how much asparagus do you have planted?

It has been a rough year. We had frost and a low of 32-34 last night. I covered everything outside. Frost chance again tonight I believe. With all the nice weather we have had two weeks ago, I planted cucumbers, zucchini, watermelon and cantaloupe. I put finally got the low tunnels up over them last night. Probably going to leave the low tunnels on for several weeks.

It seems that we get one week of nice warm weather, one week of cold.

Jay

More rain next week. Let's hope it doesn't turn into a repeat of last summer. I can do without the many-degrees-below zero nights we had over the winter too.

It sure is a muddy mess. Not to mention a little on the chilly side. The first plantings of cukes and squash look terrible - spotty germination and pathetic looking plants on those that did come up. Planted them just in time for that first cold spell so believe that is to blame. Was planning on splitting some hives last week but ran out of daylight. In retrospect, probably not a bad thing. Got a start on the toms up at the north farm last week for what that is worth. They have held up OK but really need some heat. Maybe next week.

Tom

I'm also happy that I haven't planted many summer crops yet. I would have been tempted to plant tomatoes last weekend but we're breaking new ground for them and the rows weren't quite ready yet. We've had lows in the 40s and I'm glad I'm not watching tomato transplants turn purple in the field in the cold. I've done that too many times.

I did direct seed some sunflowers last week and I fear that most of them washed away in the heavy rain, along with carrot seeds that I knew I should have covered.

I was worried that my lettuce would have gone bitter in the heat, but it seems ok for now. A few spinach plants have bolted and I'm wondering how much of a harvest I'm going to get out of that before it all goes. The spinach has been sitting in the field for weeks, barely growing. It's not big enough yet to cut. And the peas that I raced to get planted took almost a month to germinate at all. I'm not sure I'll get much of a harvest from those either, but I guess they make good green manure. It sure has been a crazy spring.

Randy, I'm harvesting from about 1600 plants, but I added 300 more last year and another 250 this year to help keep up w/demand. It's a nice, reliable crop for a boost of income in the spring. It does take up real estate though and years to mature, but it will last the rest of my life--I hope. I have found there is a gamble w/both perennials and annuals. Asparagus, though, is a sure win.

I really screwed up on the onions. This year we planted over 12,000, mostly Candy. I planted them ahead of a one-night freeze, which I thought they could take. Apparently, they could not. I lost maybe a third. The onions planted a week later are simply astounding. They look great.

Potatoes are horribly slow about coming up.

mdf I also plant a lot of sunflowers. I actually have such a good stand of volunteers in one bed that I'm thinking of just letting them go as they are. I'm trying to build more of a flower market. They always seem to sell well when I offer them, and they're easy to grow--at least the simple, old fashioned varieties I plant like zinnias, asters, strawflowers, etc.

it cooled down quite a bit here over the past couple of days and slowed down the asparagus to just a trickle. last week it was growing too fast to keep up with.

Weather sure is wacky this year. We're expecting mid-80s by the weekend and look at where I live!!! I'm going to put out basil, squash and tomatoes, but will hold off on peppers until June 1st or later.