It is best to split the plant when it is dormant or less actively growing in late autumn or winter. Water the plants to be split one or two days beforehand with ten litres of water per square metre.
Prick with a spade at a distance of approximately a hand’s width around the plant to be rejuvenated, loosen the roots and dig the plant loose by pricking flat/at an angle on its underside. Lift the plant out of the plant hole and split it by cutting with a spade so that one or two buds remain on every fist-sized piece. When splitting in autumn, these are easy to find because there is one at the base of each stalk. In spring, the buds are hidden under dark bud scales and can only be seen clearly when they swell.
Loosen the new rhubarb locations deep down in the soil and add compost. Plant the pieces of cut up rootstock deep enough that the buds are level with the surface of the soil or protrude slightly, then water. When planting, it is recommended to use mulch such as organic sugar cane mulch.
Tip: Make sure to always have a mixture of younger and older rhubarb plants in the garden since the freshly split and planted rhubarb will require a few years to return to full yield.