How to Raise Rhubarb in Arizona

Locate a site to plant your rhubarb, making sure each plant has at least 2 feet of space on all sides. Dig up and churn the soil to a depth of 18 inches (or to the bottom of the planter) if the soil is compressed; this will encourage the roots to spread.

Test your soil, according to the instructions for your particular soil pH test kit, to determine its acidity, unless you're planting your rhubarb in a raised bed with garden soil. A soil pH between 5.0 and 6.8 provides the best growing conditions.

Mix small amounts of peat moss with the soil in your garden if the pH is more than 6.8 to increase its acidity. Mix small amounts of lime with your garden soil if the pH is less than 5.0 to increase its alkalinity. Retest your soil to ensure it falls within the proper pH range.

Dig a hole slightly larger than the rhubarb's roots. Situate the top of the root crown, the point where the roots end and the plant begins, in the hole about an inch below the surface. Fill the hole around the rhubarb with dirt and mulch.

Water your rhubarb plants well to keep them from drying out on hot days. Place mulch or compost around the base of the plant occasionally, if desired, to provide additional nutrients.

Cut off any emerging flowers during the beginning of the growing season to keep the plant from producing seed stalks.

Harvest your rhubarb during the second year of growth to avoid plant damage and death. Cut or pull out, once the leaves have fully opened, the larger stalks at the base of the plant. Start with the outside stalks and leave behind at least four stalks in the middle. Remove the leaves before eating -- they're poisonous.