On Mon, 26 Apr 2010, Gopher wrote:

My query is this - how many crowns would be suitable (only the two of us),
and are there any obvious pitfalls that can be avoided by a newcomer to
growing this veg?

Not an answer but I would also like to know as I have been meaning to
plant some crowns for some years now and never got round to it.

Incidentally I've just returned from Vienna (and, yes, I got delayed
for a week along with everyone else!) and usually at this time of year
the "Spargel" season is well under way with just about every
restaurant offering all kinds of Spargel dishes. This year - nothing.
It seems to be very late. Instead they are offering, as a seasonal,
"Baerlauch". I would give you the English if I knew what it was but
it's a kind of wild garlic.

Bauerlauch _is_ wild garlic (wood garlic, ramsons, buckram etc.)

Hmm, Baerlauch (actually Bärlauch) must be an Austrian corruption then
because it was always spelled thus.

Bärlauch is broadleaved. I've had some wild garlic in my garden which
was narrow leaved.

David

--
David Rance
writing from Le Mesnil Villement, Calvados, France