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Hidden from view by its terracotta overcoat for the past few months, it's impossible to know exactly how the rhubarb beneath is developing without peeping. Rhubarb forcing  jars are wonderful objects in their own right, and mine takes up residence

season has arrived.An established clump covered with a terracotta forcing jar has come good again, as it does every year without much attention at all. I know it's ready when the little terracotta lid is lifted high atop rhubarb leaves pushing through

because the birds don’t expect the strawberries to be there, or maybe there are plenty of other fruits to get their beaks around.The same can’t be said of the molluscs, which are out in force, enjoying the unusually mild and moist conditions. The slugs

that help me create a patchwork of colour is all part of the fun of ‘growing your own’. By choosing crops that provide a full eating sensation – colour, texture, sweetness, flavour – you can take your veg-growing to new heights, and enjoy home-grown produce

and cooking crops. Do let us know in the comments section of this blog if there are any harvesting tips you'd like us to cover.Finally, do join me and a host of other experts on the ‘Grow Your Own’ Garden at BBC Gardeners' World Live (15-19 June 2011) for more