ASPARAGUS!
I really should have taken a pic of this earlier. One day ago it was but an inch tall! Asparagus, like rhubarb, is known for its ridiculously fast growth (which I still need to procure...)
Not only is asparagus fantastic for being a perennial vegetable, but the speed of its growth just makes you feel like your garden is really working hard. Plus, have you seen the price of asparagus these days?! In addition, I can't describe how awesome fresh asparagus is (sprinkled with some parmesan cheese, olive oil, wrapped in proscuitto...mmm).
It's a spring veggie, but on odd occasions, my asparagus has been known to grow a few stalks late in the year, like in August... I'm not complaining!
Once I saw this stalk popping out of the soil I started hunting for others because 1) what sort of meal would be good with just ONE asparagus stalk (that's almost a mournful looking image isn't it?) and 2) if there's one, there's GOTTA be more ready to show their stalk-y self.
AND THERE ARE:
Other good signs are the fern-y leaves:
I purchased my asparagus 3 years ago when they were 2 year old crowns. Asparagus takes a while to get started and settled into a bed (and really don't like to be moved, though I did do it once for good reason). When they're 3 years old you can start gently harvesting them, but year 5 (now for mine) is when things really get going I understand so I'm totally REVVED to eat 'sparagus all spring!
