Planting Asparagus

Lovely weekend, the fruit trees are bursting into leaf, the plum trees are in full blossom and the collared doves are cheekily pinching our thatch for their nests.

Thanks to Thompson and Morgan we recived triple the amount of asparagus we were expecting and so decided to plant 40 crowns in our raised beds.

We put in ten crowns of Ariane (early season),Purple Pacific (purple and prolific),Mondeo (early season and among the tastiest) and Pacific 2000 (can be eaten raw).

The crowns arrived whilst we were away in a strange spidery boxed mass. Apparently the best thing to do is soak the crowns and then spread them out upon mounds of manure leaving the tiny white asparagus tips peeping just above the soil.

Hopefully if the crowns survive they will grow into ferny green plants which will turn yellow in the autumn to be cut off and covered with shit.

Next spring we should be able to snaffle a few spears but not too much so the plant is weakened. Until then we shall just have to watch and hope.