Topic: asparagus comin thru

[grotbag]

nearly ready georgie

[actiongran]

Oh golly grotbag, i know it can be mild down south but thats crazy, its thick snow here and i shall be excited if my asparagus shows thru' on 1st may like last year!!

[grotbag]

picked 1st spears early april last year

[Georgie]

Yay can't wait.   ;D

G x

[cambourne7]

I have 4 spears popping though, this was from the mature crown i moved late last year and i am not sure if i should pick them when there ready or leave them till next year.

[Tin Shed]

Mine are coming through as well. Hopefully the fleece will protect them as I can't wait to try them - this is the first year we can harvest!

[grotbag]

if it was me cam , iwould leave the spears this year.

[sawfish]

how many spears do you reckon you get a year off one crown?

[Belinda]

It's tricky to predict how many spears you'll get from each crown as there are so many variables: region, soil, treatment etc etc.

But as an example this is what we have had over recent years (East Surrey, not far from Gatwick, bit of a frost pocket):

2004 - planted 20 two year-old crowns in a deep, well manured bed with seived soil on top
2005 - took 1 spear from each crown - we just HAD to have a taste  ::)
2006 - total of 272 spears between 25th April and 13th June
2007 - total of 442 spears between 7th April and 20th June

In '07 we actually chose NOT to pick spears sometimes when we went to the lottie so that the crowns would slow down a bit!!

[twinkletoes]

 :o - crikey - that's a big armoury!!  Hope I am as successful - but might be tricky - only put 5 crowns in  ::)
Twinkletoes

[sawfish]

thats still 110 spears twinkletoes

[twinkletoes]

Thanks sawfish - that'll do me then......   ;D ;D ;D
twinkletoes

[Susiebelle]

Belinda I am very impressed with your record keeping! I promised myself this year I would do better I always start off well but something always gets in the way - but it will be my first proper picking of asparagus this year and I will certainly follow your example

[Robert_Brenchley]

I've just recieved 20 massive crowns from http://www.asparagus-in-kent.co.uk/growyourown.htm . After two failtures tring to grow garden centre and Wilko's asparagus, I have far higher hopes of these, they're far bigger,with nice tight buds.

[vegging out]

I've just recieved 20 massive crowns from http://www.asparagus-in-kent.co.uk/growyourown.htm . After two failtures tring to grow garden centre and Wilko's asparagus, I have far higher hopes of these, they're far bigger,with nice tight buds.

I had a delivery of 15 from the same place last year.As you say Robert,fantastic crowns,best I've seen.Mine were poking through the soil nine days after planting and had eight or nine ferns per plant by the end of the growing season.Their are a few spears just starting to show now so looks like they've made their first winter. Hope this is encouraging for you.

[chilli queen]

Thank you for the link Robert - have just ordered 10 crowns.