Ive been doing a bit of hard gardening during the last few months, pulling
up large areas of concrete generally disturbing things. I was surprised to
see asparagus coming up in one of the cracks I opened in a patch of concrete
some months ago.

I thought asparagus was difficult and fussy, but this is growing like a
weed. I had to pick some and scoff it to be sure I was seeing it. Is this
an amazing accident or does asparagus actually grow easily?

"Steely Stan" wrote:

I thought asparagus was difficult and fussy, but this is growing like a
weed.

Some years ago, a new "interstate" (multi-lane divided arterial) was built
through some former farmland west of Albany, New York.... for many years
afterward people cut asparagus that grew up through gravel fill in the
median strip! Around here, one can occasionally find "wild" asparagus.
Sometimes it truly is wild, but often it's the remnants of somebody's bed,
long abandoned, just as clumps of overgrown (but still healthy and
blooming) lilac often mark a long-lost farmhouse.

It's sturdy stuff.

(Still waiting for mine to make an appearance in an "official" bed; any day
now).


Gary Woods AKA K2AHC- PGP key on request, or at www.albany.net/~gwoods
Zone 5/6 in upstate New York, 1420' elevation. NY WO G

The message _zqlc.35$XC3.15@newsfe6-win
from "Steely Stan" contains these words:

Ive been doing a bit of hard gardening during the last few months, pulling
up large areas of concrete generally disturbing things. I was surprised to
see asparagus coming up in one of the cracks I opened in a patch of concrete
some months ago.

I thought asparagus was difficult and fussy, but this is growing like a
weed. I had to pick some and scoff it to be sure I was seeing it.

Is this
an amazing accident or does asparagus actually grow easily?

So, how did you cook mares-tail?

:-)

Janet

Stan wrote in message
Ive been doing a bit of hard gardening during the last few months, pulling
up large areas of concrete generally disturbing things. I was surprised
to
see asparagus coming up in one of the cracks I opened in a patch of
concrete
some months ago.

I thought asparagus was difficult and fussy, but this is growing like a
weed. I had to pick some and scoff it to be sure I was seeing it. Is
this
an amazing accident or does asparagus actually grow easily?

I have two plants in our back garden under a large camellia that were self
sown, presumably from the droppings of a bird. Not bothered to try to move
them.

--
Regards
Bob

Use a useful Screen Saver...
http://setiathome.ssl.berkeley.edu/
and find intelligent life amongst the stars

The message _zqlc.35$XC3.15@newsfe6-win
from "Steely Stan" contains these words:

Ive been doing a bit of hard gardening during the last few months, pulling
up large areas of concrete generally disturbing things. I was surprised to
see asparagus coming up in one of the cracks I opened in a patch of concrete
some months ago.

I thought asparagus was difficult and fussy, but this is growing like a
weed. I had to pick some and scoff it to be sure I was seeing it. Is this
an amazing accident or does asparagus actually grow easily?

It germinates very easily, and is certainly not fussy. It grows wild on
seashores.

--
Rusty
Open the creaking gate to make a horrid.squeak, then lower the foobar.
http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/hi-fi/

On Mon, 3 May 2004 14:07:41 +0100, Janet Baraclough..
wrote:

The message _zqlc.35$XC3.15@newsfe6-win
from "Steely Stan" contains these words:

Ive been doing a bit of hard gardening during the last few months, pulling
up large areas of concrete generally disturbing things. I was surprised to
see asparagus coming up in one of the cracks I opened in a patch of concrete
some months ago.

I thought asparagus was difficult and fussy, but this is growing like a
weed. I had to pick some and scoff it to be sure I was seeing it.

Is this
an amazing accident or does asparagus actually grow easily?

So, how did you cook mares-tail?

with horse radish sauce how else?

In message _zqlc.35$XC3.15@newsfe6-win, Steely Stan
writes
I thought asparagus was difficult and fussy, but this is growing like a
weed. I had to pick some and scoff it to be sure I was seeing it. Is this
an amazing accident or does asparagus actually grow easily?

i don't think it is especially fussy, it's just that as the plants are
perennial, and to get a good crop people put a fair bit of effort into
the be preparation.
--
Chris French and Helen Johnson, Leeds
urg Suppliers and References FAQ:
http://www.familyfrench.co.uk/garden/urgfaq/index.html

Gary Woods wrote in message . ..
"Steely Stan" wrote:

I thought asparagus was difficult and fussy, but this is growing like a
weed.

Some years ago, a new "interstate" (multi-lane divided arterial) was built
through some former farmland west of Albany, New York.... for many years
afterward people cut asparagus that grew up through gravel fill in the
median strip! Around here, one can occasionally find "wild" asparagus.
Sometimes it truly is wild, but often it's the remnants of somebody's bed,
long abandoned, just as clumps of overgrown (but still healthy and
blooming) lilac often mark a long-lost farmhouse.

It's sturdy stuff.

(Still waiting for mine to make an appearance in an "official" bed; any day
now).

It's actually a very tough plant, taken as a plant. What makes it
tricky is getting the best crop for human purposes, which aren't
really what the plant itself 'wants'. We're going for nice plump
succulent vulnerable shoots, and it isn't. If female plants are
allowed to seed, the offspring will try to take over the world as all
plants do, and only the nearest to the wild form will do best, so you
get 'reversion'. The 'reverted' shoots taste just as good or better,
of course. As the best beginner's gardening book I've ever seen says,
"Men get obsessed with the size of their vegetables; women are more
interested in what they can do with them."

Mike.

In article ,
Jaques d'Alltrades wrote:
The message _zqlc.35$XC3.15@newsfe6-win
from "Steely Stan" contains these words:

Ive been doing a bit of hard gardening during the last few months, pulling
up large areas of concrete generally disturbing things. I was surprised to
see asparagus coming up in one of the cracks I opened in a patch of concrete
some months ago.

I thought asparagus was difficult and fussy, but this is growing like a
weed. I had to pick some and scoff it to be sure I was seeing it. Is this
an amazing accident or does asparagus actually grow easily?

It germinates very easily, and is certainly not fussy. It grows wild on
seashores.

It has naturalised itself in my garden, and did very well (with some
pretty thick stalks) until recently, when the very wet weather has
discouraged it. 60% sand, 18% silt and 22% clay isn't sandy enough
for it in wet years, but was fine in more traditional ones (here,
with 23" nominal rainfall). It would probably still be thriving if
the soil were 80% sand and 10% clay.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

The message _zqlc.35$XC3.15@newsfe6-win
from "Steely Stan" contains these words:

Ive been doing a bit of hard gardening during the last few months, pulling
up large areas of concrete generally disturbing things. I was surprised to
see asparagus coming up in one of the cracks I opened in a patch of concrete
some months ago.

I thought asparagus was difficult and fussy, but this is growing like a
weed. I had to pick some and scoff it to be sure I was seeing it. Is this
an amazing accident or does asparagus actually grow easily?


It`s VERY easy, just takes a couple of years to ge going.

In article
Janet Baraclough.. wrote:

The message _zqlc.35$XC3.15@newsfe6-win
from "Steely Stan" contains these words:

Ive been doing a bit of hard gardening during the last few months, pulling
up large areas of concrete generally disturbing things. I was surprised to
see asparagus coming up in one of the cracks I opened in a patch of concrete
some months ago.

I thought asparagus was difficult and fussy, but this is growing like a
weed. I had to pick some and scoff it to be sure I was seeing it.

Is this
an amazing accident or does asparagus actually grow easily?

So, how did you cook mares-tail?

:-)

Janet

Yes Barro****ingclough you are the weed. You tube of utter horses dodas.

In article , Gary Woods
writes
Some years ago, a new "interstate" (multi-lane divided arterial) was built
through some former farmland west of Albany, New York.... for many years
afterward people cut asparagus that grew up through gravel fill in the
median strip! Around here, one can occasionally find "wild" asparagus.
Sometimes it truly is wild, but often it's the remnants of somebody's bed,
long abandoned, just as clumps of overgrown (but still healthy and
blooming) lilac often mark a long-lost farmhouse.

I'm not convinced that plant performance in foreign climes is a good
indication of its likely behaviour here.

John
--
John Rouse

"Janet Baraclough.." wrote in message
...
The message _zqlc.35$XC3.15@newsfe6-win
from "Steely Stan" contains these words:

Ive been doing a bit of hard gardening during the last few months,
pulling
up large areas of concrete generally disturbing things. I was surprised
to
see asparagus coming up in one of the cracks I opened in a patch of
concrete
some months ago.

I thought asparagus was difficult and fussy, but this is growing like a
weed. I had to pick some and scoff it to be sure I was seeing it.

Is this
an amazing accident or does asparagus actually grow easily?

So, how did you cook mares-tail?

I didn't. I just ate, horses ass. Oh, I see what you mean now. :-)

:-)

Janet

Asparagus is one of those plants that grows best in a location of its own
liking rather than where you would like it to grow. Note the key to its
successful growing is drainage.


"Steely Stan" wrote in message
news:_zqlc.35$XC3.15@newsfe6-win...
Ive been doing a bit of hard gardening during the last few months, pulling
up large areas of concrete generally disturbing things. I was surprised
to
see asparagus coming up in one of the cracks I opened in a patch of
concrete
some months ago.

I thought asparagus was difficult and fussy, but this is growing like a
weed. I had to pick some and scoff it to be sure I was seeing it. Is
this
an amazing accident or does asparagus actually grow easily?

It`s VERY easy, just takes a couple of years to ge going.

So, my bed is in its second year (I planted crowns last April) and lots of
scrumptious stalks are coming up. But according to the books I've got to leave
them alone for now. Can't I have even just a few nibbles yet?

Gill