greentapestry : If

Tuesday 19 May 2009

If

R is FOR ?



RHUBARB FORCERS !

If I ever have riches to spare I will treat my rhubarb at the allotment to some beautiful terracotta forcers - a black plastic bucket is not quite the same. For non gardening visitors placing a forcer over rhubarb in January results in an earlier crop of more sweet and tender stalks. Read more about forcing rhubarb here where there are some links to some delicious sweet and savoury dishes using rhubarb.

These forcers were photographed in the walled vegetable garden at Tatton Park which is not far down the road from us.

Now then don't ruminate but run round to ABC Wednesday now where a lots more Rs are rooting !

24 comments:

  1. Anna, those forcers are lovely, I would love one as well although I'm not sure I would leave it at the allotment, far too precious and I'd want to see it in my garden even though I have no rhubarb there (silly me!)

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  2. Those are so lovely! Would love to have a couple myself! Great shots!

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  3. Wow! I don't have rhubarb but I'd love to have one of the forcers, anyway. Surely, they are wonderful!

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  4. Well, I learned something new today. Never heard of a rhubarb forcer before. Fun post.

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  5. What a good photo...I love the look of the forcers...and love rhubarb also...

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  6. I've learned something new today. I'd never heard of a forcer, but it makes sense! I guess I had the concept vaguely. These are beautiful pieces of pottery. Wouldn't they be nice in the garden? And I do love rhubarb! I bought some grown locally at our Sunday Market about 10 days ago.

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  7. Those 'forcers' are really decorative aren't they?

    You'd never want to bring them in.

    Rob

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  8. I never heard of forcers either. We have rhubarb in the back yard right now. There's rhubarb sauce in the fridge, which goes well with vanilla ice cream.

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  9. I have never seen such lovely forcers! I just have the buckets. I'll have to find some like these! Thanks:)

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  10. Hi Anna, It looks like the top part is a lid that comes off so the rhubarb isn't blanched? Because early rhubarb is good but white rhubarb seems somehow not as good! :) You could cut the top of a bucket almost all the way round to have a lid to open, too. I don't see why not.

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  11. Hi Anna! Now that's interesting that you use rhubarb forcers to get a better and sweeter crop! I didn't know that. Thanks for the hint.

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  12. I've never heard of doing this (forcing). Very interesting and I might just give it a try myself. :D

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  13. I too hanker after one of these(or more), and the more diminutive Kale forcers. I have looked in salvage yards as I prefer the battered look, but the prices are orbital. One day!

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  14. Lovely Anna, I would love to have some of those, do you know where to get them? I have been looking for those.

    Great post!

    Tyra

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  15. They are so desirable aren't they.

    Plastic buckets don't really do it even though they force the rhubarb well enough.

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  16. The rhubarb forcers are fantastic...they look very pretty in the garden.
    I am learning so much today, thanks to the letter R and creative posts like this one.
    Thank you.
    Sherry

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  17. So pleased to have found this. I was waffling on to my husband about rhubarb forcers the other day and he hadn't a clue what I was talking about so we looked them up on the internet, liked the look of them - then didn't like the price (at all!). Even after I'd proved they they existed, he was far from convinced anyone who hadn't got stuck very far behind the times would use them. So I'm a little disappointed these aren't yours because, if they were, I could have been very smug and would have said - 'look, everyone except us has rhubarb forcers!'.

    Esther Montgomery
    Esther's Boring Garden Blog

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  18. I've never heard of a rhubarb forcer before, but it does make an attractive addition to the garden as well. Rhubarb custard pie is one of my favorites! Yummm, now I have a craving for rhubarb:)

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  19. Oh-h-h-h!!! So that's what they are!! I saw some of those in the garden centre today and hadn't a clue what they were for. LOL!

    That is a wonderfully original 'R'!

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  20. I showed this post to my husband, thinking it would help uphold my point but he just took a look at the photo and said 'Someone else stuck in the nineteenth century'.

    So that didn't work!

    Esther

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  21. I'd like one too - and those large individual glass bell cloches to sit over small plants. Just waiting for the Lottery win!

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  22. Now that is one of the few garden items I don't crave one little bit.

    We have terra-cotta drainpipes, mostly chipped or cracked.
    They do the job and look quite agreeable in their way.
    Wouldn't want the twee ones.
    Pity we don't like rhubarb :-)
    but as it is about the only thing that is slugfree and growing well, I keep it "just for another year" :-)

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  23. I hanker after some rhubarb forcers too. I love them, but not the price! I make do with a bucket instead.

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All your comments are much appreciated and treasured. I wil try to reply to everyone who leaves a comment, but it may take me a few days, especially when I start spending more time in the garden and at the lottie. I know that you will understand :) I am sure that I will also visit your blog if I have not already done so. If you have any specific questions I will either reply to them here or you can email me at : thegreentapestry@gmail.com

Namasté

- Anna.