What's my asparagus up to?

[Tigger]

I've cut back my 2 asparagus beds and given them a winter coat of well rotted manure, as usual, but instead of gowing off to sleep, they're all growing new spears. Is it the warm weather or have they just lost the plot?

[richard p]

it will be the rain after the dry spell, and youve probably confused it by being too efficient doing the winter maintenance too early ,

[madasafish]

Mine are still growing strong.. so I've done nothing: waiting for the first frost.

It has been so warm in September that our perennial poppies are flowering again: unheard of..

[Tigger]

So - what should I do peeps.........?

[Wellie]

Because there's no point in trying to undo what you've done, and let's face it, no harm can have come because of it.....
I like to garden by the seat of my pants sometimes (and doesn't JB know when I've got the pretty ones on....!)and just go with my gut feeling, and sometimes it don't exactly work out, and I'll take it on the chin or tear my hair out. Other times you can pat yourself on the back. Hey?

Listen. They'll be lovely and cosy warm now during the winter.... Duvet stuff. Double TOG....And I can't personally see the Asparagus crowns minding too much.

BUT ! If the growth proves a little too lush, stick one of those tent cloches we were talking about at Malvern over t'top of the bed over winter to protect them a little more. That's what I'D do missus..... Double Bubble Protection then.
And I hope it all works out for you.

[richard p]

i would cut any spears as and when they are edible size, the winter cold will soon stop anymore coming, and the plants should perform as normal in the spring. perhaps youve hit on a new technique to get two crops a year? perhaps we should all try it next year, but maybe the very dry summer is critical for it too work?

[Tigger]

Thankyou folks - we'll have asparagus with our dinner tonight. I've checked the books and they all say to cut the ferns back and mulch the bds in September, but maybe it's just our freaky weather. It's noticeably cooler today, so that might sort them out.

[Malk]

Too late now, but I read somewhere to wait until the leaves turn yellow. Mine are still green and producing new shoots so I'm leaving them. I think it was November before I could do them last year.

[Primrose]

It's not only your asparasgus which is having a rebirth. Two weeks ago I chopped back all the dead twiggy stalks of my mint for the winter, and the combination of warm September and heavy rain has given me a whole new crop. Not sure how long it will last though now the nights have suddenly started turning cooler.

[hancock]

Continuing growth applies with my rhubarb. According to the books it should have died down!
Peter

[Organic Dave]

My globe artichokes are also coming again, after I cut them back around a month ago!

[Primrose]

And the one courgette plant I haven't yet pulled out is still blooming and producing fruit. Ye Gods - this global warming must be getting serious. I like the thought of the growing season extending into November, but the thought of half of the UK ending up under water because of melting icebergs is not funny.
We drove from the South Coast up to Bucks this morning. Only a few trees are beginning to show signs of changing colour. Most of them are still cloaked in thick greenery - the only exceptions being the poor old Horse Chestnuts, many of which look completely bare, either from drought stress or this disease which is affecting them

[madasafish]

My salvias are still red. Unheard of not to have had a frost in October. Our Busy Lizzie still all alive and blooming.
Our poppies are flowering , the oaks still have lots of leaves, the grass is still growing (as are the weed!:-( and my dahlias are in full bloom.
Never seen anything like it : we are 500feet above sea level in Staffordshire ..


And this summer we had cracks 1 metre long and 30cm deep and 2cms wide in our garden due to heat - another record.

Global warming is a myth says G Bush.. He should come here...

[Tigger]

Isn't it a strange year?! My Oriental Poppies have decided that it's Spring and are just about to bloom. I've had Roses at Christmas, but never Poppies!

[cevenol jardin]

I normally wait until the ferns turn brown before cutting them down. This seems to work.