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Planting three crowns will allow you to force one (once established) for the earliest tender stems, while giving a previously forced crown a recovery period as once they have been forced they should be allowed to grow naturally the following season to recover their vigour.
Rhubarb should be a couple of years old before forcing, as this process takes a lot of energy and plants are best left to establish a good root system first. Forcing simply excludes light from the growing crown by the use of a rhubarb forcer or an up-turned bucket, forcing the plant to send out young shoots to seek the light. Stockbridge Arrow is one of the best varieties for forcing.
