Topic: Asparagus

[Macy]

Growing from seed means it'll be years before you get anything. (We did it years ago, in the garden.)

I was under the impression is was just an extra year from seed? (he says hopefully thinking of the tray of seedlings!).

[saddad]

If you buy crowns you give them a whole year before picking any... if from seed you spend a year or two developing the crown... ( I did some Conver's Colossal from seed) so three years to a proper crop from Crowns, four years from seed...#  ;)

[Vortex]

Depends on the age of the crowns - you can buy both 1 year and 2 year old crowns.
By the book you shouldn't start picking until the crowns are in their 4th year, but if you plant 1 year old crowns you can take a single spear off each crown in it's third year, ie the year after planting.
I grew mine from seed but didn't lose a year as I used the year to clear the ground for the bed - well mostly.

[gwynleg]

I am still a bit worried that nothing is coming up. I did put a layer of manure on and wonder if I have backfilled too much before it was ready. The fronds were up last year but nothing yet this. Reassurance needed please?!

[saddad]

My established and my new crowns haven't shown yet... it has been cold...  :)

[small]

My Connovers Colossal, grown from seed 25 years ago, are ready for first cut, I'm so looking forward to tea tomorrow.......I'm going to grow another lot from seed soon ready to replace these in a few years, this time I'll be sure to plant them where there is no comfrey popping up. 

[Garden Manager]

Sorry to hijack the thread but i need some advice. I bought some crowns of glinjim back in febuary and after a hiatus for weather and making a bed for them got them planted about a month ago. I followed all the recomended planting advice for asparagus and made sure they were well soaked prior to planting.

As yet nothing has come up. i am concerned that something has gone wrong. We had a lot of rain just after planting and of course in the last couple of weeks it has been very dry, dry enough to crack the soil around the asparagus. When i spotted this i gave them a good soak and a mulch of spent potting compost.

Am I being too impatient? How long should i give them?  The crowns are still there just not doing anything. Have I done something wrong? Do I need to get more crowns and start again? Please advise.

[saddad]

Chill... if the crowns are still there (not rotted away) then the shoots will come up when the soil warms up enough..  :)

[tonybloke]

had the first pickings for lunch, Mmmmmmmmmmmmm

[sunloving]

My asparagus has had to live in pots as ive moved four times in three years and im looking at the garden now wondering where it can go and how to maximise space.

Can i plant anything on top of it or in the same bed such as climbing beans sweetcorn , as it seems like a crop for the landed gentry with bags of room.
Does anyone do this?

x sunloving

[Robert_Brenchley]

You could plant a catch crop like lettuce between the rows.

[tonybloke]

My asparagus has had to live in pots as ive moved four times in three years and im looking at the garden now wondering where it can go and how to maximise space.

Can i plant anything on top of it or in the same bed such as climbing beans sweetcorn , as it seems like a crop for the landed gentry with bags of room.
Does anyone do this?

x sunloving

asparagus needs a bed to itself. but so do most crops.

[Unwashed]

We had our first two spears yesterday from crowns I put in last years from Wilko.  I also grew some from seed last year, direct sown, and they're coming through nicely, though won't be picked for a couple of years.

[greenhousegirl]

A friend of mine plants rocket in her asparagus bed around the edges I think.  It seems to work for her.