Asparagus!

silverwhistle

Yesterday I popped down the allotment and whilst weeding the asparagus bed by hand I saw a number of little asparagus heads peaking through. It'll be the first year I can really crop as I've been leaving the bed to establish, but to my mind this seems very early?

The cardboard and seaweed mulch seems to have really helped, and being in southern Hampshire must have as well. Anybody else spotted any yet?

twopenny

I don't have it but my great aunt used to and its grown near here for sale.
I do remember it being late spring - which I guess is quite soon despite the ever present rain and all fruit and plants are racing ahead.

I see on this site it mentions soil temperature being the trigger. 10c and the mulch helps.
https://harvesttotable.com/asparagus-growing-and-care-calendar/
Despite me grumbling about the cold morning and evenings it is still reasonable temperature wise and days drawing out quickly.
Lucky you 

Nobbie1967

I’m up in Wilmslow and was weeding like you and knocked off several small spears which were very tasty I think mid April is about the normal time for them to start appearing, but they grow quite slowly until it warms up a bit more. If you get a sharp frost it will damage the spears.

I’d be careful about using a cardboard mulch. I used some next to my asparagus patch last year and it seemed to act as a nursery for slugs which ruined the spears on that side of the patch.