Topic: established asparagus bed - can I add salt?

[anthea]

I created my asparagus bed about 5 years ago and it's done reasonably well. This year I got lazy and let it get overgrown with weeds. Today I started weeding it and - hurray - the weeds come out far more easily than I expected. But some of them are huge clumps of grass, so the soil level [it's a raised bed] is pretty low now. Usually this time of year I add a bit of compost. I'm wondering what to top up the bed with to replace lost soil. I'm guessing it would be wrong to fill it all with compost as it'll make the asparagus too leafy? So should I get some bags of top soil? Or any other ideas welcome.  When I started the bed I added salt, because that was what the books said.  Am I right in thinking that the reason for the salt was to keep weeds at bay? And if so, can I add some again now, or won't the plants like it? Any thoughts will be very welcome indeed.
thanks
Anthea

[artichoke]

I have made asparagus beds in different gardens over about 40 years and have never added salt..... I do rake up the soil to cover the crowns, and I do add compost because they love deep soft soil. When I had pigs, their rotted manure was heaped up over the crowns and they became more and more productive. A neighbour went into professional production (replacing his hop gardens) and also used our pig manure.

I know that some authorities say that asparagus grows best in sandy soils with no enrichment (and added salt) but all I can say is that they are wrong.

[cornykev]

Never heard of salt being added to any soil, although I don't grow asparagus I'm certain I wouldn't add salt, even seaweed is washed before its mulched on a plot, I'm off to consult with my book.   
I'm back,
Soil Facts.
 Good drainage, sunny spot, sheltered from strong winds, dig in compost or rotted manure in the autumn, Liming will be necessary if the soil is very acid, keep the bed clean by hand weeding.
The Vegtable & Herb Expert       Dr D G Hessayon.   

[Digeroo]

I had heard that you put salt on asparagus.  I am not clear if it needs salt, likes salt or tolerates it.   I put sea weed on mine but did wash it first.   

[Unwashed]

I seem to remember that the salt thing is discouraged now, and probably never did any good.  I'm sure that compost from the heap would be good to top up the bed with.

[BAK]

My understanding is that there was a view that asparagus was more tolerant of salt than weeds and that was why some people used rock salt ... to get rid of the weeds!

Asparagus may be more tolerant but I do not think that it will benefit from it at all.

Keep it weeded and mulch annually with compost or well-rotted manure.

[small]

I top up my bed with home-made compost every year, I used to add wood ash because it made it easier to weed from,but I don't bother with that any more. I'm going to be watching like a hawk for asparagus beetle in case any of the little b's overwinter.

[anthea]

Thanks all for your comments and I'm really sorry to be so slow to get back to this. It's really helpful to hear what you say. Seems then that I was going on old outdated info so I'll forget all about the salt and just use compost. Very many thanks.

[grawrc]

Asparagus started out as a seaside plant so will grow in saline soil that would kill other plants. It doesn't need salt though and grows perfectly well without it. Mine gets a good layer of well-rotted manure or compost late autumn. Acts as a fertiliser and mulch and keeps the weeds down too.

There are very few plants that tolerate high levels of salt in the soil.

[daitheplant]

If I may add an aside,  being another coastal plant, the colour and flavour of Beetroot are enhanced by a sprinkling of salt in the drill before seed-sowing.