Asparagus Flowers

May be the least conspicuous flowers in my garden. I have no experience with asparagus growing, but i bought 12 sets early this year and planted them as per package instructions in April. A few sprouted about 4 weeks later, a few more much later, etc., until now, in mid-July, the last two are sending up their first tiny sprouts.

I have learned that the plants will be either male or female, and both have tiny flowers, but i think these are male flowers. I read that male plants are preferable, since they live longer, are hardier, larger, and since they don't spend energy making fruits, they produce more crop. And if you don't cut down the female plants quickly enough in the fall, they drop their seeds and fill your plot with a weaker, less vigorous generation of new plants.

Next spring, i should be able to cut one sprout per plant. That will be one precious serving of vegetables! But the next year i can take a few more, and subsequent years, if my plants are happy with where i've put them, i should have lots of spears for the table and possibly the neighbour's tables as well. But we won't count our chickens just yet. :-)