Topic: Planting Asparagus-help!

[grawrc]

I think probably add manure on top of the trenches. I believe you're meant to do it in autumn but I would think now is OK too.

[Robert_Brenchley]

I don't think there's ever a bad time to put manure on, but be careful it doesn't rot the shoots as they come through.

[flowerofshona]

I would be inclinde to top dress them with either seaweed granuals or chicken pellets and a top dress with some fresh compost, the spears will be starting to stir under the soil now so try to avoid putting anything to heavy ontop :)
Loads of manure in the winter to keep them warm and happy :)

[caroline7758]

They haven't been protected at all over the winter- hope they will be ok.

[David R]

no protection required, the underground parts are as hardy as a hardy thing.

To Amanda21; Personally, I prefer a single row as they have less competition on 2 sides, in blocks, they have more neighbours. However its all down to choice really, if blocks are more convenient, then so be it, as long as they are a good distance from each other they'll be fine.

Remember, there's no art to growing asp afterall they grow wild in the most unhospitable places, i know of a good specimen on a railway enbankment, and another on a rocky cutting next to the M25!

To caroline7758, you dont say what variety, but I would leave to grow this year unless you have really strong growth, and wait for some fat spears in 2007. Yum Yum.

I like asparagus ;D can you tell?

[Lizard Man]

Makes your pee smell though!!  ::)

[Curryandchips]

Allegedly ...

[kitty]

and here was me thinking tthat the only good thing about veg was it kept you healthy-i didnt realise there was novelty value too!
i shall look forward even more to my asparagus now! ;)

Makes your pee smell though

kitty ;D

[amanda21]

Can I just report that I have finally managed to get my asparagus crowns planted this afternoon - feeling much relieved - I just hope they grow!

Can I just ask another question.  I have put them in a trench and covered with a few inches of soil - I know I just keep covering as they sprout through but how long to I do that for - just until they reach the ground level?  I ask only because looking at my neighbours asparagus bed he has mounds above ground level?

[Hippychick]

In the Veg and Herb Expert it says that you should keep covering the asparagus until the the bed is level in the Autumn, but mine are already about a third of the way up.  Am a very confused gardener!!  Although I must say when I had no idea what I was doing (not that I have much more now)!, I just planted some asparagus like you would a bedding plant, rarely weeded roung them and they grew fine.  Persistent little plant!

[littlegem]

i'm hoping to put my asparagus next to a raised bed. the bit i'm i'm using is about 14" wide and 2.5m long. as it is right next to raised bed, and a reply earlier on said they have big roots, do i need to partition deep down to stop roots from entering raised bed area?