Topic: Asparagus

[Borlotti]

OH spashed out and bought me one asparagus plant from 99p shop.  Just took it out of the wrapper and it looks like dead wood.  Says to soak for an hour before planting, so I have, but should it look that dead or has he wasted 99p  :( :(  Also do I plant in the ground, pot or a large container, have a kind of metal tank at the allotment that I have put carrots in.  Any advice welcome. Thanks. Says I can plant it in March or is it due for the bin.

[Sinbad7]

Mine all looked like dead wood, so should be fine.

I planted them down the plot in their own bed maybe you could get the OH to buy you a couple more and make a bed.

Your meant to have a ridge of soil and spread the dead looking stuff over that then cover with soil.  It/they should grow a treat.

[Borlotti]

Thanks, and then I have to wait 3 years, so it says but then can crop for up to 20 years (hope I live that long).

[Sinbad7]

Meant to say Borlotti you have to dig a trench to make the ridge in the middle.

Course you'll live long enough it'll give you something to aim for  :)

[chriscross1966]

Once an asparagus plant is alive it's pretty hard to kill.... I sowed a load of seed in modules 2 years ago, potted them on into 3" pots, then left them behind my mum's herb patch for the best part of a year with no attention. Rescued them last summer (they were dry as a bone).... out of 70 odd plants I'd lost 5, they got potted on into 6-8" pots and grew away nicely last year, this year I'm hoping to get them into their permanent bed sometime, otherwise they'll go up to 10" pots (which I'd rather use for other things) ... properly looked after asparagus can keep going for longer than 20 years without a problem....

The old legend about them liking salt isn't true, but as a seaside plant they're pretty tolerant of it to a degree that few other plants are,.... I'll certainly put some spare rock salt down once a yearonce my bed is going....

chrisc

[THE DOG]

Great tips, im just pondering on wether or not to put mine in a raised bed as a permenant fixture or on the ground ??? ??? ???

[tonybloke]

Great tips, im just pondering on wether or not to put mine in a raised bed as a permenant fixture or on the ground ??? ??? ???

Hiya  THE DOG !
if your soil is free-draining, then straight in the ground, if at all water-logged, a shallow ( 6 - 9") raised bed  will do the trick.
rgds, Tony

[THE DOG]

Thanks Tony, that answers it in one as the land i hve free is quite boggy, small raised beds it is ;)

[chriscross1966]

Dig in a lot of sand if your soil is claggy.... it's a plant that evolved on seashores in the dune margins.

chrisc

[Chrispy]

I've got some I grew from seed in 4" pots that I will plant out soon.
As they are in pots the roots are of course in the bottom of the pot twisted round rather than spread out.

I am wondering how I plant these out, do I shake of the compost and try and spread the roots out, or do I just plant as is and let them sort themselves out?

[Borlotti]

Pleased I read this, am I stupid or not.  Have I planted it upside down?

[Robert_Brenchley]

Pleased I read this, am I stupid or not.  Have I planted it upside down?

If that's asparagus, it looks as though you've got the roots sticking out. There shouldn't be anything above ground level yet.

Just plant them, Chrispy, they'll be OK.

I've lost asparagus twice through winter waterlogging, as if the ground's claggy, it's best to use a raised bed, and mix plenty of sand into the soil if it's clay.

[Borlotti]

Thought it looked a bit odd, will turn it over. Lucky Kev isn't on here or he would have wet himself laughing at me. Obviously never grown asparagus before, don't tell OH.

[Sinbad7]

 ;D  Unique that one Borlotti

[cornykev]

I think you've got to the root of your problem now Borlotti.     :-[ :-[ :-[

[THE DOG]

 ;D ;D ;D Thats a classic Berlotti, (not sure you can ever live that down) ;D ;D ;D

Cheered me right up that did ROLMAO

D