asparagus

Everything is later this year. Today, typical April showers (and sleet and hail) bashed the garden until the sun came out again. We are in May and have had a dry April. The rain is welcome.

Although we have already had our first limited cut of asparagus, this weekend was the first proper crop we have taken. Our variety (Connovers Collosal) is a good old variety and never disappoints. Look at these whoppers! I braised some on a griddle, but decided after that I prefer them boiled. I am convinced that however they are cooked, they area diuretic!

Here we have cut thick stems at the beginning of May and will continue to cut for another six weeks. On 21 June, midsummers day, our asparagus season will end and we will allow the ferns to grow on to build themselves up for another season.

Asparagus is planted in a permanent position and is expected to give a good crop for ten or twenty years. We grew our 'crowns' from a pack of seeed and planted out in 2003. They like a good feed and so we mulch with manure and compost and top dress with organic fertiliser as well to keep their strength up.

There is certainly no sign that the bed is getting tired yet!