@jess_happy_smallholding: My rhubarb has started to shoot which means that I can start forcing it. Forcing rhubarb is the practice of growing rhubarb in the dark which encourages it to shoot up in search of the light. This is an early variety called “Timperly Early”, but forcing it will make it ready to harvest even earlier because the exclusion of light causes it to grow faster in search of it. It’s the same thing as when your seedlings are long, pale and leggy if they haven’t had enough light. Forced rhubarb is also a paler pink and sweeter than regular rhubarb because without light the plant can’t make much chlorophyll which tastes bitter and makes the stems darker in colour. This is my rhubarb forcer which I found at an antique shop. I’m placing this over one of my rhubarb crowns when I see it starting to shoot and will leave it on the plant until the stems reach the top of the forcer. If you don’t have a forcer you can use something similar like an upturned bin or bucket, just make sure you weigh it down with something heavy like a brick. Once I’ve harvested my forced rhubarb I’ll leave the forcer off for the rest of the year so that my rhubarb can photosynthesise which will keep the plant healthy. Only healthy plants that have been in the ground for at least 3 years can be forced, and I also like give each rhubarb plant 3 years rest between forcing. #rhubarb #forcedrhubarb

Jess Gough

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Region: GB

Sunday 04 January 2026 12:24:20 GMT