Kitchen Garden Forum

We have successfully forced rhubarb this year and our first picking was delicious.
How long can we leave it covered and/or how many pickings can we get without damaging the plant? The crown is about two years old. It has not been forced before and it was moved from the garden to the allotment last autumn.

Hi Pongeroon,
I would call it a day for forcing and uncover the plants. You should get another cutting later on but as this is really to be treated as a juvenile plant I would just have the one cut and leave it until next year.
JB.

Thanks Johnboy, I knew you would have the answer

While you are here (in the cyberallotment) I am looking for some asparagus crowns, and being not a million miles from Evesham I thought it would be nice to get them locally. I've looked on the net for suppliers but unsuccessful so far. Any ideas? Or have most of the asparagus growers gone the way of the roadside farm shops?

I remember when I a child, we used to travel through the vale of Evesham on our way to visit my aunt in Hampshire. We would pass through Wyre Piddle (tee hee - well we were very young ) and Evesham then on to Broadway, and the road was lined with roadside produce stalls. There are hardly any now, maybe just one or two. Very sad.

Hi Pongeroon,
Sad isn't it the way things have gone. The majority of the small growers have now gone forced out of business.
As for Asparagus I have no idea where you would get them. You might try Pershore College as they may have some although it is getting a little late to plant this year.

Dear Pongeroon,
Moles seeds do asparagus crowns, they work out at about 50p each if you get 50. The catalogue is at work so I cannot be more exact.
Regards Sally Wright.

Hi Pongeroon,
As Sally says Moles have a good selection which must be ordered by Mid March
Varieties available
F1 Gijnlim 25crowns £18 45. 50 £31.55.
F1 Theilim " " "
Crimson Pacific " " "
F1 Millenium " " "
Connover's Colossal 25 crowns £14 50. 50 £24.20.

Sadly you may be just too late but worth a try

Moles. 01 206 213213
Email sales@molesseedss.co.uk
www.molesseeds.co.uk

Hope this is of assistance. I feel time is of the essence.
JB.

Thanks Sally and Johnboy. I rang Pershore College today and they don't have any in yet, but said I should try again next week. So maybe I'm not too late.

I'm really trying to put off getting them until I get paid next week, cos the overdraft is quite big enough,( ) but maybe this is false economy!

Anyway we are now happy cos today we got the shallots and onions in, and that always makes us feel better.

Getting back to the rhubarb, i'll do anything for a rhubarb crumble.

Well OH, I did pick some more today. Just what are you prepared to do ?

All I meant was maybe you could finish typing up this essay for me while I go and make the crumble. I know which I would rather be doing...

Did you suddenly panic what i was going to say pongeroon, dont worry, i'm not up to full speed yet.

Forgot to say, i do like home made custard with it.

No panic OH, just thought I'd frightened you off.

I'm going to try Vivienz rhubarb and orange cake, it sounds lovely.

You're right, homemade custard is so much better, but I always end up using custard powder cos I forget about custard until I'm about to serve up the crumble.

I'm hungry now.

Pongeroon - most of the garden centres are stocking asparagus this year, bot crowns and one year old plants, so you might find some there too.

Thanks Tigger, I think I'll hoof it over to Evesham next week and have a look in the garden centre by the bridge cos I know they used to sell them there a couple of years ago. Then back home via Pershore college if unsuccessful.

The rhubarb cake came out tasty, but rather more pudding-ey than I would have liked, if anyone is interested. Bakers error, I have no doubt, cakes have never been my thing, and I was trying out a new mixer. Which is good fun, and I only took a chunk out of the spatula with it, no harm done.