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Produce => Edible Plants => Topic started by: Number Six on January 25, 2012, 22:30:42

Title: Forced Rhubarb
Post by: Number Six on January 25, 2012, 22:30:42
Forcing rhubarb for the first time after splitting a plant and dividing it up around the plot. Sneeked a look under the pot today, and there's a nice red stalk emerging. Perhaps I'm easily pleased, but I'm always impressed by nature :)
Title: Re: Forced Rhubarb
Post by: saddad on January 26, 2012, 08:36:47
and it's sweeter and softer... but the root will be seriously depleted...  :-\
Title: Re: Forced Rhubarb
Post by: Kleftiwallah on January 26, 2012, 10:16:37

If you are impressed by nature, how is it you force rhubarb, a very un-natural process?   ::)   Cheers,    Tony.
Title: Re: Forced Rhubarb
Post by: Chrispy on January 26, 2012, 11:52:23
If you have just devided it up, then it will not be very happy about being forced.

I am forcing one of mine this year, but only covered it up a few days ago so not much growth yet.
Title: Re: Forced Rhubarb
Post by: green lily on January 26, 2012, 21:26:22
One of mine[Goliath] was already budding by itself while the others are all snuggly asleep, so I've put  some muck on and a broken clay pot to keep the wind off, so we'll see what it does. This one is a vigorous  so'n so and risks getting divided next year if it wants to take over the world- or sending up too many flower heads. No risk of wearing this b##ger out! ;)
Title: Re: Forced Rhubarb
Post by: Number Six on January 27, 2012, 14:12:52
Thanks for the interesting replies. And now the 'un-forced' rhubarb is emerging (spot the person who has just opened a photobucket account!):

http://i1155.photobucket.com/albums/p554/NumberSixG12/IMG_3502_edited-1E.jpg
Title: Re: Forced Rhubarb
Post by: saddad on January 27, 2012, 14:20:17
Very pretty... img/img in square brackets
If you put the blue string into the middle of this (http://)
people should be able to see it without zooming off... it's the second one above the "wink"
(http://i1155.photobucket.com/albums/p554/NumberSixG12/IMG_3502_edited-1E.jpg)
like that...  :)
Title: Re: Forced Rhubarb
Post by: Number Six on January 27, 2012, 14:26:51
Aaah - I was wondering how to do that - many thanks saddad. Will try it here:
(http://i1155.photobucket.com/albums/p554/NumberSixG12/IMG_3502_edited-1E.jpg)

Eureka!!
Title: Re: Forced Rhubarb
Post by: saddad on January 27, 2012, 15:05:05
Anytime...  ;D
Title: Re: Forced Rhubarb
Post by: green lily on January 27, 2012, 20:22:43
Never mind the plants, the photography on this site is spot on. -Wish I could do it. Unfortunately I don't have an in house teenager to show me ;D
Title: Re: Forced Rhubarb
Post by: Digeroo on January 27, 2012, 23:52:01
Mine had been starting to pop up too, but the frost last week rather put it off.

Nice pic of the rhubarb.
Title: Re: Forced Rhubarb
Post by: Number Six on January 28, 2012, 08:35:04
Quote from: Digeroo on January 27, 2012, 23:52:01
Mine had been starting to pop up too, but the frost last week rather put it off.

Nice pic of the rhubarb.

Thought I heard that rhubarb needs a frost to get it going - something to do with its siberian origins? Believe it was an article on the Today programme about the forced rhubarb industry in the 'Yorkshire Triangle' needing a good frost.
Title: Re: Forced Rhubarb
Post by: Digeroo on January 28, 2012, 10:40:08
I thought I would like one of the special terracotta pots until I found the cheapest are around £40 each.  Back to my £1 bucket but problem is that they blow off.

Title: Re: Forced Rhubarb
Post by: Kleftiwallah on January 28, 2012, 11:02:19

Stick a housebrick on top .   :o   Simples.    ::)    Cheers,    ;D  Tony.
Title: Re: Forced Rhubarb
Post by: saddad on January 28, 2012, 14:53:42
or two...  :)