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Produce => Edible Plants => Topic started by: laura G on February 21, 2008, 16:59:25

Title: Anyone grown asparagus from seed?
Post by: laura G on February 21, 2008, 16:59:25
Hi, i have tried to grow asparagus from seed, they took about 2 weeks for them all to come up but now that i have put them on the window sill they are looking leggy but i am not sure if this is just the way they start... any help please?

http://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff91/CHUBSIESMUM/PLANTS/DSC02582.jpg

http://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff91/CHUBSIESMUM/PLANTS/DSC02581.jpg

http://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff91/CHUBSIESMUM/PLANTS/DSC02583.jpg
Title: Re: Anyone grown asparagus from seed?
Post by: cleo on February 21, 2008, 17:03:06
They look fine by me.

I was intending to grow some from seed (Fenlim?)this year but I think I will have to wait a year now
Title: Re: Anyone grown asparagus from seed?
Post by: carolinej on February 21, 2008, 17:42:23
I grew some last year.. I put them in a seed tray and waited for 3 weeks. Eventually, I gave up, and used the compost to cover some seeds I put in a bigger tray. The new seeds came up, with asparagus in between!!

I obviously need to work on my patience ;D

cj :)
Title: Re: Anyone grown asparagus from seed?
Post by: tim on February 21, 2008, 17:43:53
Sore point - mentioned before - our from-seed plot was just coming to maturity - chap doing work for us - "just rotovated that empty plot for you" ***************!!
Title: Re: Anyone grown asparagus from seed?
Post by: carolinej on February 21, 2008, 17:53:45
 :o  :o

I bet you were soooo glad of the help >:(

cj :)
Title: Re: Anyone grown asparagus from seed?
Post by: laura G on February 21, 2008, 18:49:45
OH NO!! Did you bury him under it?
Title: Re: Anyone grown asparagus from seed?
Post by: dtw on February 21, 2008, 19:15:00
I bought some seeds yesterday, but should have read the packet first.
It says you shouldn't pick it for 3 years.  :o
Title: Re: Anyone grown asparagus from seed?
Post by: jennym on February 21, 2008, 23:29:09
The plants in the pic look fine, but I'd harden them off as soon as you can, they don't really want to be inside.
Have grown asparagus from seed here, the 3 year wait is worth it - or you could buy crowns and wait 2 years. You can still sow now. They don't need a lot of tending, really.
But (and I've said it before) do put a cane by each tiny plant. They disappear completely in the winter when the ferns die down and it is so easy to dig them up yourself (possibly a worse feeling than when someone else ruins them  ;D)
Title: Re: Anyone grown asparagus from seed?
Post by: calendula on February 22, 2008, 10:51:20
Quote from: tim on February 21, 2008, 17:43:53
Sore point - mentioned before - our from-seed plot was just coming to maturity - chap doing work for us - "just rotovated that empty plot for you" ***************!!

sorry but  ;D and this has happened to me as well but I did it so that's worse, I just forgot about them that they were there, dormant

I've grown quite a lot from seed and yes, patience is required and once transplanted you can forget about them but be warned  :D
Title: Re: Anyone grown asparagus from seed?
Post by: laura G on February 22, 2008, 13:25:15
Thank you for all your advice and help, will put them in the cold greenhouse in a couple of days... and i WILL remember where i have put them on the allotment  ::). Cheers laura
Title: Re: Anyone grown asparagus from seed?
Post by: saddad on February 22, 2008, 16:11:50
Be very careful that perennial roots don't creep into that "empty" bed... couch got into mine when I was poorly so had to transplant them all and loose another year!
:-[
Title: Re: Anyone grown asparagus from seed?
Post by: cambourne7 on February 22, 2008, 16:42:57
I grew seed asparagus in situ and they popped up like your photos in the bed.

Nothing this year so far.
Title: Re: Anyone grown asparagus from seed?
Post by: Just Vegging Out on February 22, 2008, 16:50:16
Hi,
I have grown asparagus from seeds - but one thing you should know -
asparagus seedlings may be male or female - the female plants have very thing string like spears - these produce the seeds - the male plants have the thick spears for harvesting - you will not know which sex your seedlings are at first , nor which ones to plant for the veg garden, as all young seedlings look thin and stringy.
I have no idea what I have managed to grow but have planted them anyway - on the basis of at least getting some more seeds if they are female plants.
Title: Re: Anyone grown asparagus from seed?
Post by: Just Vegging Out on February 22, 2008, 16:54:12
About the asparagus bed being rotovated by your workman - I heard on the radio news - a farmer had an established field of asparagus - I think he was in Lincolnshire - his Polish agricultural labourer could not speak English and ploughed up the whole field - the farmer said it will cost him at least £40,000 from lost harvest and to replant.