THE Asparagus spears keep pushing their heads above ground only to be frozen by the recurring frosts. Last night it was not meant to freeze but once again the temperatures drifted slowly down past a reasonable temperature. Our patch of land is the lowest for miles around so it gathers here. Like gas seeking the low lands.The spears go an opaque watery green then their heads begin to droop and they wilt back down. It sets the plant back, slowing it down, but hopefully not killing it off though the rot going back down into the crown is not a good thing.
I have been weeding every day down in the asparagus patch trying to eliminate much of the grass mat and thistle. The asparagus is left to go to fern for much of the summer resulting in a lot of flowering weed. After harvest the plants are covered in compost and this year I am going to experiment with a ground cover that might suppress the weeds and when it dies in the winter will provide a mulch.
Many ground covers release additional nutrients when they die and though I am still researching this idea Austrian Peas are the running favorites. (Mainly because I still have some in the seed store – behind the couch).
Each of these beds has over a hundred crowns so keeping this patch weed free is a job in itself. Asparagus hates competition.
The ducklings are growing and almost ready for their outside door to be opened. So after I have finished dressing the airbnb for tomorrows guest and after the weeding and then the sowing of the Monday seeds, I will rake their run of the dried weeds and introduce the ducklings to a very well protected outside world.
They are so big – they have quite dwarfed the chicks who are still so tiny and cosy in their big tub with the heated floor.
And now that I have written all that needs to be done today I had better get busy and make it happen.
I hope you have a lovely day.
celi
WEATHER: Maybe this mornings freeze was the last one this spring. Lets’s hope so. Tonight will be a lot warmer.
Monday 04/30 0% / 0 in
Sunny to partly cloudy. High 74F. Winds S at 10 to 20 mph.
Monday Night 04/30 0% / 0 in
A clear sky. Low 51F. Winds S at 10 to 20 mph.
Sun
5:52 AM 7:48 PM
Moon
Full, 100% visible 8:33 PM 6:35 AM
The Kitchen's Garden 
39 responses to “SAD FROZEN ASPARAGUS”
I hope your freezes and frosts are over. We’ve had a slow year with asparagus. Other years I was sick of it by now we had so much. This year a sprig here and there each day is about it. I don’t know what’s up. Perhaps it’s just been too dry. Plants like rain, and not sprinklers so much. Maybe my asparagus isn’t fond of well water. I hope we get some good rain soon – minus the tornadoes and hail!
Well, at least you ‘can’ grow asparagus. We have the climate, but not the soil (or space for something that is not very productive here.) We happened to get some excellent soil that needed to be removed from a nearby renovation project (replacing pavement), that might get spread out in a terrace to make a flat area for more of the underground vegetables like potatoes and asparagus. We had no idea that the soil was so excellent there until we needed to get rid of it!
Those ducklings are going to love being outside … I’ve never grown asparagus, but thick mulching and fingers crossed should help 🙂
ran across your blog… love the asparagus! we have 4 ducks they’re about 3 months old now, they grow like weeds compared to the chicks! is this your first time raising them?
Yes they grow fast and though I grew a small flock of pekins years ago this is my first time growing ducks in these numbers for the eggs. So I am making it up as I go along really! Welcome to the Lounge of Comments – lovely to have you. I will pop over and visit your blog this morning after chores!
I didn’t realize people raised ducks for their eggs! We have 16 chickens and they’re sooooo close to laying right now, I’m so excited!!
That is exciting – what kind of chickens are they?
We have some Rhode Island reds, Cornish hens, bard rock and some leghorns! Really hoping your asparagus pulls through!! I’ve only grown it once to try it out and the dogs ended up getting into the garden bed so mine didn’t make it 😥
Sounds great! I love the leghorns mine have been laying for years! The asparagus is doing well! Just needs some rain.
I hope your asparagus pulls through!!! I absolutely LOVE asparagus and would be heart broken otherwise !