Actually, Pat, I've got a nice flat of six Purple Knight (same as what I've already got growing out there) asparagus plants I just bought at a local nursery up in New Hampshire - people do grow them from seed. I'm going to use them to fill in the blanks out there in my bed. Of course there...
Pull the bulb, store it overwinter in a pot kept barely moist in a cool spot, even freezing, but not too cold. Put it back out in the spring and see what happens. Worth a shot!
Those are awfully healthy looking plants, Wendy, I think that's fairly rich soil you've got them in - they'll bloom, most likely, after the solstice. I've found that to be true with many annuals, particularly Cosmos, Morning Glories and Moonflowers. Zinnias, soo, but not so much.
See that...
Iris are fairly easy to grow. Usually you'll start with one rhizome, it may be 'forked', so you'll get two fans. They do multiply, if they like it there, fairly quickly, so three to four years is probably right. There are sources on the internet, you can mail order them, usually, they'll sell...
Do the plants have leaves at all? Were they bare root? More info needed :)
As I mentioned in your compost tumbler thread, be careful with fresh chicken manure, as you said, it's 'hot', it needs to be composted before use.
Absolutely use the chicken manure, but be careful, chicken manure needs a long composting, and those tumblers tout their quick composting - so I'd only use a little mixed in with the leaves and other garden debris you have on hand.