I'm planning this for the new plot, from my research i know you buy1-3 year old male crowns and what type of soil to plant them in but nowhere can i find how many spears you get from a crown and therefore how many crowns you need to buy for a full bed. ???
Any asparagus growers out there?!
Hello emmy1978, you get roughly 2-3 spears at any one time from each plant. Each plant gives me 10-12 spears over a growing season. I would reckon at least 15-20 plants per person (i only have 8 plants and its not enough), and i would space them well apart, at least a metre between plants - the roots are enormous once they get going.
I know some give more and some give less, also, its very difficult to get only male plants unless you buy male only varieties. The female plants do give you spears (most of my connovers collosal are females) which taste no different to the males, and they can be fatter than the males
Depends on the size of the bed.
This site gives a lot of info http://www.asparagus.org/maab/homeGarden.html?id=771 (http://www.asparagus.org/maab/homeGarden.html?id=771).
Planting time is in the spring, although I have seen autumn planting ones in the catalogues. Plant them 18-24 inches apart, the books say in trenches, but we didn't :-[ :-[ and they are fine. The first year they don't produce too many spears, you need to let them grow completely, and cut them down in the autumn when they turn yellow. This growth puts the strength back into the plant for next year's crop.
Year two don't cut any spears (RESIST RESIST RESIST!!!) Let them grow and cut down in the autumn.
Year three - a light picking, not more than one or two from each plant. We had just two meals, then left them.
Year four - pick for about four weeks. No more, then let remaining spears grow, then cut down in autumn.
After that pick for up to eight weeks, then let the spears grow.
Don't try to divide the roots - once in they stay where they are. Also it is very important that the bed is weedfree before you plant them, and in very good condition (ie loads of muck mixed in) and they like light sandy soil. Feed them well, keep them weeded, mulch in the autumn and they'll reward you for years. :) :) :)
I agree with you David, I've got several different varieties (although I don't know which is which !!) and a few females in there. The fatter varieties are much tastier, and we can't tell the difference between the male and female.
The females have dropped seeds, and we have babies, which I keep meaning to scoop up and cultivate.
Standard yeild for asparagus per plant in established beds is half a pound a year per crown.
That's fab you guys, so glad to have you. I did wonder about the male/female thing, why it mattered, glad to know it doesn't.
Thanks for the link. ;D
As people's appetites tend to expand according to how much asparagus is available:
PUT IN AS MANY PLANTS AS YOU CAN!!!!
(I've got two beds, each 8' by 4' containing 10 plants each. There are two of us. It's not enough. Not remotely!)
And asbean's advice is very good. Don't be tempted to pick too much too early. And prepare the soil well: they are a permanent crop, there for at least 20 or 30 years!