Anything that I have read about asparagus crowns tells you to wait till the second or third year after planting before harvesting your crop, but is this absolutely necessary, what would happen to my plants if I harvested my plants on the first year

https://wire.farmradio.fm/farmer-stories...T5jOK8Pc4A

Thought I'd put this here with a view to trying it next winter. I always keep wood ash for the garden/chooks but I'll sift some ready for this experiment.

Hi,
I'm Mick, I live in the West Midlands of England. I have a small house garden and also an allotment for veg and some fruit. I know a good few names from the old place and also from new forum V1 and with the start of a new growing season I thought it would be a good time to register after an extended absence for one reason or another.

French beans with intent? 

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/...cuA3CElii0

Just got round to adding up last years chilli harvest weights. 
A very disappointing 47. 749kg . 

Hope to do much better this year. 
Last year I tried growing chillies for a particular reason and put restraints in place, so there wasn’t as much variety as normal. I really didn’t enjoy it as much. This year I’m going back to what I know & love, growing chillies because I want to, not because I have to. 

But none of that has anything to do with the amount of chillies the voles ate.  they probably got thought somewhere between 5-10kg especially Havana gold & Padron!

Hi all,

I'm wondering if you have any recipes that benefit from/require a lidded casserole?

Thanks for your thoughts 

Does anything here grow Pea beans? No, its not a typo, they seem to be another sort of climbing bean with a 2 colour shell.
I've been given 6 "Jack Edwards" pea beans https://hsl.gardenorganic.org.uk/seedlis...ck-edwards. Pretty aren't they? 
I've seen similar ones, black and white ones like little whales but not eaten/grown them.

Any advice anyone - especially whether they cross pollinate and need isolation for seed saving.

At the back of the Chiltern Seeds Catalogue is a 2 page list of Pollinator Friendly Flowers that are also useful as cut flowers  - 85 of them to be precise.
Now there's a Challenge.

You can order the catalogue at https://www.chilternseeds.co.uk/catrequest.php

I'll list some of the species names (as Chiltern have) - any variety within that species is suitable. 
Wonder how many you already grow?

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-de...e-55560814

Anyone got a green roof ?
I’m considering doing one on a shed on the new site. So won’t be happening for a while.
I’d like to grow the plants for it myself from seed or cuttings. Any recommendations for varieties? I know sedum is very popular for the job but I’ve no idea which ones. 
I was also thinking creeping thyme and varieties of hawkbits would be good. 
Also suggestions on cheap construction materials. I think I’ve an idea on how I’m doing this, but I’d like your input. Fairly high chance you’ll come up with something I’ve not thought of.