It’s been a great year for rhubarb. At last, after raising the beds and mulching with ludicrous amounts of manure over the last four years, the plants are growing strongly and cropping very well.

They are all Timperley Early -hardly an exotic choice but one that’s solid, tastes good and grows well on my soil. I added a fourth plant to the bed last year, so I can force them all in a four year rotation. All are doing well.

The forced rhubarb always the first event of my year, was a delight – shocking pink, abundant and utterly gorgeous to eat. 

My big joy though, was the boost in quality of bog-standard field rhubarb. I suspect it was the torrential rain we had at the front end of the year, but it was juicy, succulent and tasted fantastic. I experimented with ice cream, which was absolutely wonderful.

So – no change to the routine for next year. Lots of mulch, keep it weed-free, enjoy to the end of June then hands off.

Score: 10/10