Topic: Asparagus dilemma

[vaca]

Hello,

The 20 or so asparagus crowns I purchased some time ago, I never managed to plant out in a bed, all the other work I needed to do on the allotment kept me having to delay planting them. I've had the crowns under some compost and have been keeping it moist, and it looks to me as though it's probably too late to get them out now. This morning I've noticed spears shooting up all over the place in the pots where they're covered with compost. What should I do... harvest these few spears and write off the crowns and get some next year once I have a proper bed ready for them - before I order  ::)

or will they keep ok in the pots so that I can plant them out next autumn...

any advice would be appreciated.

Vaca

[kitty]

i'd be interested to see some answers here....my newly planted crowns all have a spear each-do i leave them or chop 'em off?
too thin to eat obviously.....
kitty
what we need vaca is a Hasparagus Hexpert! ;D
kitty

[saddad]

I'm no expert but if you are prepared to pay for some new ones I'd eat it. It will grow on in the pots but you can't count that year as it isn't building up the roots you want to support your eating the spears.
 :-\

[artichoke]

It seems a shame to waste 20 crowns. If it were me, I'd get them into the ground quickly and definitely NOT eat the little spears. They need to fern up as much as possible and as soon as possible, so that the crowns get bigger and stronger, ready for next year. It's too late to plant them, strictly speaking, but I bet they'd survive.

I'm definitely not an asparagus expert, but I have grown it in various gardens for nearly 40 years. My current bed is four years old and the spears are practically shooting out of the ground. Like you, I have 20 plants, and I'd hate to throw them away!

[grotbag]

Im with artichoke on this one ,plant em soon and let em grow.

[jennym]

I'm with grotbag and artichoke too! They need to be planted, really :)

[David R]

Whatever you do , dont chop any spears off, ever, unless they are for the table or unless they have been frosted and have turned black.

as jennym says, ideally, put in ground, les ideally, leave in the pots till next year, they will survive and you will still have 20 plants, albeit slightly less vigorous the 1st year after planting.