The Asparagus Awakens

I was so delighted when I walked out into my vegetable garden today and found this…

My first spear of asparagus for the season!   I picked the tall one and brought it in the house, cooked it up, and ate it with my dinner.  This was the only hill that has emerged so far.  I’m not sure when I harvested my first asparagus last year, but I know it was not this early.  But spring this year has been wonderful for gardens due to the mild weather and abundant sunshine.

After cutting back the old growth from last season about a week ago, we gently tilled around the hills of asparagus to reduce some of the weeds.  Each spring we top dress the asparagus with compost and fertilize it lightly.  The warm days and sunshine heat the soil up once it is uncovered and the spears start to push through.  Last winter we lost a few hills of asparagus that we replaced.  We are hoping that they all made it this year, but it is too early to tell.

A few weeks ago, on March 31st, I also planted my first vegetable seeds of the season – spinach and a mild mesculum mix.  This was a full two weeks earlier than in 2009.  At the beginning of this week, I noticed the seeds have already sprouted.  We should be enjoying some fresh salads with baby greens in a few weeks!