Rhubarb is a popular vegetable to grow in the UK, but it can be a little frustrating to wait for the stalks to grow. Luckily, there’s a simple trick to get it growing faster
Growing and forcing rhubarb is easy with the right method(Image: Getty)
Rhubarb remains a favourite choice for British gardeners looking to cultivate something productive in their outdoor spaces.
When properly looked after, the plant delivers an abundance of tasty stalks year after year.
Only the stalks can be eaten, as the green foliage contains dangerous toxins if consumed, but the striking contrast between the deep red stems and green leaves creates a stunning visual display as the plant reaches upwards.
The UK growing window runs from April through to September, though experts often advise stopping harvest by June, or limiting pickings thereafter, to prevent weakening the plant. October is an excellent time to plant rhubarb before the frosty weather hits.
Enthusiastic gardeners eager to enjoy rhubarb’s distinctive tang ahead of schedule can achieve this through one straightforward gardening technique, reports the Express.
Eden Project’s Garden Manager Julie Kendall explained: “If you like your rhubarb sweet and tender, now is the time to try forcing it by covering the crowns.”
October is a good time to plant rhubarb(Image: Getty)
The method does exactly what the name implies, prompting the plant to develop sooner and faster than nature intended.
February is a good time to try this method, as rhubarb typically develops stubby, plump buds that begin swelling at the crown’s base during this period.
Success hinges on blocking out daylight, enclosing the plant completely, and raising the surrounding temperature.
This prompts the stalks to stretch upwards whilst seeking light.
The Tea Break Gardener, an expert-turned-blogger, notes that light deprivation also cuts oxalic acid levels within the stems. “Oxalic acid gives rhubarb its sour taste, so forced rhubarb is sweeter than when left to its own devices. The result is pale pink, long, tender stems, with small leaves and a sweet, delicate flavour”, they explained.
It’s crucial to only force mature (two to three years old), healthy-looking rhubarb crowns, and you’ll need one main piece of kit, a terracotta forcing pot.
These bell-shaped pots cover the rhubarb plant, limiting photosynthesis and encouraging early growth for harvest in late winter.
Forcer pots are readily available online and in most garden centres. You can even snap them up for £5.95 from Waitrose.
If you’re not keen on buying a forcer, anything that can be placed over the crown to block out the light will do the trick. The Tea Break Gardener advised: “I use an old chimney pot with a saucer on top, or you could use an old bin or bucket.”
Forced rhubarb is not only sweeter, but also finer in texture(Image: Getty)
Before forcing rhubarb, clear weeds from the base of the crown and mulch with a thick layer of compost or well-rotted manure to enhance the crop’s nutrients.
Next, cover the rhubarb crown to exclude light using your chosen forcing jar. Bins and non-terracotta alternatives are prone to blowing over in strong winds, but placing bricks on top will help prevent this.
Once the forcing jar is in place, let your rhubarb grow. The Allotment Haven blogger suggested that forced stems will grow quickly; reaching for the light, they will hit the top of the forcing jar lid within six to eight weeks.
The allotment expert explained: “Starved of light, the stems will be noticeably different – pale pink with much smaller, bright yellow leaves.”
10 plants to grow in October for stunning blooms all winter
The three simple steps to collect seeds for a stunning garden next spring
When it comes to harvesting forced rhubarb, gently pull stems from the base of the crown as you normally would discard the toxic leaves on the compost heap and cook the baby pink stems ready for eating.
It is beneficial to remove the forcing jar after a few weeks of cropping to allow the rhubarb to recover naturally, and the leaves and stems will return to their normal colour once back in the light.
Comments are closed.