My baby seedlings

Trying2Save_3

Allexie, did you plant seeds or crowns?

Allexie

Trying2Save wrote:

Allexie, did you plant seeds or crowns?

The spears are, (were!), from 10 yr old crowns that are really past their best. My gardening book says the crowns should last 15+ years but mine are deffo struggling now. Will have to replace them next year and think will go for crowns again as with seeds I believe you lose a year when you transplant them.

Tee hee, another six have popped up today, I keep going to visit them to see how they are getting on....when it's really warm I swear you can actually seeee them growing! All creatures with feet have been banned for the forseeable future....

Trying2Save_3

Once established they should crop for 15-20 years. Just looked in my book and it says that one year old crowns planted in early spring establish best. Normally they are not harvested until the plant has been in the ground 2 years, to allow for good crops in future years. In the 3rd year harvest from mid-spring for 6 wks and in subsequent years for 8wks. Are your plants showing any symptons like yellow leaf?

Allexie

Trying2Save wrote:

Once established they should crop for 15-20 years. Just looked in my book and it says that one year old crowns planted in early spring establish best. Normally they are not harvested until the plant has been in the ground 2 years, to allow for good crops in future years. In the 3rd year harvest from mid-spring for 6 wks and in subsequent years for 8wks. Are your plants showing any symptons like yellow leaf?

No, no signs of yellow leaf, they just haven't cropped as well the last couple of years....I was left with a lot of 'sprue' last year, (thin, weedy spears - but still makes great soup!). People seem to disagree about whether to harvest straight away from new crowns - some say it encourages better growth. I've 'inherited' these crowns so I don't know too much about their history but the one time I actually planted new crowns I couldn't resist taking just a few spears the very first year and the plants didn't seem to suffer.

Trying2Save_3

Ok back again, having consulted my gardening book. Yellow leaf indicates some kind of pest like asparagus beetle, "violet root rot" and "foot and root rots" so maybe they just need feeding. You can top dress with a general fertilizer in early spring and repeat when cutting has finished. Be careful not to overfeed because excess nitrogen makes for soft fern growth and can reduce yields. Also says that most modern plants are all male F1 cultivars which are more vigorous than older, open-pollinated cultivars and they do not produce seed. Female cultivars are of poorer vigour. Asparagus needs good drainage and a pH of 6.3-7.5 to thrive and do not plant new asparagus where grown previously. Yield should be 9-12 spears per crown.

I haven't got an asparagus bed but am planning one. I know a couple of people who have and I'll ask them about yours. :-)

Trying2Save_3

Sorry - it's me again! I have found the cheapest place to buy seeds is from Wallis Seeds, tel: 01245 360413. They stock ordinary, organic & oriental vegetables; flowers; herbs; natural predators; roses. for example Tomato Moneymaker 39p for sc80. Cherry Red Robin .69p for sc50 Marrow 49p for sc25. Radish French Breakfast .39 for sc1200. Little Gem Lettuce .39p for sc1500. I keep seeds left over in their packets in a biscuit tin to plant next year. there is p&p but I can't find my invoice at the moment. Anyone know of anywhere cheaper?

MrsMW

I planted some hanging baskets today, but because it's a bit cold and there's a frost forecast I put them in a corner on the floor and tucked a net curtain round them for the night. My dog has just been out and cocked his leg on them !!!
Anyone want a Lurcher?

pandas66

Don't they just do the daftest things!!!!!!! Dogs are stupid he thought you'd said sweet peas

nicki_2

I planted out two of eight sunflowers yesterday, the other six are still fairly small but they are about 2 months younger than the other two so I planted them up into a bigger pot.

I also potted up my garlic bulbs (5) into a broken stacker box, I had no choice about potting them up as the roots had reached the bottom of the tub they were in and had started coming out the drainage holes. I've already had a garlic bread order from my dad :rolleyes:

I planted up my mint into a bigger tub and split it into 5 smaller plants. From experience I know that mint runs wild if planted loose in the ground so I'm quite happy for that to be the start of my potted herb garden.

My seedlings themselves are doing great now. I have loads of lettuce seedlings which really need thining/planting out but with the risk of frost still here I don't want to just yet.

Finally popping their tiny heads through are my tomato, onions, basil and I think I can see a strawberry plant or two but they are really tiny. I've finally gained some windowsil space back in the kitchen BUT I will be planting more seedlings soon. Since our soil has quite alot of clay in it, so it's quite heavy, I don't want to plant seeds straight out as I want to get the maximum yield from each packet to save as much money as possible.

I finally cleared our garden completely of everything except my lavander, climbing rose and some daffodils so I'm all set. I really need to get some plant food though.

Caz2_2

Hi all
Netto have seeds for 19p a packet, i got rocket, tomato, lettuce, beetroot oh loads of packets, they also have blackcurrent and redcurrent plants for £1.80 and on thursday they are getting citrus plants which are, i think 2 quid each, also bedding plants 10 for £1.70 but i went to great mills which i think is the cheapest there is for bedding and got 30 lobelia for £3.99 they also had nemesis and busy lizzie for the same price. I grow all of these but have a big area and anyway mine are too small yet. I'm going to grow rocket on the windowsill because last year i didn't pick it quick enough outside and it bolted, i have lettuce now on window and just keep picking leafs off to eat. It looks odd though a big lettuce in a pot but who cares.