Mystery plant

[rustylady]

Only had my asparagus a year so no expert but it looks a bit woody to for me. Having said that I didn't leave any over winter.

If you leave asparagus uncut on the plot for the winter the ferns do indeed go woody and dry.

[veggiechicken]

Try this for size
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The more I think about the mystery plant, the more I believe its asparagus. Should be throwing up new shoots this month and, if you have a huge established asparagus bed, you're a very lucky Dotty

[Dotty Sarah]

Ooh, exciting Thanks everyone, will just have to wait and see.

[RedThorn]

oooh please do keep us posted, my interest is piqued now

[bearded bloke]

Ere yer go .......

[Newton]

Is it a knotweed?

[Mr Bones]

Could it be a type of fire weed? Look closely to see if there are any fluffy seed fairies left on the branches.

[vicky]

I'm pretty sure it's Jerusalem artichokes, the stems die in the autumn leaving tubers underground which you dig up and eat. They look like small flowered sunflowers in summer and can be a bit spready but obviously not if you eat some each year.
You could have a dig to see if the tubers look right to be certain

[zazen999]

I think Fartichoke too.

Not fluffy enough for Asparagus. Rasps are budding already.

[kathycam]

Yeah I think the farty one too.

[Shroomy]

Could it be a jerry artichoke ?

[scarey55]

Do they look like this Dotty? If so, they are Jerusalem artichokes. The last photo shows what is under the soil at the bottom of the stems. Beware though, they don't call them fartichokes for nothing

[Dotty Sarah]

Thank you all for your help, the shorter section does look a lot like Scarey's picture above so fartichokes is quite a strong contender at the mo I'll be down there over the weekend so will try digging up a little bit and see if there's anything underneath.

[Dotty Sarah]

Ok, drumroll please..............




I started digging underneath and I found................








SLUGS!!


Oh, and some artichokes




Thank you all for your help. I was going to start digging them all up but noticed these buds starting to some up in front of the bushes, they aren't part of the artichoke but don't know whether to leave them in. They almost look like asparagus tips but they're too dry and dark, any ideas?

[kathycam]

It looks a little like the thing I've been pulling up- which is apparently marestail. Hopefully it isn't though.