Hello all.
I've never blanched rhubarb before but I understand it gives a nice tender (early?) crop, so this year I've covered one plant up.
At what stage do you harvest it - when the stalks are small?
How much do you harvest- i.e do you keep it under cover and just keep cropping throughout the season or do you just crop the once?
Regards
Bluecar
If you let the stalks get to 12/15ins and pick, they are at their best. As to quantity pick only what you need and leave the plant something.
A good early crop, why not try at the end of the year, the same process except surround and cover your container with fresh manure or hay as heat source or insulation. The plant will produce all through the winter.
Try building a forcing box, 24x24x72ins, it should give you enough space for 4 crowns.
Digmore. :wave:
I only covered half mine last year and then removed covers as soon as the uncovered ones were ready. I fed them all big time. By the end of the year there was nothing to choose between the plants, so I am covering more this year. I have been picking some quite small, because that is all there is at the moment. They get quite tall when there is not much light.
Froze a lot of rhubarb but I like the thought of it fresh through the winter.
Thanks for your comments.
I didn't realise you could force rhubarb to grow during the winter. Approximately what depth of fresh manure do you need?
Regards
Bluecar