Throughout the first two weeks of December, forced rhubarb was laid in the tunnels. Harvesting these has now been started in the UK. Forced rhubarb is pink in color with small yellow leaves, which contrasts to outdoor grown rhubarb. The stems are grown in dark conditions, so the plants do not photosynthesis. As a result, the pink stems are surprisingly tender and sweet.
In January, growers resumed the process by lifting and setting up additional tunnels for forcing more rhubarb. This was also achieved by covering the crop with fleece and mulch in the fields. This is helping to fulfil the rhubarb demand until the traditional outdoor rhubarb is ready near the end of April.
Source: placeuk.com
Photo source: Dreamstime.com