Does anyone have?

[donlottie]

Would love to hear from anyone that has some asparagus crowns going spare. This is one of my most favourite veg and aim to grow it on my lottie but dont have the patience for seeds

[donlottie]

[asbean]

I'll be putrting seeds in next year - no crowns now, sorry.

[donlottie]

good luck asbean, I heard they take years to grow before getting a crop

[pigeonseed]

I think you're meant to wait two years, to let the plants establish, then you can cut spears.

When you're keen to try something it sounds like ages but a few seasons on an allotment flies by. I didn't plant raspberries because of waiting and now 6 years later it seems a bit silly!

Actually they're taking over my allotment fron next door, so I'm growing my own whether I like it or not!

[saddad]

I grew them from seed and then lost a couple of years when I had to transplant them but still well worth the effort...
;D

[asbean]

I greww some from seed four years ago to replace some that didn't make the journey from Tuscany via Milan to Winchester, and we're eating them now  :P :P :P

[jennym]

Same here, grew mine from seed, and have been eating asparagus for a good few years now. Pm me if you'd like some seed of Martha Washington.

[Amazin]

I bought some asparagus crowns back in January this year from Wilkinsons - packs of three crowns for two quid. Might be worth your while to hang on - you can get the bed prepared while you wait.

;D

[asbean]

Best time for planting is spring - late march/April.  Amazin's right, spend the winter preparing the bed, making sure it's weed free, loads of well-rotted stuff dug in deeply, double dig if you can. It's worth all the preparation, because they put down masses of roots, and will be in the same place for years and years.  It also makes their bed easier to weed, as it needs to be weed-free.

Saddad, they don't mind transplanting when they're young, not sure that older plants would appreciate it.  :) :)

[donlottie]

Thanks azbean, on with digging the bed as we speak.

[littlebabybird]

how much space does asparagus need?  how many plants would i need for just me? (i'm growing veg for 8 of us ut no one else eats it) lastly is it hard to grow.

[cornykev]

8 of you LBB not the Brady Bunch buy any chance.  ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D :-X

[donlottie]

According to suttons, one crown = 1/2lb of heads. whether this increases over the years I am not sure

[asbean]

LLB we have 20 plants in a bed 4ft x 16ft.  Ieally they should be 18 ins apart.  We are getting more and more each year, and have another six plants starting in another bed. Not really enough for three of us, we don't give much away (only to special people) and during the season we eat it 2-3 times a week.  We'd be happy to eat it daily!  :P :P :P :P :P

[littlebabybird]

so realy 2 or 3 plants isn't going to go far   :(
i guess i'll just have to dream.

[Suzanne]

I have 20 crowns for just the two of us. next year they will be 4 years old and ready for full harvest - expecting to eat asparagus every other day! Plus I having taken on another allotment I am preparing a bed for 10 crowns of one of the purple varieties. I expect to be very popular with family and friends around may?june in the years to come.
;D ;D ;D

[donlottie]

I absolutely love asparagus, you are all rubbing salt into my wound :-[ :-[ :-[

Patience is not my strong point, but i suppose I am resigned to waiting

[asbean]

The waiting makes it worthwhile.  Believe me, once you've tasted your own asparagus, cooked minutes after it's been picked you'll never want bought stuff again!