[Bodmass]

Poking about in my plastic walk-in growhouse on the plot & I discovered a 6" Asparagus spear poking up.  On closer inspection I found a few more coming through.  This was a bit of a surprise!

I took over the plot in November and there were two 75cm ferns visible in an apparently otherwise untended corner, I cut them back as advised & have kept them watered & given them some feed. These have shown no signs of spears yet.  

The growhouse was placed next to the Asparagus 2 or 3 weeks ago over a load of weeds & I've been meaning to put some off-cut lino down as a floor.  The spears have appeared about 1.5m from where the ferns were, leading me to think there's actually a bed there rather than a couple of plants.

So my questions:

If there were no ferns last autumn, do I assume this is a very young plant that shouldn't be cropped this year?

If the fern's not an age signal, how would I tell?

Do I need to move the growhouse ASAP, or will Asparagus happily sit under cover (if watered & weeded)?  At least till my first earlies are up & I could move the thing there then (7wks?).

Is there any method of detecting more plants other than waiting to see if they throw up spears?

And yes, I have now moved everything off the floor as one poor little spear has got quiet deformed

PS I've never even tasted Asparagus!

[gavinjconway]

Hi Bod - Asparagus need sun so I would move the grow frame as you cant move asparagus now.. maybe move them when they are dormant in the autumn. Age... ?? cant tell other than if the crown is fairly large and established.. take a look to see if you can see the size.. sure you could eat some!! but you need at least 10 each to make it worthwhile!! I love them..

Recipe for Asparagus..

We normally tie the spears in a bundle with string and boil/simmer for 10 - 15 minures.. then remove, drain and cut string. Spread butter or marge and a little salt and pepper and eat all sitting around the plate with butter dribbling down our arms like eating sweetcorn on the cob...

Another way is to blitz them in the liquidizer when cooked for a few secs with added chunk of butter or marge. Then pour onto hot fresh rolls or toast or spread a layer on Steak.. absolutely delicious. As my allotment is new to me I have sown seeds indoors and now in the GH to wait re-potting and final planting out in the plot after the early spuds are dug up.. then wait a few years before picking can start.. cant wait!!

ps. we never cover our plants when growing so the spears are always green - not incipidl

[Bodmass]

Cheers.  Really don't fancy Veg smoothies though

Just to be clear it was the growhouse I was thinking of moving rather than the plant.  But that the plant is movable is useful info.