vegetables one can force

[blight]

when terrace max suggested to force salsify, i wondered what else one can force.
the only ones i can think of:

chicoree
sea kale
asparagus
Chenopodium bonus-henricus, do not know the english name, a kind of perpetual spinach, translates good henry?
rhubarb

any other suggestions?

[blight]

[chriszog]

Hi Blight,
              No matter what I try I can't force my wife to help on the allotment????

[blight]

it usually works if you earth up properly. just leave the head sticking out.
then ask again.

[terrace max]

I think in general 'forcing' just means growing a vegetable earlier than it would if left to its own devices. So the cauliflower I sowed a couple of weeks ago is 'forced' even though I'll still get plain old caulis at the end of the day (if I'm lucky).

The veggies you mention are transformed by forcing into something a bit different and more palatable (but less nutritious). They are also worth the effort because they do their thing in winter.

The only one I'd add to your list is the humble dandelion - you can buy a cultivated form with bigger leaves - and the results are suprisingly good. Witloof chicory is the best chicory to force, although many of the others are made tamer by the experience.

Happy forcing!   

[chrispea27]

is the weather the greatest factor in forcing any veg?
in winter especially if you have no tunnel or greenhouse the germination growing etc is based on the weather conditions even if using cloches ??? This must be especially true witth the germination and then the conditions it is grown on in?
Any comments please

[terrace max]

All the veggies mentioned are traditionally sown in spring, grown in summer, dug up in autumn and forced in winter...

I think the biggest factor in forcing veg is the energy stored in their roots: witloof, dandelions and seakale all have enough vavavoom in a decent root to produce a forced crop even if you re-plant the roots in sand...

[colleenemp]

Very interesting....Ta