Sunday 6 April 2014

Now You See It - Now You Don't

Hooray' it's rhubarb time again

Now you see it:


Now you don't:


I can't resist blanching one clump each year by covering it with a bin. It brings on the stems and the leaves are so spectacularly yellow you could mistake them for flowers.  I  think they are worthy of a floral arrangement. (Of course they soon turn green on exposure to sunlight)



11 comments:

  1. They do look lovely but I would feel guilty forcing the poor plant.

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    1. They always bounce back, Sue. This clump was last blanched 4 years ago.

      If I was really forcing them I would be digging them up and bringing them indoors which, by the way, I have tried with some limited success.

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  2. Yum, crumble's on the menu I take it. I was hoping to get to the plot today to see if any of mine was ready for pulling but rain stopped play. I'm hoping to get down there during the week now.

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    1. Crumble? Right first time Jo.

      Great to have opportunity to have an evening session now that the clocks have gone forward.

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  3. Beautiful! So impressive. I wish I had rhubarb strong enough for me to consider risking that.

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    1. Rhubarb is wonderful - If it likes the conditions it looks after itself!

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  4. I have rhubarb that is ready for harvesting...even after the upheaval of being moved last year it hasn't disappointed me. I have never tried forcing it though.

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    1. The funny thing is that I am blanching a not particularly early variety which we inherited with the plot. It lasts into September. I keep meaning to get some Timperley Early but never quite get around to it.

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  5. Is rhubarb forced just to get an early crop or does forced rhubarb have a different taste? Must admit I haven't thought about forcing it to use for cut flowers.

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    1. The idea is to bring it on a bit faster - in fact the outdoor clumps are only a week or two behind. All the same the blanching produces a visually appealing crop. You tend to think of it as sweeter and less acidic because of this. I'm not sure if this is true. Perhaps next weekend we will carry out a blind comparison of the two and see if we can detect a difference. Will let you know.

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  6. May the force be with you!!

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