Urgent warning to gardeners who have rhubarb in their gardens

Gardeners with rhubarb in their plots have been issued a warning. They are being advised not to harvest the plant during its first season after planting.

Most rhubarb varieties can be harvested from late April or May and will continue to thrive throughout the summer. However, it's crucial to allow the plants to establish a robust root system and properly settle in your garden by avoiding harvesting in the first season after planting.

The first year is vital for the rhubarb plant's underground development. Gardeners should only lightly harvest in the second season to prevent weakening the crowns.

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If you're keen for an early harvest of tender and pink rhubarb, you can use the 'forcing' method by covering the crowns in December or January with a layer of straw or bracken and cover over with an upturned bucket or dustbin in mid-winter to exclude light. Those who do this should ensure they don't pull the crowns for the rest of the season.

The 'forcing' method helps produce sweeter, more tender stalks in around just four weeks. Rhubarb varieties like 'Timperley Early' are ideal for forcing, reports the Express.

For those eager for an even earlier harvest, some roots can be lifted in November. To do this, leave the lifted roots outside for up to two weeks before potting to expose them to more cold - this is needed to overcome dormancy - as Rhubarb requires seven to nine weeks of cold weather below 3C.

Next, transfer the rhubarb into a pot with compost and move it to a cool room or greenhouse where the temperature ranges between 7-16C. Cover the rhubarb with buckets to block out light and ensure the roots remain moist but not waterlogged.

Typically, stalks are ready for harvest in about five weeks. However, gardeners are cautioned that crowns forced in this manner tend to be significantly weakened and are often discarded post-harvest.