Planting Rhubarb in this Mediterranean garden turned out to be a successful experiment.
In August 2022 I planted a “Frambozen Rood” in half-shade. Despite regular watering it did suffer a lot from the heat. During the garden re-ordering in December 2023 I moved it next to the wall of the garden shed where the soil stays a bit more humid and where it will get more shade as the new trees grow.
The rhubarb plant grows under a thick mulch cover in the company of sorrel (Rumex acetosa – another shade and humidity loving plant), Falkia repens and Tulbaghia violacea. That setup has worked out pretty well and last spring/summer I could already take a few nice stalks – although I’ve been quite parsimonious in order to give the plant more time to establish itself.
In the fall it gets some manure or compost. It then dies off over winter and starts sprouting again in March.
I felt encouraged to try rhubarb here by quite a few online articles. Apparently an established rhubarb plant growing in good soil is quite drought tolerant and does not need a lot of watering outside of prolonged dry spells. Its large root system helps it withstand periods of drought.
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