Topic: Asparagus Bed

[dingerbell]

An old trick from the Channel Isles, where they grow great Sparrow Grass is to mulch with seaweed. It pongs a lot but the plants are naturally salt tolerant and it keeps the slimey slugs at bay. If you're close to the beach, it's free and is brilliant for your tomatoes as well. :)

[Curryandchips]

6 ft between rows - arrggh! I have only allowed 3 ft. ie the plants are on a 3 ft grid (2 rows).

Amanda, to avoid burning the roots, I put the BF&B down as a top dressing. All subsequent feeding will be done as a mulch anyway, so I can't see it being a problem.

[Robert_Brenchley]

Looking around, some sources suggest planting in rows 4 1/2-6 feet apart, others suggest bed planting 1 - 1 1/2 feet apart. I suppose it depends on your approach. I'll be doing something like the latter, with a double row, half of white and half of green asparagus.

[supersprout]

Perhaps photo comparisons of peoples' approaches to beds/layout would be really interesting around May/June time, will suggest it then. Nothing like show 'n tell (get that root jenny)! ::)

[Ceratonia]

My asparagus may have been in neat rows when it started a few years back, but it certainly isn't now and tries to escape out of the bed and off down the path. So I don't think spacing of rows will matter too much in the long term. 6ft spacing sounds like a lot, though.

Would agree with EJ's comments about freshness - definitely a case for sticking the pan of water on the heat before venturing out with your knife, for maximum flavour. I like the fact that it is so seasonal - eat it every day or two for a few weeks, then no more until next year.

I also think the fern looks very decorative, especially in autumn when it turns golden, with a few red berries for contrast (unless you have the all-male cultivars).

[grawrc]

Curry if you stagger each row against the next the rows can be much closer.

[supersprout]

What can I do to encourage them? Also, can I move them? and if so, when and how should I do it?

Hi sally, another vote for not moving them. If you like where they are, you could always have your cake and eat it (lucky you!) - harvest a few secret spears early in the year, and let the fern grow for loveliness. They will appreciate a mulch in Spring and Autumn, seaweed is good but any nourishment would be better than none.

[Robert_Brenchley]

How long does it take before it spreads all over the place? That might be an argument for keeping two varieties in different beds.

[Curryandchips]

Well thank you, Robert, grawrc et al, I don't feel so guilty about my spacing now.

[bellebouche]

A quick look-see this morning and I notice probably a dozen 6-8cm spears poking through the top layer of mulch in the trenches for my white asparagus... yay!

We've had a week or so of torrential rain punctuated with long warm & sunny spells (19 degrees on Saturday, 21 degrees Sunday) so the warm spring weather plus a good soaking is doing it wonders.

Time to backfill the trenches and shore-up the spears methinks.

[misterphil]

Hi
I have planted up some asparagus seeds (martes F1 and conover colossal), of which at least 40 have germinated!

When can they be planted out? I seem to recall reading somewhere that they should go into a seed bed and then be planted on next year as 1 year old crowns, or was it that I should just transplant them into the bed in which they'll live for the next few decades? (Aargh - it's bad enough with the seed catalogues to realise that I'm planning crops for spring 2007, but for spring 2027?! - God, I'll be 55 by then! )

Anyway, back on topic again: does anyone else have any ideas?

thanks

[grawrc]

Bellebouche are you in the Caribbean? ;D ;D ;D
Most of us have had snow and sleet and yes torrential rain but nothing warm enough for asparagus.... :'(

[Curryandchips]

Check her profile grawrc, Deux-Sevres, not quite the Caribbean but definitely warmer than here !!!

[grawrc]

Ah! I see. Most of my French friends have had weather similar to the UK, but then they are mostly more "continental" climates, where I suspect Bellebouche is more maritime.

Thank you Curry, helpful as ever. :)

[fbgrifter]

i thought you had to sow asparagus direst as it doesn't like to be moved?!

[jennym]

fbgrifter, I have grown asparagus from seed a few times now, and they seem to be ok if you move them young. Here is a set of instructions I sent to someone who asked for them, its what I do, others may have different ways.
Sow around now about 1/4 " deep in a large deep seed tray (6 seeds in one tray) or one seed in a small pot. Don't need to be protected or heated, but it may speed up germination - can take 2 -3 weeks or longer.
You will see tiny ferny leaves appear - they really look fragile and delicate. They won't grow very big, maybe 10 - 15 cm this summer. Leave the plants alone - just feed and water, but don't over water. They will die right back in winter, the leaves turn brown. Don't water hardly at all over winter - soil should never be wet. Don't let them freeze.
Next spring, when it warms up, and before the leaves come (probably mid/end March) plant them out - they have spidery roots, spread these out, and cover shallowly, say 3 cm deep and about 60 cm apart. They like light soil, mine is heavy clay and I dug in plenty of muck and also some sand. Put a stick in by each one or you will forget where they are! They will grow larger foliage that year. Mulch with extra soil and leaves, or some use sand, over winter to protect the crowns
The following year is when you may be able to pick your own asparagus spears - but don't pick after end of May, as they need to grow the ferns to feed the roots and build up a better plant. If you don't want to pick the spears for food - fine, let them grow in the flower garden, mid to back of border, and enjoy the attractive fine ferny foliage. You can plant closer than 60 cm if you just want them in the flower garden.

[bellebouche]

Bellebouche are you in the Caribbean? ;D ;D ;D
Most of us have had snow and sleet and yes torrential rain but nothing warm enough for asparagus.... :'(

heh! At times this winter I have wished we were in the Caribbean!

I live in western France.. kind of midway between LaRochelle on the coast and Poitiers... the area is called Poitou Charente and we do benefit from some exceptional weather.. I think the gulf stream hits the west of France square on so that is a big benefit for us.... it's not only a great place to come for holidays.. but it makes for easy gardening!

On a slightly related note I noticed the very first white French Asparagus in the Supermarket today... an eye watering €14.95/Kg

[bellebouche]

Ok, finally got around to getting the pics online

..that's my first row of crowns, some early spears starting to sprout sat in a trench 20cm down and on top of a good 20cm of compost and a small pyramid of normal soil.

been to check this morning and they're going gangbusters!

[supersprout]

that one oughta go on the wiki bb swit swoo ::) :D

[Lizard Man]

I have finally got out and dug my asparagus bed in my new allotment - at the botom of my garden. I followed Monty Don's advice in his recent Gardener's World book. Had to dig down 18" initially. I think I can feel every muscle in my body now!! :P