Forcing Rhubarb

Rhubarb, with its vibrant red stalks and distinct tart flavour, is a quintessentially British garden delight and gives me nostalgia just thinking about it! While many of us eagerly await the arrival of spring for the first harvest, did you know that you can enjoy tender, early rhubarb even before the growing season kicks into high gear? I have heard a lot about forcing rhubarb but have never tried it, so this year I will give it whirl.

January at an Allotment in Derbyshire!

We kicked off the year with a trip to Iceland, which was absolutely fantastic. It’s back to reality now, and I’m happy to say I don’t mind returning to work. It’s also that special time of year when we begin to plan the allotment and the growing season ahead. It’s no secret that our allotment has been neglected, but we shall enter the year with positivity and a determination to grow our own food again; I yearn for those summer months, wandering around the plot with my basket, harvesting something fresh for tea.

Easter Ground Preparations

We are not particularly big fans of either method of dig or no dig and are pretty open minded to both still, continuing to experiment as we go along, this gives us somewhat of a patchwork plot, some covered with a layer of organic matter for the winter, some parts covered with plastic and membrane and others simply winter dug over. I quite like the variety.

Organising Seeds for the Year Ahead

Each year, before I start ordering I like to take a look through all of the seeds that I already have. Invariably I end up with a few stashes here there and everywhere. My first job is to gather them all up and bring them home from the allotment.

Moving the Rhubarb

With the plan to use one of our, now three plots, as a low maintenance ‘fruit plot’. I had been waiting for the best time to relocate our rhubarb plants from their current position on our first original plot to this new space dedicated just to fruit. It also gives me a chance to cover…