Topic: Asparagus ... moist or dry?

[supersprout]

It looked like a good morning to get the plot moving, so Will and I went over, marked out two beds, peeled up the black plastic, dug two asparagas trenches, and planted 10 purple asparagus and 7 wild asparagus plants. I've had these crowns since January, and the ground has been too hard to get them in til now. Today the soil was wet, but mostly manageable. Most of the crowns were fast asleep, but five had signs of hopeful white shoots, so it was probably time to get them in. After we left it started raining ;D

We put old spent hops in the bottom of the trench, sprinkled and mixed some blood fish & bone meal, spread out the roots, and covered them with about 2 inches of soil. Then we filled in the trenches with loose leaves (about 4 inches thick) to keep any frost off the crowns. I will fill in the trenches as the asparagus show themselves, and eventually the beds will get mounded up by mulching.

Question: is asparagus a plant that likes lots of moisture, or prefers it a bit dry? It looked like the crowns had been grown in sand, and I don't want to check or rot them by over mulching if they prefer it dry.

???

[dingerbell]

I planted my Asparagus bed last year and after considerable research I believe that good drainage is the key issue when preparing your bed. Some of the best Asparagus is grown in sand dunes. Top mulching is also important for weed suppression and keeping the crowns "warm and cosy"
I would be inclined not to over water as this could possibly rot the crowns. I bet someone comes up with the opposite opinion but hey that's what this site is for.  Good luck anyway, freshly cut Sparrow Grass is one of nature's greatest rewards....Dinger

[Curryandchips]

I have 6 asparagus plants waiting to go out, this weekend will be the first opportunity I hope !

[tim]

Just ordered some " cut within weeks" plants. Just to prove them wrong!!

Drainage & mulch - yes.

[supersprout]

Say more about those tim, I have to wait a couple of years to enjoy mine! :'(

[Marymary]

Yes more info please Tim, where did you get them?

[fbgrifter]

i've been told to water well in the first year, after that you'd never need water again

[tin can]

supersprout - asparagus prefer sandy, slightly salty soil. I have mine growing in peat so I'll have to wait and see if I have waterlogged mine this winter.

[jennym]

I dug lots of sand into the area where my asparagus are, it has made a distinct difference with the drainage on the heavy clay soil - but it is amazing just how much sand you need to make any sort of difference to quite a small area. Not economic really I suppose, but then it will last for years.

[derbex]

I'll second watering in the first year, seemed to make all the difference to them (and the artichokes).

[bennettsleg]

Would you mind updating us (me :)) on how your spar'gus is getting on?  Particularly after the dry spells we've been having.

I've just cleared the area I am thinking of planting some crowns and have some queries.  What A4A contributors state and what the books state tend to differ.  Frankly, I trust everyone on A4A more than the books!

[Merry Tiller]

I trust everyone on A4A more than the books!

Not ALWAYS the best idea

Tip; get a better book ;)

[Robert_Brenchley]

The great thing about a site like this is there's always someone who can correct a mistake. Once it's in print, it's much harder to put it right.

[Merry Tiller]

What I usually do is search around until I find somebody who agrees with what I wanted to do in the first place, just gives a bit of reassurance that I'm not completely mad, I do have 40 or 50 veg growing books so it's not too difficult to find someone who agrees, either in a book or on this site :-[ It's quite rare to find someone with a way of doing things that I haven't heard/thought/read about already these days ;D

[jennym]

First crop of mine was late coming, but didn't water all through the summer, and apart from a bad attack of asparagus beetle, which I managed to control by picking off, they look really healthy, Im very pleased :)