LAST weekend was a bit of a triumph for me, I finally had my first decent harvest from the allotment. Basket in hand (a proper basket or trug is an essential item for any allotmentier) I went down the plot with only one thing on my mind, crumble.

Rhubarb season has arrived and it’s glorious. The first new stalks are always the sweetest and most pink. The smell of picking rhubarb always takes me back in time to my dear grandads allotment, when I was three-years-old sitting on his coat holding a paper bag filled with sugar and long red stalks of rhubarb.

Funny how smells can do that to you isn’t it?

Rhubarb is a love or hate sort of crop, I love it. Not only are the huge green leaves wonderful to look at, never eat them they will kill you dead; nevertheless it’s a beautiful plant.

Every plot should have a big clump somewhere.

They are a no fuss fruit - find a spot, bung them in and give them a big dose of well rotten horse manure over winter and they will be as happy as Larry.

The only thing you need to do is watch out they don’t get too dry and if they send up a flower spike just chop it off.

You can’t mistake their flower spikes they sort of look like a triffid. By cutting them off, the crown isn’t wasting energy by making seed.

Rhubarb is wonderfully versatile it can be used in chutney, jam, obviously pies and crumbles but another favourite of mine is rhubarb daiquiri.

Nothing beats a big rhubarb daiquiri after a long day digging, plus it’s fruit, so it’s one of your five a day right?

My allotment to do list:

Second sowing of peas and beans.

Rake over all my beds and add chicken manure to feed the soil ready for the new residents.

Decide where your going to plant your peas and beans and start putting your frame work up.

Perennials like Rudbeckia can be dug up and divided.

Why not sow some Pot Marigolds not only do the Bees adore them, their petals are lovely on a salad.

If you have an allotment query you can email vixlot@outlook.com