Asparagus question

[bigbear]

Planted three crowns of Conovers colossal in march.
Two have come up, one not.
The two that have come up are one spur each, and no sign of more. The more well developed one is branching away like a a small tree.
I was expecting more than one spur per crown.
Am I normal Doctor ?

 

[Toddy]

We struggle to grow them because of slugs and snails, but even our plants managed more than one shoot.

I suppose it depends on how big your crowns were to begin with ?

atb,
M

 

[Paulm]

Depends on all sorts of things, how big/mature the crowns were to start with, soil type, weather conditions etc. Wouldn't expect a decent crop for two or three years, maybe the odd spear in the meantime, but need to let them get established first. Wouldn't expect to get much off of three crowns though, even when established. I've got about a dozen and next time would plant two or three times that to get a decent crop. Planted on chalky soil though so might be more productive on something more decent !

Cheers, Paul

 

[Laurentius]

Depends on all sorts of things, how big/mature the crowns were to start with, soil type, weather conditions etc. Wouldn't expect a decent crop for two or three years, maybe the odd spear in the meantime, but need to let them get established first. Wouldn't expect to get much off of three crowns though, even when established. I've got about a dozen and next time would plant two or three times that to get a decent crop. Planted on chalky soil though so might be more productive on something more decent !

Cheers, Paul

I have some asparagus growing in pots on my windowsill, I dare not plant it out yet seeing as what has happened to everything else. Slugs!!!!

 

[santaman2000]

In answer to questioning asparagus; NO! It isn't edible.

 

[Toddy]

Well we had asparagus with dinner tonight it was very good
Better yet, it was British grown, and only £1 a bundle from Lidl's.
It cooks brilliantly well in a covered pyrex dish in the microwave

cheers,
Toddy

 

[dwardo]

Nice in the oven too, crispy
Even better when roasted wrapped in parma ham........

 

[nickliv]

There's a weird thing which happens with asparagus.

It makes some peoples urine smell 'asparagussey'. This much we know, but what's less well known, is the fact that some people who do get the asparagussey smell are genetically incapable of detecting it.

Less of a food, more a genetic experiment.

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk

 

[ozzy1977]

Doesn't your pee glow in uv light too?

 

[Nice65]

Doesn't your pee glow in uv light too?

Post of the day!!

I'm off to the farm shop later so I can test this out.

 

[Toddy]

I never thought to take a UV light into the loo with me and no, we don't stink asparagassy either....asparagus smells of green peas

You do know I'm going to go and find a UV lamp now, don't you ?

atb,
M

 

[Nice65]

Even the cleanest of bathrooms lights up like a Christmas tree under UV. Hotel inspectors use them.

It's a little disconcerting when you assume your loo is clean.


How quickly can I take a thread wildly off topic

 

[Toddy]

Oh ye gods, I already scour the places with bleach; UV light here we come

atb,
M

 

[Goatboy]

Used to be a farm that grew asparagus along the road from where I lived. Was wonderful to stop in on the way back from a "fishing" trip pick some and have it for tea with the fresh cooked fish and some fresh soft poached eggs. A fresher, sweeter, tastier meal would be hard pushed to find. Yum, hungry now.

I think your crowns will produce more next year as they've had a wee knockback only being in the ground a year. Perseverance is a virtue!

 

[TurboGirl]

IIRC it hates having soggy roots? That might have knocked it back this first year of establishing, with the mild wet winter, hopefully it'll pick up next year It certainly hated our clay here when I planted a few crowns, but there was an old guy nearby who had a brilliant patch which had been productive for 20yrs or more

 

[ozzy1977]

Not every one has stinky pee from asparagus, apparently its something to do with genetics,

 

[cranmere]

There are 2 factors in the stinky pee thing. Some people don't produce the smell, but some people can't smell it even if it's there.

We do grown up boiled eggs with soldiers, soft boiled goose eggs with asparagus to dip in it. We even had some big egg cups made by a local potter!

 

[bigbear]

Update,
following Gardeners world on the telly last week I dug up the OP patch, as it looked just like the stuff Monty Don had and he said if it gets a bad start it will never come right.
So, out it came, it seems that the suggestion above about wet roots is the issue and I shall plant some in a deep bed next spring to ensure good drainage.
We live and, with luck, learn !