One of history’s sweetest treats: Tradition of growing forced rhubard dates back centuries
It’s one of the kitchen garden’s most eagerly awaited delicacies. Forced rhubarb is a sweet treat at a time of the year when there’s little else to be picked.
The centre of rhubarb forcing is Yorkshire, where the practice of bringing rhubarb onto early ripeness in dark sheds has been carried out for centuries but you can use the same methods on a smaller scale to force rhubarb in your own garden.
The process starts in November when healthy crowns should be covered with buckets that exclude all light. In the darkness, the carbohydrates in the stalks are converted into glucose, giving the young stems their sweet taste.
Forcing sheds are heated, so the process in the garden will take a little bit longer to bring about results, but you will still get to enjoy a plate of stewed rhubarb at least several weeks earlier than you would if the rhubarb was left uncovered.
After forcing, allow the crowns to rest for two years before forcing them again, and make sure that you give all your rhubarb an annual feed of well-rotted manure.
Rhubarb comes from Siberia, which is why it does so well in this country, and its flavour is actually improved by the action of frost. It is also very long-lived and is one of those plants that is often found in old gardens.
Meanwhile, if you have started off tomatoes, chillies and other hothouse vegetables on the kitchen windowsill, then pay attention to night-time temperatures.
These have plummeted in recent days and there is always the risk that seedlings that are close to windows could get chilled. The best solution is to move seed trays away from windows overnight and also to turn them regularly so that the seedlings don’t get drawn in one direction.
Seeds of hardier vegetables that have already been sown in the greenhouse, should be covered with clear polythene, fleece or propagator lids during cold spells to give them some added protection, and never sow seeds into cold compost. Move it under cover and let it warm up for a few days before using it.