To anyone that has a green thumb, it can be extremely frustrating to discover your plants wilting, and you have no idea why.
The good news is we can help you with your rhubarb by explaining the most common reasons it may be wilting, and how to remedy this problem.
Why is my rhubarb wilting? Poor air circulation, overwatering, not enough iron, and excessive heat exposure, are all major contributing factors to wilting rhubarb. These issues can often be resolved with proper nutrients, moisture, and drainage.
If you have been struggling to revive your wilting rhubarb plants, this article can provide some very solid reasons why it may not be thriving, along with suggestions on how to get it healthy again.
Why Is My Rhubarb Wilting?
Before discussing cause or solutions for your wilting rhubarb, let’s examine a little about what rhubarb is and how best it can grow.
Rhubarb is essentially a leafy stalk plant often found in pies and baked goods. The stalk of the plant is typically the only part of the plant eaten since the leaves are poisonous.
Rhubarb, when cooked, will have a sour, tangy flavor, similar to the mix of bitterness and sweetness found in a lemon.
Rhubarb grows well in good sunlight and light soils, making it light and breathy for the roots. It thrives in USDA hardiness zone 6 and higher.
If you have rhubarb that is wilting, and generally your rhubarb is losing leaves, there might be a couple of things you can check for to troubleshoot:
- Poor Aeration
- Overwatering
- Iron Deficiency
- Too much Exposure to Heat
Although other things might also be causing your rhubarb wilting, these four are definitively the culprits, and the best part is that there is a solution for each, so you should be back in business in no time at all.
The Best Solutions for Your Wilting Rhubarb
Here are the best options available to assist in healing your damaged plants and give your rhubarb the best chance of survival in the future.
1. Poor Aeration
Aeration is a key factor for plant growth and can be a major aspect to your rhubarb’s health.
Aeration is necessary to create movement and reduction of the harmful Co2 levels through the soil, to prevent the plants from starving for oxygen.
Problem: Poor Aeration
Soil that lacks good aeration is also called poor oxygen soil.
Poor aeration occurs when the soil is compacted down too much, or overgrown and the roots of your rhubarb don’t have any room to breathe.
The finer the soil particles are, the more they will compact down around the root.
Solution: Use Loamy Soil
Loamy soil consists of a combination of sand, silt, and clay particles.
This soil will provide enough stability to allow your plant to grow and thrive, while also allowing enough space between each particle to ensure there exists no blockade to water or oxygen flowing through.
2. Over Watering
When plants are overwatered it happens when they have inadequate drainage in the soil, and/or the plant is ultimately given more water than it can use, and therefore the plant soil remains wet for a longer period of time.
Problem: Over Watering
If you give your rhubarb too much water, the roots will drown; yellow leaves will wilt next.
Root rot is another condition created for plants to have too much water at the roots.
Root rot occurs when the plant’s base is covered with fungal spores which causes rotting; wilting leaves will be among the first noticeable signs.
Solution: Water Less Often/Provide Proper Soil
Like the answer to the solution to poor aeration, to combat overwatering and root rot, you just need to have a good drainage system for your rhubarb plants so that you can maintain the proper amount of water without worrying about it puddling up.
It’s also good practice to only water your plants when necessary. If the soil is moist, you don’t need to water it.
Think of rain as Mother Nature giving you a day off.
3. Iron Deficiency
Just like in all other living organisms, iron is very important for plant growth due to its role in chlorophyll biogenesis.
Without iron, plants cannot generate their structure and function and in general, they cannot grow.
Problem: Iron Deficiency
If your rhubarb plant doesn’t have iron it cannot get the oxygen and other nutrients it so badly needs.
Chlorosis will form (the loss of green and leaves turning yellow,) and cause the leaves to wilting.
Solution: Test Your Soil
If your pH levels are excessively high, you may want to lower them to see if they will help jumpstart your plants.
Keeping iron done without a high pH is key to a happy rhubarb plant.
If your plants are already in what appears to be a serious health spiral and have been struggling, the easiest route to resolution is to treat the soil with iron Chelate options.
4. Too Much Heat Exposure
Rhubarb is indeed heat tolerant, however, it is a living thing and excessive heat, without proper care will ultimately scorch, dehydrate or kill your plants.
Problem: Too Much Heat Exposure
Rhubarb is a resilient plant, known for growing in high temperatures, and can be planted in direct sunlight.
Diminished access to shade (especially on hot summertime days) can lead to your plant dehydrating faster and developing dry, scorched leaves, signifying your rhubarb is wilting.
Solution: Extra Water and Better Location
When temperatures are soaring, giving your plants a bit of extra water each day can reduce the chances of heat injury to your plants.
Best Practice: Always water early in the morning or late afternoon. Watering while the sun is out is more harmful than helpful and evaporation is so high it makes it almost useless.
Summing Things Up
While there are always doubts when you leave the majority of the plant growth to the elements, there is almost always control to be taken that can set your plants up for the best opportunity to thrive.
The good news is that rhubarb is not a picky produce, which means that refining your gardening skill is all you need to successful growing crop.