended because of the time to establishment and the strong possibility that the seedlings would not be true to type. Select a sunny location that is appropriate for a long-term planting. The soil should be weed free and worked to a depth of 8 to 10 inches. Set rows 5 to 6 feet apart, and in the rows, plant 3 feet apart. Crowns should be shallowly planted, no more than 2 inches below the surface. If rainfall is less than an inch per week, water the plants. This is especially critical in the spring when the crowns are getting established. Because rhubarb is a cool-season plant, growth is best with temperatures below 90 degrees F.

Temperatures above 90 degrees result in suppressed growth and plants may even appear dormant during periods of extreme heat. Following a season of growth, the rhubarb crowns become dormant, and they require temperatures below 40 degrees to break dormancy the following spring.

The leafstalks for harvesting are in their prime in the early spring. Do not harvest the first season of growth. During the second season, harvest only a maximum of four weeks, and seasons thereafter, harvest can continue for eight to 10 weeks. For any harvest, never remove more than ½ of the developed stalks from any plant at any one time. This will allow the plant to build up reserves for the next cutting.

Some caution needs to be taken when harvesting and preparing rhubarb. Cut the leaves from the stems and leave them in the garden or add them to your compost pile. Under no circumstance should they be eaten because they contain oxalic acid, a poison. Don't harvest wilted or limp stalks from frostbitten plants. Severe cold injury may cause oxalic acid crystals in the leaves to migrate to the stalks, increasing the likelihood of poisoning problems. If in doubt after a frost, compost frostbitten stalks and wait to harvest after new stalks have been produced.

To harvest, firmly grasp the stalk and pull it from the base of the plant with a slight twist. Some people like to cut the stalks close to the ground with a sharp knife to avoid injury to the crown; but, this is not the preferred method because the petiole base left behind can decay and create a site for fungal invasion.

Occasionally, the plants will send up seedstalks during the growing season; these seedstalks should be removed as soon as they form so that the plant is not expending unnecessary energy.

After plants die down in the fall, heavily mulch them with compost, being careful not to cover the crowns. After several years, rhubarb will begin to crowd itself out, and spring is the best time to renew the bed. Lift the oldest plants first and remove any dead or damaged portions. Cut the crown into sections, each with a healthy piece of root and at least one good bud. Plant these pieces back in a prepared bed.