DELICIOUS RHUBARB

AFTER a six-year wait, I finally got an allotment last year, in a beautiful spot on the South Downs, and I was lucky enough to inherit two rhubarb crowns. They are a good early crop when not much else is ready. Forcing them means depriving them of light to encourage early growth. First, clear any dead leaves, and mulch with peat-free compost. Then place a bucket, or a terracotta forcer over the crown to block out all the light. The young pale pink stalks should be ready to harvest after eight weeks.