Forced rhubarb

[hamsterqueen]

I have had a lovely terrracotta rhubarb forcer for my (belated) birthday.

Is it too late to use it? I have champagne rhubarb crown which is only just beginning to sprout. Gardeners world info says to do it in Nov toFeb, buit as champagne is a later fruiting variety I was hoping I could get away with it.

[Flummery]

It really needs to be used early in the season to blanche the rhubarb properly. Also, forcing it takes the ooomph out of the plant and it's best to 'rest' the crown the following year and not crop it.

[Speed Gardener]

Lucky you for getting a real terracotta forcer! If the buds are just breaking the surface, you'll still get a good crop of blanched stems. I do it with an old tin bath and I don't put the bath down until I see the new shoots breaking the surface. As already mentioned, give the plant a rest for the rest of the year and probably next year because continued forcing will give you less and less until the plant fails to produce anything worthwhile and you'll have to get rid of it. Having a few crowns in place will enable you to rotate the forcing.

[hamsterqueen]

Thanks.
I may leave it on for a while and see how it goes,

It is still a thing of beauty even if it isn't functional this year. I love it! Have always wanted one. This beats even the compost bin I had for my 10th wedding anniverary

[Snadger]

I have a wooden box around mine filled with straw. The straw blanches it. I haven't changed the straw for two seasons and it's still as good as new!!