Author Topic: Asparagus!!! Poking it's head up. (Read 8167 times)

squeezyjohn · « **on:** April 12, 2015, 22:02:00 »

A visit to the allotment after a week away in Wales has been rewarded by the first few heads of asparagus poking out of the ground from the crowns I planted last year! Not quite ready for picking but not long now!

The advice from the nursery I got them from was to pick for 2 weeks in the second year and then leave them but I'm thinking after getting such a hammering from the asparagus beetles that I'll limit myself to a single picking and then let the ferns grow ... what does everyone else think?

ACE · « **Reply #1 on:** April 13, 2015, 07:19:20 »

Get as much as you can off of them and don't forget to water them. One of our pocket money jobs when I was a nipper was to water the asparagus on a small holding. The owner could tell by the short shoots if we had been lazy and only splashed a plant instead of the minute of water we were supposed to give each plant.

goodlife · « **Reply #2 on:** April 13, 2015, 08:28:44 »

Providing you give them plenty of TLC and providing they grow strongly...I should imagine picking more than just odd one should not cause any harm. The 'advise' with newly planted asparagus differ a bit..according to that they should have 2-3 years 'no picking' growing seasons behind them before they are to be harvested from...but...I think if the plant is strong and 'eager', surely it is 'ready' too.
You just have to judge the situation yourself and do what you are comfortable with...trust your 'gut feeling'.

Mine are coming to their 3rd year since they were planted...and although they started to improve their strength with new growth quite a lot last summer, I couldn't think of robbing them from the few fat spears they produced. Our asparagus is not showing any signs of growth yet...but I'm truly hoping they will allow me for first few tasters in a bit. They got heavily mulched and fed couple of months ago. so fingers crossed.

small · « **Reply #3 on:** April 13, 2015, 09:04:44 »

Go on, give yourself a treat, it'll give you strength to persevere. You need all the strength you can find to squish those beetles before they can lay eggs. I've not seen one yet, but I'm checking the plants daily now that they are growing...

squeezyjohn · « **Reply #4 on:** April 13, 2015, 09:56:26 »

Thanks for the replies gang ... especially the bit about watering ACE - I didn't realise they needed that.

bluecar · « **Reply #5 on:** April 16, 2015, 15:51:42 »

Hello all.

I noticed two spears showing today - one is a good 2 inches. I don't know how I didn't see it earlier.

Regards

Bluecar

titus a duxas · « **Reply #6 on:** April 16, 2015, 19:01:15 »

Had my 1st meal of them 2 day 8 spears 6ins steamed and buttered m,m,m,m,m,m,m heaven

Jayb · « **Reply #7 on:** April 16, 2015, 21:52:33 »

Yayyy, cut my first pickings today

kGarden · « **Reply #8 on:** April 18, 2015, 10:39:08 »

I didn't harvest any from mine in first season (after planting) and luckily :) we were away in Season 2 for a week in May and by the time we came back they were well sprouted so we stopped harvesting early (as the books say one should) as a consequence.

For me the effort of raising the plants, preparing the best bed I have ever made! in anticipation of a 20 year harvest, and carefully planting each one on a bed of sand meant that I had no intention of potentially reducing the vigour of the plants by cropping, even a few, "early"

As with all these things if I had any doubt as to variety / flavour / etc. I would harvest some in Year 1 just "to be sure" - I have always let one-or-two Apples etc. ripen on new trees to make sure that I did have a) the right variety and b) that I actually liked the flavour!!, but a handful of my own Asparagus spears, in Year One, would hardly have made a meal and certainly wouldn't have made any significant difference to me one way or the other so, personally, I didn't find it hard to resist :)

goodlife · « **Reply #9 on:** April 18, 2015, 14:43:52 »

My asparagus is still telling me something....there must be some cold weather to come as they are too shy to poke their heads up..

It must be variety thing..mine are Mary Washington..and they've been late showing up ever since they were planted..but, maybe I'm able tuck in when everybody else is already finishing with their asparagus season?

gray1720 · « **Reply #10 on:** April 20, 2015, 12:35:16 »

Quote from: ACE on April 13, 2015, 07:19:20

Get as much as you can off of them and don't forget to water them. One of our pocket money jobs when I was a nipper was to water the asparagus on a small holding. The owner could tell by the short shoots if we had been lazy and only splashed a plant instead of the minute of water we were supposed to give each plant.

That probably explains why mine is always a bit straggly - drenched it at the weekend, hopefully that'll perk it up as I have some very skinny shoots!

Adrian

goodlife · « **Reply #11 on:** April 25, 2015, 17:29:39 »

THEY ARE NOW POKING THEIR HEADS UP..

...FINALLY!
I've seen several big and fat heads just above soil level...

...it won't be long now and I'll be having a modest feast...well, taster of things to come...

3 years well worth of waiting!!!

...and I was getting worried that something might have happened to my crowns...sowed some seed...and now I have plenty of seedlings in GH...already given some for neighbours. Maybe I need to start planning new asparagus bed....

squeezyjohn · « **Reply #12 on:** April 28, 2015, 12:46:14 »

I had to go away with work for a week and a half and was worried that they'd all be branching out .... but I got back and there was enough for a generous picking! Absolutely delicious freshly picked!

I think the watering helped (and the rain we've had) because the later spears were much fatter. Unfortunately there are a couple of gaps where I suspect the plants didn't survive for whatever reason. I'll wait to see if they come up later ... but does anyone know if it's possible to get in there and put replacement plants in to a bed that's establishing? Or will the others spread to fill the gaps?

saddad · « **Reply #13 on:** April 28, 2015, 21:45:09 »

We had a cutting at the weekend, but the rest are playing wait and see... it's been dry and now it is cooling off...

Plot22 · « **Reply #14 on:** May 01, 2015, 16:34:53 »

I have a 5 year old bed and last year was the best year ever. I agree with Ace water water and water again. I have 4 rows & I give them 2 cans per row every time I go during the picking season. My wife picked 50 odd on Sunday and another 30 today most as thick as a mans thumb. I mulch with farmyard manure once I cut them back but I can pick for about 8 weeks. Disadvantages 1) we have too much for ourselves so swap and wrap with others 2) Root veg and potatoes are a no go anywhere near the beds because the roots trail along way and once you stop picking and let the ferns grow they block out a lot of light. 3) The allotment cat has taken a liking to my beds and once the ferns are growing deposits his caught rats in there which I only find when I cut the ferns down.

squeezyjohn · « **Reply #15 on:** May 01, 2015, 17:02:59 »

50 and 30 within a week? That sounds like a dream! How many plants is that from?

Plot22 · « **Reply #16 on:** May 02, 2015, 14:07:49 »

Squeezyjohn

I have been and counted them this morning. I have about 30 crowns in what was 4 distinct rows but please remember that some of the crowns have expanded onto the next rows over the 5 years. I would imagine at this rate of expansion in a few years time I will only have 2 rows as they will have joined up. I left a 2 foot path right down the middle when I first set them and have replaced the odd one with a self set which are now producing sizeable crops of their own. This morning I could have easily picked another dozen but the wife told me to leave them as she has promised them to someone.
Also a point worth noting if we get a cold snap in May they really sulk and produce less until the weather warms up and then it is full systems go again until I stop picking. I also try to contain the ferns with a support as they do not like being rocked about in the wind . This year I am using plastic orange netting to support them and to try and keep that cat from making a home in their with anything that he has caught.

Clayhithe · « **Reply #17 on:** November 02, 2015, 15:40:29 »

It's the end of October, and the deciduous trees are shedding their leaves. The lawns are covered, and the grass will begin to suffer if they are not moved.

The asparagus shoots are over; they, too, are shedding their leaves and beginning to fall over.

. . . . more

Digeroo · « **Reply #18 on:** November 02, 2015, 16:10:01 »

After several years waiting mine was really for a harvest this years. Had a few the year before but this year was the real start.
'Its finally really as you asked.' I told my daughter.
'I don't like it any more it makes your pee smell.'
So that is the gratitude! I have been tending it for four years!!!
So now I have asparagus and I cannot stand the stuff makes everything smell as far as I am concerned. Comes out in sweat.
I had not realised about watering it, I thought it has long roots.

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Author Topic: Asparagus!!! Poking it's head up. (Read 8167 times)