Asparagus through the post

My asparagus crowns arrived going on for a week ago now and the instructions say get them into the ground as soon as possible. Its snowing on and off and the ground is frozen whenever i get the chance to get out

They are in a bucket (with some strawberrys) in a cool out house and i get them a little bit wet every so often.

Will they last a little while like this or should i give up and get some new ones when the snow and ice is gone? The strawberrys are growing leaves despite it being pretty cold out there...

id like to save them if possible since its over £40 worth..

10 x guelph millenium, 10 x pacific, 10 x ariane, also another 10 at OH mums house as she is moving so has nowhere to put them yet either...

although I really don't know why they send them out this early

Agreed, the only suppliers I know cool-store the crowns and send out in March so that they can be planted in ideal conditions to then get cracking.

e.g. http://www.asparagus-in-kent.co.uk/payment-delivery/

Ill keep going with them then and be careful of frost and see how we go....will report back in 3 years 
Thanks for advice!

You should know in more like 3 months whether they have all made it - just make sure you keep your hands in your pockets when you do see them!! 

Just checked DT Brown site and it says "Despatch: From 14th January 2015" which seems early to me??  Perhaps they contract-out supply of the crowns, or don't want to have to cool-store them.

By the by, I do wonder about companies that ship anything frost-sensitive (like seed potatoes) at this time of the year, unless they "hold" despatch when the weather turns Arctic.

Hmmm ... just checking "Asparagus Crown Selections", because I saw one on my travels on Marshalls site earlier, and that has an evn earlier shipping date of DT Brown's site.

DT Brown : 30 crowns, 10 each of Mondeo (very early), Guelph Millennium (later/very hardy), Pacific Purple (mid season, tender) at £1 each. Despatch: From 21st October 2014!!
http://www.dtbrownseeds.co.uk/Vegetable-Plants-1/Asparagus-Crowns_2/Asparagus-Crown-Collection.html

Marshalls : 15 crowns, 5 each of Pacific 2000 (Early April), Ariane (Late April), Millenium (mid May) at £1 each. Delivered late February/March. Includes free harvesting knife.
http://www.marshalls-seeds.co.uk/long-cropping-asparagus-crowns-collection-pid6926.html

Suttons : 30 crowns, 10 each of Mondeo (Early), Pacific 2000 (Mid season), Guelph Millennium (Late season) at £1.17  Delivery: APRIL-2015
http://www.suttons.co.uk/Gardening/Vegetable+Plants/Popular+Vegetable+Plants/Asparagus+Plants/Asparagus+Crowns+-+Continuity+Collection_244785.htm

T&M: 20 crowns, 5 each of Ariane (early), Mondeo (early), Pacific 2000, Purple Pacific at £1.50 - £1.12 (two-off). Despatch: By end of March 2015
http://www.thompson-morgan.com/vegetables/all-other-vegetables/asparagus/asparagus-autumn-planting-collection-autumn-planting/aww3478TM

Blackmoor : 30 crowns, 10 each of various variety combinations Connover's, Gijnlim, Guelph Millennium, Backlim, Pacific Purple at £1 each. dispatched between October and May but are best planted April-May
http://www.blackmoor.co.uk/category/205

Reads Nursery : No collection, supplied in 3-4L pot with 2 - 3 crowns per pot. Seems a slightly strange way of offering them - presumably have to separate them out in order to plant them, which seems to negate shipping them in pots??
http://www.readsnursery.co.uk/asparagus/

Had to smile at the selection of delivery dates offered in Kristen's selection - talk about hedging your bets, or is it because they haven't the foggiest idea when they themselves will get them, but whenever they do they will forward to you as if a very hot potato? 

At least Suttons are prepared to specify a sensible date, although some of their customers could finish up wondering if they will arrive later than is actually ideal! 

I have the sand to dig in, ready sitting at the side of the bed, and manure for the mulch there too