I have just enjoyed a bowl of forced, home-grown, champagne-pink rhubarb, rushed from plot to plate in an hour, and it was sensational. If your garden doesn’t contain a clump you are missing out on an easy, culinary staple of spring and early summer. Put it right now by planting a crown in an open, sunny position. Within three years you’ll be picking. Your plant will live for years and, if it slows down and becomes huge but unproductive, you will need to divide it as it sleeps between November and March, although it does take muscle. Rhubarb is technically a vegetable, although designated as a fruit in America in 1947 for taxation purposes. Its ancestors originally grew on the shores of the River Volga or Rha. Chinese herbalists were grinding up the dried roots as early as 2700 BC. Anyone who has ever eaten a large bowl of fresh rhubarb will probably be able to guess the reason why. It was used it as a purgative. By the 16th century large amounts of money were being spent importing the powder into Britain from China, Siberia and the Himalayas.

Our government was concerned about the amount of money leaving British shores and in 1763 The London Society for the Encouragement of the Arts, Manufactures and Commerce offered a gold medal to the person who could raise the most plants. The medal was given to Sir William Fordyce, a Scottish physician, who raised 300 plants and wrote a book about it. By 1815, the rhubarb tart had become a popular dessert although rhubarb did not become really popular until the Sugar Tax was repealed in 1874. You do need a lot of sugar. However, one Sweet Cicely leaf (Myrrhis odorata) reduces the amount needed considerably and adds an aromatic fennel-like flavour.

Rhubarb, being a riverside plant, prefers damp summer weather and a dry, cold winter. Mulching (with well-rotted compost or straw) will help to achieve both, but do not cover the crowns deeply. Planting on a mound will aid drainage on heavy soil. When planting, prepare the ground by digging down deeply, working in plenty of farmyard manure or compost as you go. Space your crowns one metre apart (3ft). Tidy your rhubarb in autumn so that slugs do not have anywhere to hide. Don’t pull any stems until the second year of growth. The technique is to pull and then twist very gently from the lower stem — never cut rhubarb. Harvesting usually stops at the end of May, when oxalic acid builds up, giving the stems an unpleasant metallic flavour. Forcing rhubarb produces a more modest crop, between four and six pounds in weight. You shouldn’t force the same clump every year as it can weaken the crown. I have terracotta forcers bought from Whichford Pottery (whichfordpottery.com/01608 684416) but it’s quite possible to use an upturned dustbin and straw. The idea is to create a dark, warm space that encourages the stems to stretch up for light.

‘Timperley Early’ is a widely available robust variety that does well for everyone.

‘Victoria’, also readily available, is slightly later with very red stems.

‘Raspberry Red’, mid to late-season, is an old heavily cropping Dutch Variety with sweet red stems. ‘Hawke’s Champagne’ AGM (early to mid and often forced) has long, scarlet stems with a sweet flavour.

‘Stockbridge Arrow’ (late) is a newer variety producing suffused-red stems (that are extremely tender) by May. It’s forced commercially in Yorkshire.

‘Grandad’s Favourite’ was introduced by Alan Bloom of Bressingham, who lived until 97. He ate rhubarb for breakfast most of his life and sometimes I got to share a bowl and talk plants! Stockists include Pennard Plants (pennardplants.com/01749 860039) and Marshalls (marshalls seeds.co.uk/0844 557 6700).