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Who wouldn’t want a rhubarb forcer? Not only do these terracotta cloches encourage tender shoots to grow in early spring, the clay domes also look fabulously sculptural in a garden bed.
If you are the sort of gardener who likes to raise asparagus and chicory as well (and really, who among us does not?), forcing jars will also coax those edibles toward success.
You may wonder after you look at all the lovely rhubarb forcers pictured below why the terracotta jars are a commonplace accessory in England but practically non-existent in the United States. We too are dismayed by the shortage stateside—perhaps local garden suppliers will take note of our 10 favorites. [N.B.: Since this story was first published a decade ago, there’s been progress in the US market, with four stateside retailers now making our updated list!]
The UK’s renaissance in rhubarb forcers can be traced to a chance encounter between the Duke of Edinburgh and potter John Huggins at a recent Chelsea Flower Show, reports the Telegraph. After the Duke “casually asked if he made rhubarb forcers,” Ruardean Garden Pottery designer Huggins became so intrigued that he started buying up vintage forcers to study their shapes and “once he started making them, people just couldn’t get enough.”
Featured photograph above courtesy of Crocus.
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