In message , David Rance
writes
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

Genau - sorry - I read Bauerlauch which is as I stated above. Bärlauch,
as you say, is Bear's Leek (Lauch meaning leek as you certainly know)
AFAIK wild garlic is known as just that, with variations as Wood Garlic
and Broad Leaved Garlic also applicable. I guess we'd have to get into
the Latin classifications etc. for the finest detail but I suspect we'll
end up in circles.

BTW, I had someone asking me about introducing parsnips in Germany and
if I knew the reason for their apparent absence. When I lived there I
was served Pastinaken in Bavaria but I'm sure there's another word which
is a more accurate translation.... but I forget it. Another senior
moment:-))
--
Gopher .... I know my place!