What to plant after asparagus?

[caroline7758]

I planted asparagus 2 or 3 years ago, thinking I'd weeded the bed thoroughly but it soon became swamped with grass and has produced very little, so I spent this afternoon digging it over. I've removed the remaining three asparagus plants but couldn't avoid damaging the roots. So I have 2 questions:

Is it worth replanting the asparagus elsewhere?  and what should I plant next in a bed that has been largely neglected over the last couple of years and may well still have couch roots in it? I'm thinking potatoes?

[caroline7758]

[Paulh]

On planting the asparagus (elsewhere) - you've not much to lose, assuming you want asparagus! With a little TLC for a year, you'll be no worse off than buying new roots in, provided you don't move any couch grass with them.

On what to plant after them, anything really, provided you had a good go at the couch. You can get that out as it comes up next season. Potatoes may not be the best because you may just let the couch get on with it around them (it will grow through the tubers (or they grow around its roots?) though that doesn't affect their edibility).

[Digeroo]

Potatoes sound good.  Courgettes good a clearing weeds as well.   

[Deb P]

My twopenceworth, as the ground is likely to have suffered with a perennial crop and you can manure it heavily to improve it this autumn, you could try any crop that will do well in that, eg squash or potatoes. That way it gets dug over again next year and re cleared of any remaining couch. You could try covering the manure with cardboard or even black plastic and plant through it to help minimise the regrowth?

[caroline7758]

Thanks for the comments- I've still got nearly half the patch to dig so I'll think about the best course of action while I'm digging!

[chriscross1966]

ALl the poo you can get on it now and then something clearing, I see potatoes adn squash/pumpkins/courgettes have been mentioned, but also sweetcorn planted through a corrugated cardboard mulch will do the same sort of thing...