Grow Your Own Magazine

I bought an random asparagus crown from Wilkinsons this year as an experiment , planted it and it's happily survived and is busy being a fern at the moment.

But now I want more, and I'm impatient So I've been looking at www.victoriananursery.co.uk where they have the plants themselves for sale - but they have two varieties and I don't know which to chose

So I'm hoping to tap into your collective wealth of experience and ask which variety you'd recommend: 'Jersey Knight' or 'Mary Washington'?

Or do you prefer another variety that I can hunt for?

I'd recommend crowns from here http://www.asparagus-in-kent.co.uk/ ,I planted 15 on the 1st of April and now some of the crowns have 5 spears/ferns.The crowns were about 2 foot across and customer service fantastic.I have other crowns which have been growing for three years bought from garden centres and they are no where near as good.

I couldn't really say as I grow the Dutch varieties ( Gijnlym.Grolym Backlim) All pretty good. Maybe the latter is a little later and less prolific but is slightly more tender.

Washington is an American old fav. and Jersey Knight an improved hybrid with quite big purple spears I think. I'd probably chose the Knights

The old British stalwart Connover's Colossal is still a good value choice...a couple of old neglected plants gave me some lovely spears this year.

Really the most important thought is preparation. Direct your impatient energies into giving them the best possible home.... so when they are delivered in April they go in ASAP.... It is best not to buy them off the shelf (in packets) and It is also going to be cheaper to buy more ,rather than piece meal. I have never brought them in pots in the fern but I am trying with some I've raised from seed at the moment. I can't see why it won't work but my Intention is to pot them on and plant them early next year when I've got the bed completely weed free.

I have a good supplier but I can't lay my hands on the catalogue I have heard good reports from grapes that have used the GYO advertised lot in Kent-as mentioned by Scallops.

Not a very definitive answer but I hope it helps. Good luck Its a good thing to be keen on!

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Advertising is the rattling of a stick in a swill bucket. George Orwell
Paul

Forgot to say that the variety is Gijnlim.

But I like the idea of cheating and getting existing plants, rather than losing a potential growth year - which would happen if I waited until I can start more crowns off

Thank you!

Hi,SunnyD. I found the catalogue from http://www.highfield nurseries.co.uk

They are £1.10 each (50+ @89p)
They had a good selection of fruit trees too.

I think you will still have to wait till the 3rd or 4th season for cutting tho so no real saving in time. I think with a few of the hybrid's you can take a few spears when they are 3. (ie your second season with one yo crowns).

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Advertising is the rattling of a stick in a swill bucket. George Orwell
Paul