Yesterday I was making dinner and thought to myself that I hadn't used any of the overwintered spinach yet this week. So ten minutes to serving time I ran out and picked it. I washed it up fast and trimmed it. What I forgot was to weigh it. I'm guessing it was the same as last time because the bowl I harvested it in was the same and it was very full. It might have been more as the spinach was grew really well. I didn't even pick it all. I suspect another harvest is in the works for the middle of the week.
I also forgot the photos until it was cooking. The flash photo was too blurry to blow up big like my typical photos, but I figure a small photos is better than nothing.
And now since Monday Harvest days are are the busiest for my blog, I'm going to ask for some advice while I have a large audience. For those of you that grow Asparagus, how big is your patch? And how much gets harvested from it? Jeavons says 7.3lbs/100sqft. Which means if I put a whole bed of it in that is 4x16, I would get only 4.6lbs. I'm assuming that each family gets half of the harvest in the new house so I would only get just over 2lbs. It doesn't seem like a lot, but I suppose that is a good handful of meals for me. Are his numbers about right?
My tally is very very slowly getting less negative. I'm sure it will go down more than it will go up soon, but for now it is getting better. Total spent: 188.68. Total harvested: $3.44. Total: -185.25.
If you would like to join me in showing off your harvests join me and put your name and link into Mr. Linky below.
Yes, a small photo is better than no photo, and that looks like a good amount of spinach, yey for overwintered greens.
ReplyDeleteI have never grown asparagus, but I'd like to, so I am waiting to read what experienced asparragus growers answer to your question.
Also, congratulations on your new house! So exciting to have a blank slate to shape just like you like it.
I'm with Angela, I have never grown it, and as it isn't Dan's favorite have not rushed to plant it since I can't figure out where to put a permanent bed of it. So I too, will be eager to read what others have to say about this.
ReplyDeleteNice job on the spinach! Isn't it good!
Nice spinach! I'm jealous of everyone's spinach. I'm afraid mine didn't make it.
ReplyDeleteAlso looking forward to finding out about the asparagus!
Let me figure out some numbers and weights and get back to you. We have ours in two long trenches. So far, they are VERY happy.
ReplyDeleteDaphne, we have two 30ft rows of asparagus that were planted in 2007, and one 30ft row that was planted in 2008. Last year the two rows we picked on yielded 10 lbs. I'm guessing that made our haul about 5 lbs per 100 sqft, but it was only our first "real" harvest. We're off to a good start this year, but only time will tell. Our varieties are Jersey Giant and Jersey Knight.
ReplyDeleteI'm thinking the 7.3lbs/100squft sounds about right.
I'm planting asparagus crowns for the first time this year as well so unfortunately, I have no idea.
ReplyDeleteIt looks like your overwintered spinach is producing well for you. Spinach as become one of my favorite veggies to grow.
I don't even want to know what my expenses have been so far this year. hahaha. Hopefully that negative will become positive soon!
Angela, yes it is a small blank slate, but it is fun to plan. There are so many possibilities.
ReplyDeletehenbogle, even if we only have one bed of it I will love the green harvest in the spring. I might put them on the wall garden though. I think constantly planting the wall garden will be a pain since it is three feet deep and only accessed by one side. A permanent planting might be better at least in parts of it.
Megan, too bad your spinach didn't make it. It is such a nice early addition. I need to do more overwintering next year.
Jody M, thanks. I'm going to have to figure out how I'm going to plant them too. Trenches are such a common way to do it. Jeavons says to do an in bed spacing of 12". No one else says that close, but I've come to trust his close spacings. I'm just wondering how to plant it if you want the crowns down.
villager, I'm wondering if I should buy crowns or grow them from seed. I might start with a few crowns and divide them each year until I have enough. It seems very expensive to put in crowns to fill up the whole space.
Thomas, lol well the new house will have huge expenses. I'm probably going to try to add up the expenses for creating the garden. I may keep it separate from the yearly upkeep costs.
According to this blog post, http://blog.gardeners.com/2009/06/please-pass-asparagus.html
ReplyDelete"eight crowns will produce an adequate supply of asparagus for two adults; 16 crowns will ensure a bountiful crop with lots to share. "
However, even after reading that I planted 20 crowns. :) This is my first time with asparagus though, so I have no idea how accurate the numbers are.
Nothing to harvest yet, as we are still in the sprouting stage, but I can't wait to be able to add my own harvests in! For now I will drool over everyone elses' :)
ReplyDeleteNice to have some overwintered greens, your spinach looks good.
ReplyDeleteI planted 12 crowns of Jersey Giant asparagus last week, I probably planted them too close to each other, but that's okayed, my primary goal is to have some kind of edible perennial to cover part of a fence, if I can harvest 1-2 lb of asparagus it's good enough for me. I may change my mind later, this is the 5th time I rip apart that part of the yard.
Love early spinach. We are still enjoying some overwintered spinach while the new plants become established.
ReplyDeleteYay, more spinach! Maybe I'll give spinach a try this fall, everyone else's looks so good. It sounds like asparagus takes a lot of room to get a good crop. I can't imagine lining a 30 foot trench with gopher protection so homegrown asparagus is not in my future.
ReplyDeleteI have sown asparagus seeds 10 days ago. I was also thinking should I plant crowns or seeds, it makes only 1 year difference in harvest. I’m not sure about growing all male plants, or both.
ReplyDeleteLovely looking spinach! I have the toughest luck with growing spinach.
Spinach is a real winner as a overwintered crop. I have the stuff coming out of my earns now. Cheers to greens :-)
ReplyDeleteI hear you about not remembering to weigh things...I never weigh herbs. Just made a big batch of cilantro pesto yesterday, but no photo or weighing. Oh well. Can't help you with the asparagus - we're not too fond of it.
ReplyDeleteDon't you just love being able to run out to the garden and grab something to cook.
ReplyDeleteThe spinach looks beautiful. As to the asparagus question - my bed is 8 feet by 4 feet and had 24 crowns planted in it originally - spaced a little more than 1 foot apart. My bed is in it's fourth year now. I got 3.5 lbs from the 32 square foot area last year. I may have harvested it too hard or for too long last year though because this year I am only up to 0.75 pounds. Granted the harvest season is just getting under way but the window of time is not that long. I probably should expect about 2 pounds or so from the plot each year which would translate into just under the 7 pounds per 100 square feet that John Jeavon's indicated.
ReplyDeleteChris, lol yeah I just can't see eight crowns being enough.
ReplyDeletelisa anne, I'm mostly drooling right now too. I can't wait for my radishes to get big so I'll have something else.
Mac, I've done that with my perennials. I decide I want something else so rip it up and plant anew. I year and a half ago I ripped out so many things.
GrafixMuse, I haven't even looked at my spring spinach in over a week. I'll have to go out and weed today so I'll get to see what it is like.
Michelle, it does take an awful lot of space. I still want some though. Luckily there are no gophers out here.
vrtlarica, I think I'll have to do seed. It is too late to get plants. They are all sold out. So I'll get some seed. Maybe two types.
Dan, I wish I had more spinach overwintered, but something had to come out for it to go in and I wasn't willing to rip more out.
Jackie, I didn't even mention the chives I brought in. I weigh them when I dry them. Otherwise the harvest is so small it just isn't worth the effort.
Cheryl, I do.
kitsapFG, so it seems he is about right, or close enough. I think I'll put at least 50sqft into it, but no more than 100sqft. Goodness that would be 50-100 plants if I follow is instructions. An ounce of see is about 100 seeds I think so maybe get a couple of ounces with two varieties. Now I just have to find which ones are early and which ones late.
As much as I love asparagus (and I do LOVE asparagus), I have a hard time convincing myself to use my extremely valuable and limited garden space on it. It just seems like a low yield for the space used. But then again, fresh asparagus is absolutely delicious so I may end up eat my words on that one.
ReplyDeleteThe overwintered spinach looked quite tasty. I recently did my first baby loose leaf and gourmet blend lettuce harvest. All I have to say about garden fresh produce is "simply deliciouso"!
Hiya!
ReplyDeleteIm relatively new to the gardening world. I only started in Nov 2008. I love it so far. I think I have made more mistakes than not... but I'm enjoying the process....