Rhubarb is a remarkable plant that brings beauty and bounty to your garden. Officially known as Rheum rhabarbarum, this perennial vegetable is most familiar to us during springtime when it’s tangy flavour and bright pink stalks often end up in strawberry pie, jams, or even compotes. But beyond its culinary charm, rhubarb plays a much bigger role in the garden. It thrives as a key player in companion planting, a smart gardening practice where plants work together to deter pests, enrich the soil, and enhance growth. For the best results, it’s essential to recognize how rhubarb forms strong bonds with certain plants while repelling others, which helps create a productive crop and a harmonious, thriving environment.
When you unveil the magic behind companion plants, you’ll find rhubarb, an excellent addition that can help transform your space into a haven of flavour-packed harvests. Its ability to repel certain pests ensures your garden stays healthy, and by pairing it with the right plants, you’ll encourage even more robust growth. Whether trying to keep pests at bay or enhance the taste of nearby vegetables, rhubarb benefits those who seek to make their garden flourish season after season. This guide will help you understand how rhubarb, a perennial favourite, can be the key to a thriving garden.
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What Is Companion Planting?
Companion planting is an agricultural and gardening practice where different plant species are grown close together to benefit one another.
Companion planting is a time-tested gardening method that enriches the soil and protects vulnerable crops from pests. Many farmers and gardeners use this approach to plant specific crops near each other, helping deter pests and attracting beneficial insects that further aid the garden. This not only keeps your plants healthy but also stimulates growth naturally.
This method is a smart way to ensure that your garden thrives with minimal intervention, allowing nature to maintain balance while you enjoy the rewards.
Benefits of Companion Planting
Repel Insect And Pests
One of the biggest advantages of companion plants is their ability to repel many common insect pests, such as cabbage worms, cucumber beetles, Mexican bean beetles, and carrot flies, keeping your vegetable gardens pest-free. You can protect specific crops from these threats by planting marigold flowers, nasturtiums, catnip, or rue.
Attract Beneficial Insects
Companion plants like borage flowers and strawberries are excellent at attracting beneficial insects such as bees and ladybugs to pollinate your garden. This helps your crops grow and boosts your harvest, giving you 35% more fruit when paired with borage.
Improve Soil Nutrients
By adding plants like bush beans and pole beans, you can improve the soil nutrients in your garden by replenishing the soil with nitrogen. This ensures your crops grow strong and stay well-fed throughout the growing season.
Encourage Faster Growth
Certain companion plants like marjoram, chamomile, and summer savoury release chemicals that enhance growth and improve flavour. This leads to a quicker harvest and better-tasting vegetables, making the job of home gardeners easier and more rewarding.
Best Rhubarb Companion Plants
Strawberries
Strawberries are a perfect companion for rhubarb in the garden. They complement each other in the kitchen and during growth, as they are typically harvested simultaneously. These plants don’t compete for nutrients or space, and strawberries act as a living mulch for rhubarb, providing natural ground cover and tamping down weeds to keep the soil healthy.
Beans
Pairing beans with rhubarb offers a beneficial relationship. As legumes, beans fix nitrogen into the soil, a vital nutrient that rhubarb thrives on. In exchange, rhubarb helps by repelling black fly aphids, a common pest for beans, making them a strong team in the garden.
Sage
Growing sage near rhubarb has at least three benefits. Sage attracts beneficial predatory insects that fight off infestations, its blooms draw pollinators, and its deep roots serve as a great aerator for heavy, compact soil, helping the rhubarb grow better.
Asparagus
Like sage, asparagus is another excellent companion for rhubarb. Its long roots help improve circulation and encourage root movement in compacted or waterlogged soil. Both are perennials, making them an ideal low-maintenance pair that can be harvested together in the garden.
Onions
Onions work well as a companion plant for rhubarb, as they help deter leaf beetles and weevils that can damage rhubarb stalks. Additionally, their fungicidal properties are beneficial in a humid climate, protecting the rhubarb from pests and fungi.
Beets
Beets are a great match for rhubarb, as they help prevent the stalks from becoming woody and enhance flavour. In return, rhubarb provides shade for the beets during the summer months. Their bright colours also make a beautiful addition to the garden when planted together.
Chives
One of the best choices for growing near rhubarb is chives. As perennials, they return yearly and thrive together in the garden. In the hot summer, chives benefit from rhubarb’s shade while attracting pollinators with their bright flowers. This makes them a perfect companion plant, working harmoniously throughout the season.
Brassicas
Planting brassicas like broccoli, kale, kohlrabi, cauliflower, and cabbage next to rhubarb can help protect these plants from being destroyed by common pests. Rhubarb can deter white fly, a big threat to smaller brassicas such as baby kale. During the hot summer, the shade provided by rhubarb keeps these cool-weather crops comfortable, ensuring they grow well in cool temperatures.
Garlic
If you want to protect your rhubarb, growing garlic nearby can help. Rhubarb leaves are often adored by leaf beetles drawn to their large surface like beacons. The high sulfur content in garlic keeps these and other dangerous critters, like weevils and ants, away. This helps preserve the plant’s health, preventing them from compromising or stealing nutrients from the stems.
Dill
Dill is a fantastic option for planting near rhubarb because of its deep roots. These roots help break up and loosen the soil around the rhubarb, allowing its roots to grow stronger. Dill also acts as a pest repellant and helps attract pollinators, making it an excellent partner in any veggie garden.
Herbs (catnip)
Certain herbs, like catnip, with its fragrant leaves, work well alongside rhubarb. Catnip attracts pollinators while deterring pests, creating a protected space in your garden. Additionally, some herbs can improve soil quality, ensuring that the rhubarb grows in a rich base where it can thrive.
Cucumbers
Cucumbers are another great vegetable to pair with rhubarb. They benefit from the shade that rhubarb provides during the hot summer, which keeps the cucumbers hydrated and less prone to stress. As a result, you get a more crunchy and juicy harvest, perfect for a fresh garden meal.
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Plants That Should Be Avoid Near Rhubarb
Potatoes
When it comes to companion planting, age-old wisdom advises against planting potatoes near rhubarb. The two plants tend to compete for the same soil nutrients, which can lead to suboptimal growth for both. Since both plants are heavy feeders, avoiding planting them too close together is best to prevent nutrient deficiencies.
Tomatoes
Another plant to avoid near rhubarb is tomatoes. Often considered unfriendly neighbours, tomatoes are heavy feeders that can compete for soil nutrients. Additionally, rhubarb leaves are toxic, and if they come into contact with tomato fruits, there’s a risk of contamination. It’s best to keep these plants at a distance to avoid any issues with soil health or plant growth.
Dock
Dock is a plant commonly used in herbal medicine, but it is best to keep it away from your rhubarb patch. It tends to attract a pest known as the rhubarb curculio, an insect that bores into the rhubarb stalks, damaging the harvest. To protect your rhubarb, keep out any dock plants from the surrounding area.
Black Walnut
The black walnut tree produces a chemical called juglone, which can inhibit the growth of many nearby plants, including rhubarb. If you have a black walnut tree on your property, make sure your rhubarb is planted at a considerable distance from it. The natural herbicide properties of juglone can harm rhubarb and other plants in the garden.
Corn
Corn can also be problematic for rhubarb because it grows tall and is often planted in a group. This creates a shade block for whatever grows beneath it, which can stress rhubarb and other vegetable plants. While using corn to hide a prey plant from predators may be a good last resort, it’s better to keep corn isolated so it doesn’t steal sunlight from the rest of your garden.
Benefits of Rhubarb in the Garden
Pest Repellent
Rhubarb, known for its bright pink stalks and role in delicious desserts, also plays a vital role in the garden. It stands tall as a formidable ally in sustainable gardening. Many gardeners find that rhubarb helps deter pests, such as leaf beetles and other insects that are harmful to plants. Its ability to repel certain pests makes it a valuable addition to the garden, ensuring healthier growth for nearby plants.
Natural Shield
In addition to repelling pests, rhubarb is a natural shield for its surrounding plants. Its large, expansive leaves offer protection by reducing damage from harsh conditions, such as strong sunlight or pests. The leaves also provide shade, keeping plants cool and protecting them from the heat. This natural protection helps maintain a balanced and thriving garden.
Living Mulch
One of rhubarb’s strongest features is its ability to serve as living mulch. The plant’s sprawling leaves cover the garden floor, acting as a ground cover that helps curb the growth of unwanted weeds. This makes rhubarb a powerful tool for maintaining a healthy garden environment, as it controls weeds without extra effort.
Soil Moisture and Preservation
Rhubarb not only protects plants but also aids in maintaining the soil. Its pest-repelling properties are enhanced by its ability to maintain soil moisture. The leaves prevent excessive evaporation on hot days, ensuring the soil remains cool and retains moisture. Additionally, rhubarb helps preserve the soil’s organic matter, leading to richer, more fertile ground over time.
Soil Enrichment
The deep-rooted nature of rhubarb makes it a great asset for soil enrichment. It draws nutrients from the deeper soil layers, often untouched by other plants. As the plant sheds its leaves, they naturally decompose, and these nutrients are returned to the topsoil, benefiting the plants around it.
Shade Provider
Beyond soil enrichment, rhubarb also provides valuable shade for more delicate crops. Its large leaves create a cooler environment in the garden, protecting sun-sensitive plants and helping them grow without stress. This natural cooling effect supports the garden’s overall health, making rhubarb an essential player in a balanced ecosystem.
How to Grow Rhubarb
Start with Healthy Divisions
Rhubarb is often purchased as a smaller division from a mother plant, usually from nurseries or even a friend. It’s a perennial plant that continues to grow strong year after year. You may need to divide it every 5-10 years to keep it thriving. If you know someone who gardens, there’s a good chance they’ll be happy to give you a chunk of their plant. It certainly doesn’t hurt to ask!
Find the Perfect Location
Choosing the right location is key for growing rhubarb. It loves rich, slightly acidic, and fertile soil. A soil pH tester will help you check if the soil meets these needs. As a heavy feeder, rhubarb appreciates extra nutrients from compost. It prefers full sun but can also tolerate light shade. The right balance of light and soil will ensure your rhubarb grows healthy.
Planting Time
It’s best to plant rhubarb in early spring. Make sure the divisions are spaced 18-24″ apart. Set the buds 2″ below the soil surface when placing them in the ground. Rhubarb sends up flower shoots in the summer to keep the plant’s energy focused on producing strong stalks, so it snaps off these flowers when they appear.
Mulching and Composting
By late fall, after the main growing season, it’s important to mulch around the rhubarb with compost. This will help rebuild nutrients in the soil for the next growing season. Since rhubarb is a heavy feeder, maintaining a nutrient-rich environment will support its continuous growth year after year.
Want more details? How to Grow Rhubarb Plants
Harvesting Rhubarb
When growing rhubarb, it’s important to know that it needs a couple of years to establish itself, so wait to harvest. A good rule of thumb is to avoid harvesting any stalks during the first year and only take a few stalks in the second year. By the third year, you can harvest as much as you want. To do this, grab the stalk near the base, then use a swift twist and pull motion. The stalk should release and pop out cleanly without breaking the stem.
Storage Techniques for Rhubarb
After harvesting, trim the large leaves from the rhubarb and discard them in the compost bin since they are toxic and you don’t eat them. The best way to store the stalks is to wrap them in a dense cloth or loosely wrapped in tinfoil to allow them to breathe while not drying out quickly. Keep them in the fridge; if you want to store them longer, rhubarb freezes well.
FAQs
Why Rhubarb Needs Companion Plants?
Rhubarb benefits from companion plants to deter pests, improve soil health, and encourage stronger growth.
What not to plant next to rhubarb?
Avoid planting potatoes, tomatoes, dock, black walnuts, and corn near rhubarb, as they can compete for nutrients or attract pests.
What should rhubarb be planted in?
Rhubarb should be planted in rich, slightly acidic, well-drained, fertile soil.
Does rhubarb like sunlight?
Yes, rhubarb prefers full sunlight but can also tolerate light shade.
Where does rhubarb naturally grow?
Rhubarb naturally grows in cooler climates and is often found in mountainous regions of Asia.
Very informative post