This article provides advice for gardeners on when and how to harvest rhubarb. It emphasizes the importance of allowing rhubarb plants to establish strong root systems in their first year. It also explains the 'forcing' method for obtaining early harvests, both by covering crowns in winter and by lifting roots in November.
Gardeners with rhubarb in their plots have been issued a warning with advice not to harvest in the first season after planting. Most rhubarb varieties can be harvested from late April or May and will continue to thrive throughout the summer. However, to allow the plants to establish a robust root system and properly settle in your garden, you should refrain from harvesting in the first season after planting. The initial year is vital for the rhubarb plant to develop underground.
Gardeners should only lightly harvest in the second season to avoid weakening the crowns, the Express reports. If you're keen for an early harvest of tender and pink rhubarb, you can use the 'forcing' method by covering the crowns in December or January with a layer of straw or bracken and cover over with an upturned bucket or dustbin in mid-winter to exclude light. Gardeners who do this should ensure they do not pull the crowns for the rest of the season. The 'forcing' method helps produce sweeter, more tender stalks in around just four weeks. Rhubarb varieties like 'Timperley Early' are ideal for forcing. Those eager for an even earlier harvest can lift some roots in November. To do this, leave the lifted roots outside for up to two weeks prior to potting to expose them to more cold - this is needed to overcome dormancy - as Rhubarb requires seven to nine weeks of cold weather below 3C. Next, transfer the plant into a pot with compost and move it to a cool room or greenhouse where the temperature ranges between 7-16C. Cover the rhubarb with buckets to block out light and ensure the roots remain moist but not soaked. Typically, stalks are ready for harvest in about five weeks. However, garden enthusiasts are cautioned that crowns forced in this manner tend to be significantly weakened and are often discarded post-harvest. Don't miss the latest news from around Scotland and beyond - Sign up to our daily newsletter here
Rhubarb Gardening Harvesting Forcing Plants
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