Chris doesn't like asparagus much. He helped me prepare the soil several years ago, and he even helped plant it, but as far as harvesting, cooking or eating asparagus, uh, not so much. So when he
said he saw new asparagus leaves coming up recently, I said, "Really?"
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| spearmint |
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| Top to bottom: buckeye tree, wild violet, potted strawberries. |
Maybe what he saw was mint.
Or maybe he was talking about the new buckeye trees that had sprouted under the old buckeye tree. Hey! We ARE in Ohio!
Maybe he was talking about violets.
Maybe what he was talking about was the strawberry patch. It had cycled out, and I managed to save four little plants. We have 250 new plants to get into the ground SOON.
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| before |
But I'm pretty sure what he thought was asparagus was something else entirely. It's not that they don't have leaves. They actually produce beautiful lacy fronds, but that's later on when the little shoots have matured and begin to form their seeds.
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| after |
Our patch had the remains of OLD leaves. In the "before" shot, you see the dead silvery fronds, remnants from last year's asparagus patch. I had broken my leg and just let the patch go after we had eaten or shared most of the asparagus. So today, feeling guilty for leaving the mess and now all healed up from breaking my leg, I pulled out the old fronds, four wheelbarrow loads of old fronds! I left the grass as you can tell from the "after" shot. It's good cover against frost and I want my asparagus to be "
uncertified organic". Before long, there will be lots of new shoots, but no leaves except the young plants that I won't pick because their root system is in its first year.
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Look closely at the photo above, left of center. The little 2" asparagus shoot sticks up its head toward the sun. I found it and a few others today while I cleaned out the asparagus patch, curious about asparagus "leaves". (No leaves. Not yet anyway.)
So I'll just sit here and sip on my sweet tea for a moment
while I contemplate what that man of mine might have seen. I'll just be happy in the knowledge that, whatever he saw, it's another little reminder that spring has fully sprung! |
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| sweet tea with fresh mint |
We would really like to start some asparagus this year. Just started a search for freezers so we can eat everything we grow through the winter. Too much bad stuff in the food at the grocery stores.
ReplyDeleteLori, I do agree! It's getting harder and harder to eat really safely. That said, you wouldn't believe how many freezers we have. We're not "survivalists" but we have several people who count on us for good food.
DeleteWe darn, I thought you were going to tell us. Now we must ponder also.
ReplyDeleteMichaele, it's a common weed, I believe. I just found out a little while ago what he was looking at. I haven't looked it up yet. He still thinks it's an asparagus leaf, and I'm laughing so hard (inside)! I think I'll save its identity for April Fool's Day, if he doesn't read this post first. By then, I'll know what it is.
DeleteThe weed is Birdsfoot Trefoil, a pretty little plant that looks great in wild terrarium plantings, such as ones I used to do with my Girl Scouts out of 2-liter plastic bottles. Later, it grows delicate yellow leaves. I put the link to the OSU Weed Guide description in the right sidebar.
ReplyDeletePhotograph only, not description. Their weed guide is exceptional though!
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