time to buy the asparagus crowns - advice please

[queen of the cobs]

Dear All,

I'm going to buy my asparagus crowns this week and plant them out at the beginning of March - Ideally I'd liike a couple of varieties, I'm going to plant 6-8 crowns and wondered if anyone had seen any offers? Or had any firm favourites to recommend? I've heard people mention Gijnlim.

many thanks.

[snuffer]

The only variety I have grown is Gijnlim and I would definately recommend it although bare in mind I have nothing to compare it to. Having said that it does produce good thick spears that taste fantastic when taken straight from the plot and put into an asparagus steamer.

One thing I would say is make sure you buy the crowns from a good supplier. I have seen crowns in garden centres and supermarkets that in all honesty look pretty pathetic. I purchased mine, mail order, from Kent Asparagus and compared to others I've seen they were massive. Really good crowns with plenty of thick, long and strong roots. Of the twenty or so that I planted not one failed to come up and put on a good show.

Asparagus is like sweet corn, in that no matter how good the shop bought stuff is: your own, fresh, home grown spears will taste so much better.

[queen of the cobs]

thanks snuffer - couldn't agree with you more about the sweetcorn ;o)

[mart]

wilkinsons 3 crowns for £2

[sarraceniac]

wilkinsons 3 crowns for £2

I bought a pack of those just to try mart. They don't say what type they are and don't look overly impressive but normally Wilko's are OK for this type of thing so I'll pop them in my own bed and let you know. Probably next year.

[Paulottie]

Hello Queen.
Gijnlim are good all rounder and quick to establish...I grow several Dutch fi hybrid varieties..Backlim have nice dark tender spears.

Connover's Collosal is still good English OP choice.

I've not tried the American ones...had good reports of Martha Washington and Jersey Knight.

I agree with Snuffer though. ..more important than variety is Reputable supplier rather than puny dessicated shop brought...For me, too much investment of time for mucking about trying to save a fiver on fifty crowns.

[crichmond]

Have you looked on ebay there are often some very cheap offers on aspargus crowns.

try this for Gijnlim
Gijnlim, Home Garden, Seeds, Plants items at low prices on eBay.co.uk

Connovers colosal

Connovers colossal, Home Garden, Plants, Seeds items at low prices on eBay.co.uk

and asparagus in general

asparagus, Home Garden, Books, Comics Magazines, Crafts items at low prices on eBay.co.uk

[Anna Stox]

hi. Can anyone post the web address of the kents asparagus company recommended above please. I've googled it, but not sure i've got the right one!
Thanks,
Anna

[Kristen]

I imagine its these folk:

Asparagus crowns for home asparagus growing. Asparagus plants from New Park Farm Asparagus

[Anna Stox]

Thanks for that, thought it might be them but didn't want to get it wrong!