On Wed, 13 May 2015 08:20:08 -0500, George Shirley
wrote:

On 5/13/2015 7:25 AM, Terry Coombs wrote:
songbird wrote:
Lord Bergamot wrote:

The last three springs I've bought Asparagus crowns from Walmart.
The first time, none grew. Last year two of twelve grew, but died
during winter. This year it looks like one will grow. When will I
learn not to buy from Walmart? It must dry out in the packages.

Twenty five years ago I ordered Asparagus from a mail order company,
and they all grew. I've been harvesting plenty of Martha Washington
every year, but I wanted to try some purple. Maybe it's not too late
to order some and plant this year. Maybe I'll order some white too.

Seeds from the Martha Washington blow around and germinate.
Asparagus can usually grow like weeds once they get established. The
purple are supposed to turn green when cooked. I'm getting hungry
thinking about it.

you don't have any reliable garden places or greenhouses
around?


songbird

We do here , thankfully . After last year's debacle with Walmart seeds
(Rutgers and Beefsteak , allegedly that turned out to be mostly cherry toms
plus some mutts , the only thing I've bought there is cow manure . Add 3
separate times I got strawberry plants that didn't grow and flower seedlings
that were crap ... and after the latest batch of manure , I won't even buy
that .
My go-to place now is the nursery at a local grocery , they have a degreed
horticulturist on staff , and Melissa really knows her stuff .

We do much the same, local Kroger Marketplace has an outdoor nursery
with Bonnie plants. Same with both the local Lowe's. Sometimes run into
a problem where some joker has switched the labels. Our favorite nursery
is just that, a humongous nursery about six or seven miles away. Have
bought most of the fruit trees, etc. from them as they guarantee their
stock.

We don't buy much of anything at Walmart, I would rather go to Big Lots
or Dollar General. I did buy a battery for wife's car at Walmart, took
it home put it on the charger, wouldn't charge, took it back the same
day for a refund and went to an auto supply joint.

We received almost three inches of rain overnight. I'm afraid to check
the zucchini patch, there may be a canoe hiding in there.

The only time I buy at Walmart is when we need something now and I
can't find it anywhere in our small town. I decided that I would not
buy groceries there when I looked at the label on a chuck roast and it
listed ingredients. I buy from locally owned businesses when I can.
That includes the farmers market.

Wish you could have sent us about and inch of that. It is getting
very dry here.

We picked some of our strawberries yesterday afternoon. Just baked a
cake (box) for shortcake. Strawberry ice cream also sounds good.
Rhubarb custard cake when the shortcake is gone. I already have about
28 cups of chopped rhubarb in the freezer. Need to get the pepper
plants into the ground soon.
--
USA
North Carolina Foothills
USDA Zone 7a