Author Topic: Yippee...Asparagus!!! (Read 3733 times)

dannylewis · « **on:** January 23, 2005, 16:34:27 »

Hi all,
I have just got back from a busy day shopping (whatever) i went to the Lady green garden centre and they were selling Asparagus, 4 crowns for £1.99 I am soooooo made up, i have been looking round for some for ages and i have eventually found some!!!
The thing i need some info in is how do i grow them or can any of you keen gardeners tell me some websites with info on

Thanks a lot
Dannylewis

Multiveg · « **Reply #1 on:** January 23, 2005, 18:17:30 »

The most important thing is PATIENCE. Don't be tempted to harvest any shoots until the 3rd? season.

Asparagus roots are quite shallow? so make sure the asparagus patch is well weeded before you plant them. It is a seaside plant, so freshish seaweed may be used. Use well rotted manure and trench bed them. Then, you can cover up a bit like spuds until level.

dannylewis · « **Reply #2 on:** January 26, 2005, 12:05:07 »

Thanx for that multi veg,

Quick question, when do i plant them just to give me a rough guide when to start weeding and adding the fertiliser and lime?

tA V MUCH

dannylewis

Multiveg · « **Reply #3 on:** January 29, 2005, 23:55:38 »

If you order through a seed catalogue - they despatch crowns in March-April. According to Tuckers, plant crowns 1ft apart in early April in ground with good drainage. They suggest trenching. Ideally, ground should have been prepared in the autumn and manured with well rotted stuff. Try to remove the perennial weeds.

loz · « **Reply #4 on:** February 02, 2005, 14:56:34 »

Hi Danny

Plant as soon as you can after purchase as the roots tend to dry out. Make a trench, slightly raised in the centre and wide enough to take the crowns with their roots spread out. Space 12-16 ins apart. Depth is important as more than 4in and they may rot, less than 4 in and they may suffer from frost damage in the winter or excessive moisture loss in the summer. Some people use hearth ash and crushed shells as a top dressing to improve drainage.

Plants benefit from high nitrogen fertiliser in June/July

Enjoy them! (but, as Multiveg says, not until the third season, although I took a few in the second)

Loz

Yuet_Lee · « **Reply #5 on:** February 04, 2005, 00:52:55 »

Hi ,
Mine in this May will be the second. I've plan to plant them out in April. I checked them almost everyday. And I saw some tidy little shoot coming out again now. But very thin like cocktailsticks:( I wonder how it can be as big as the one sell in the shop ???So next year will they turn the size like the one in the shop ???;. Can't wait. No wonder Loz had pick some in the second year ;D ;D But mine were too thin :(
Yuet

jamie · « **Reply #6 on:** February 06, 2005, 20:13:05 »

Just popped down to Plot 182 today. One pen thick asparagus has just popped through the soil (wish I had my camera). Have quickly sprinkled Blood Fish and Bone fertiliser over the top and covered with fleece as frosts are due. I've got 10 crowns of 4 year old asparagus and 10 crowns of 3 year old asparagus should be a good year. My advice is to keep the rows heaped up with well rotted manure in autumn when you cut the ferns down, otherwise the roots may get exposed. I'm also putting down planks at the bottom of the ridges to attract soil based pests (slugs, millipedes etc). Once the planks are turned over the pests can be quickly squashed. Asparagus beetles are not yet a problem, they prefer it when the ferns are bushy.

Jamie

derbex · « **Reply #7 on:** February 07, 2005, 13:12:15 »

I sowed some in pots last year, and now they're starting to come again this year. Should I plant them out? I was going to wait until April but I'm worried that I'll have to cut them out if I do that.

Jeremy

Mrs Ava · « **Reply #8 on:** February 08, 2005, 23:29:25 »

Already! Wow!! Going to the plot for the morning tomorrow, weather permitting, so will be seen on my hands and knees examing 'sparagus bed with magnifiying glass! ;D

derbex · « **Reply #9 on:** February 09, 2005, 08:44:44 »

I don't want to get your hopes up too far EJ -they're in an unheated greenhouse. I think I'm going to plant them up.

Moggle · « **Reply #10 on:** February 09, 2005, 10:36:16 »

Jamie, very jealous of your asparagus bed :P If you have some sprouting, then it means that the sparagus season is nearly upon us hurrah!

Derbex, could you tell me when and how you sowed yours? I bought some seeds this year and want to give it a go.

derbex · « **Reply #11 on:** February 09, 2005, 12:45:00 »

Moggle,

I grew Connovers Colossal. Basically I did what it said on the packet. I sowed them towards the end of Feb, in the warmth in modules and potted them up when they outgrew the modules. If I had had space I could have planted them out after the last frost -as it was they have been overwintered in their pots to go in this year.

Jeremy

P.S. Anyone want any seeds -there's lots left.

jamie · « **Reply #12 on:** February 09, 2005, 20:31:56 »

I think it's a bit early, although last year I had 2 spears up on 25th Jan, however they were hit by the frosts and "snake spotted miilipedes". I thought that all the other crowns would start producing but thankfully they didn't and my main harvesting started on 21st March for the usual 8 weeks for 3 year plus crowns. I've got one crown near the grass path which seems to peak too early (and its the same one again this year), maybe it's just popping up for a look.

Jamie

Mrs Ava · « **Reply #13 on:** February 10, 2005, 23:54:08 »

Scrambled around on my hands and knees and nuffink on my 'sparagus patch. Lady on the next plot has just piled her bed high with leaf mould. Should I do the same, I do have 2 bags home here waiting eagerly to go to the plot. Would the asparagus benefit from a generous top dressing before it starts to peak though?

Debs · « **Reply #14 on:** February 11, 2005, 14:21:56 »

Yikes!! ...

I have a bag of 3 crowns of Asparagus, which, according to the

packet instructions, shouldn't be planted out until March onwards

however there is a green shoot emerging ( approx 1.5" tall)

What should I do???

Should add, they are in kitchen on bench, so fairly warm.

Wrong location ...?? :-\

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Debs

jamie · « **Reply #15 on:** February 13, 2005, 12:01:07 »

Managed to get down to the plot this morning, however the heavens opened up so I couldn’t do anything. Managed to take a photo of my first asparagus spear. The disc is a pound coin to give you an idea of size.

EJ – I don’t see why you can’t put leaf mould on the top. I heap up well-rotted manure in autumn and have recently sprinkled blood, fish and bone on the top.

Debs – I would put your crowns somewhere cool to prevent/suppress further growth. They should not be allowed to dry out. I think you need to start preparing your trench ready for planting out. Dig a trench 1 foot wide an 8 inches deep. Work in well-rotted manure to the base and cover with 2inches of soil. Then make a 4 inch high ridge along the centre of the trench. Place the crowns on the ridge 12 inches apart. Spread the roots evenly and fill with soil so that the bud tips are just visible. Mulch the crowns with 2inches of well-rotted manure to keep them moist. I would also protect the spears as they emerge with some fleece if frosts are due.

Good luck

Jamie

Debs · « **Reply #16 on:** February 15, 2005, 09:55:05 »

Jamie - Thanks for the advice ;D

I now have 4 packs ( 3 crowns in each £1.99 at Wilko ;) )

and have moved them into the garage which is adjacent

to the house.

Weather forecast isn't good - especially if you read the thread

started by 'Weathercheck', so I am debating whether to chance

planting out the crowns. If it is forecast for a hard frost, would

fleece provide adequate protection??

Any advice gratefully received... :)

Debs

Svea · « **Reply #17 on:** February 15, 2005, 11:11:52 »

just as a point of interest, does anyone here grow the white variety, i.e. blanched under earth or by other means?
to my (german) taste buds, the white ones, which can be quite thick (thumb and thicker) without getting woody are very much more tasty than the thin-ish green varieties you see in the shops and on markets.

kind of debating whether to grow asparagus, but i thin rather not, as plot is on the small side, and there is too much else to grow. :-\

svea

Moggle · « **Reply #18 on:** February 15, 2005, 11:51:07 »

Svea, do my trick, and find a pick your own farm close to you. I am soooo lucky that there is one about 10 minutes drive from work, and last year it was about £3.50 per kilo. I did one big trip, and came back with 3 kilos for Mr M and myself, and gave a lot away too. Was the green stuff and not the white stuff tho.

I am growing my own this year as I love the stuff, but growing from seed, so I will definitely be visiting the PYO again this year and probably next year too. Might try a more sensible method - go and pick enough for a meal on the way home, race home and cook straight away.

Plenty of fat spears at the PYO, although I tended to pick the little skinny ones. Will have to do a blind tasting I think ;D

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Author Topic: Yippee...Asparagus!!! (Read 3733 times)