For The Love Of Asparagus

Several years ago, we planted a bed of asparagus in our yard. We didn’t put it in the vegetable garden, but created a bed for it near the garden in the backyard. Each spring I edge the invading grass around the bed and mulch it. Saturday, I found time to do this.

It took a couple hours to edge the bed, and then another few hours to bring 5 wheelbarrow loads of wheat straw down from the barn and then put down bricks on the straw to keep the wind from taking it all away. It was a windy day (about 30-40mph) and it was a tricky thing to get the straw from the barn and onto the bed without the wind taking it. I used some scrap lumber to weigh down the straw in the wheelbarrow, and then lay bricks onto the straw as I mulched. One handful of straw, one brick, one handful of straw, one brick…and so on. I wore plenty of sunscreen, and had tied my hat onto my head with a string, knotted under my chin tightly. I was exhausted by the time I was done, but am quite proud of how it turned out.

Asparagus (1)

We’ve had a couple meals already and look forward to a few more weeks of fresh asparagus before the season ends. What I won’t do for fresh asparagus.

Asparagus (2)

In the vegetable garden, the potatoes were planted back around St. Patrick’s day and should be up any day now.

I planted tomato seeds last week in an egg carton, and they are up already.

IMG_20150414_110840062_HDR

This year I’m trying something new:  Tired of my little seedlings becoming all leggy stretching for the light on my windowsill, I’ve put the egg carton on the dashboard of my car during the day. Sunny and warm, it’s the perfect greenhouse. Sometimes I drive around with them while doing errands.

What? Doesn’t everyone take their seedlings for a drive?

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxxo

Suzanne

Cattle, corn, wheat, beans, mud, snow, ice, and drought. Plenty of fresh air and quiet. Our life is sometimes heartbreaking, sometimes joyous, but never boring.

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10 Responses

  1. Glenda says:

    Be careful your seedlings don’t get “cooked” in the car! I always used grow lights on my seedlings with fantastic results. Just hard to find a place for the set up though. Don’t worry about leggy since you know tomatoes can be planted right up to their necks anyway. So glad you are enjoying your asparagus!

    • Suzanne says:

      I crack the windows on warm days. Part of the reason the seedlings are out in the car this year is a certain little furry devil plant destroyer. He knows who he is. 🙂
      Thanks Glenda!

  2. Rebecca says:

    YOU ARE A GENIUS!!!!!!!!!!

  3. Marie W says:

    You worked very hard for your asparagus, Enjoy!!

  4. Love the seedlings on the car dash idea. I should do that. Hmmmm.
    Fresh asparagus is the best. I understand the mulching in the wind issue. When I use square bales of straw, I take “slices” and dunk it in a tote of water before putting it in place. That helps. I also lay my wire pea trellises on top the straw at time.

  5. Oh, what I wouldn’t give for asparagus fresh from the garden!! I love that stuff.

  6. Linda says:

    I hated asparagus as a child, when it was abundant in the back yard, and now I love it, and would give anything for some fresh-from-the-patch. The only thing I liked about it as a kid was when it became lacy and frothy, and made wonderful bouquets. (That meant Mom wouldn’t be trying to force me to eat it any more.)

    In the winter, I often put my cans of varnish on the dash, to warm them up enough to make the stuff flow nicely.

  7. Lisa says:

    oh my goodness – I love asparagus – how wonderful to walk out in your yard and pick some!! No wonder it costs so much in the grocery store – that is a lot of work!!!

  8. Jeanne L says:

    Oh, YUM! Your asparagus is beautiful! Pardon me while I drool a little! When we lived in Washington State, we were in asparagus growing country. Ooooh that was SO nice in the spring!

    I hope your tomatoes do well! My hunny used to grow our tomatoes from seed, too, but now he just buys the plants, when it’s time… I like your “car green-house” idea!

  9. Tina says:

    Love asparagus it is so yummy. I am jealous that you have your own patch. My friend outside Boise, ID finds tons in the ditch next to her country road! Just driving by and there it is growing wild. I envy you and your home grown veggies because there is nothing better. I will also tell you what I tell all my friends with gardens, plant a row for the poor or your local soup kitchen or food bank. We can all help each other! Enjoy!

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