Hopes for warm weather English asparagus growers are watching growing temperatures as they assess whether the season will be as early as last year when cutting began in mid April. But the latest indications are the crop will not be in full harvest until May, as soil temperatures have been dropping says grower Victor Aveling, chairman of the Asparagus Growers' Association, who farms at March, Cambridgeshire, one of the major production regions. Aveling said the market was structurally changing with small farms concentrating on local and farm shop trade as others expand to meet supermarket demand. "Some units are now as large as 150 acres," he said. Trials are proceeding to find new varieties which have tighter heads and can extend the season past June. It can take as long as 15 years to come up with a winner. {{FRESH PRODUCE }}