[PennyS]

Afternoon!

Quick question.  My asparagus crowns have arrived.  The bed is all dug (luckily that part of the plot has lovely soil) and is ready. 

Trouble is we have snow forecast for the next couple of weeks (if I'm to believe Metcheck but I understand they are normally quite good).  So do I wait (in which case what do I do with them) or do I bung them in this week before the ground freezes? 

Many thanks, Penny

[Pompey Spud]

I'd get them in now so the delicate roots don't dry out. Crowns will be dormant.

Make sure bed is well drained with a mixture of sharp sand/compost.

Cover bed with fleece as a precaution.

I planted mine last year just before the snow arrived and they were fine.

[PennyS]

Thank you!
I was going to be reckless and miss out the sand as it's really well drained loamy soil which has had compost dug in.  But in for a penny and all that, I'll make a trip to Wickes before I make it to the allotment.
Many thanks!

[Trillium]

I agree with Pompey, get them in now. They're very tough plants and can take the cold and snow. If you're just getting roots then there are no top bits yet to worry about with snow.

[PennyS]

Hi,
Just got back from the great asparagus planting session.  In the end I managed to get 26 plants in the area I'd got ready - so my new neighbour who was digging away has got a few to put on his plot (I had 31 for some reason).

Nice to be back in the warm - it's cold, wet and windy out there.
 

[Jome]

I'm still waiting for mine to arrive, I checked the website and they said they lift them late march and delivery the first couple of weeks in April, hope this isn't a bit late then to get them planted?

[Trillium]

Not at all. If they're only just digging them now, then the plants are just coming out of dormancy.

[solway cropper]

Got mine planted last week when the weather was reasonable then covered them over with fleece when it turned cold. I just hope I can resist the temptation to cut them this first year.

[Pompey Spud]

If you want a future crop for years don't cut for 2 years.

To begin with the spears are small in the first year anyway.

I made the mistake of not identifying the adult Asparagus Beetle as a major risk.

I had larvae all over the plants and was forever squishing them but should have done it earlier with the adults.