I see Aldi have some aspargus on offer at the moment, so I'm wondering how I'd go about creating a suitable bed for it? I'm under the impression its a bit of a picky plant!
We've got clay soil, currently divided into beds in a variety of sizes - the one I'm thinking of using is probably about 7ft by 7ft. Its covered in weeds, so I assume I need to get those out and get loads of compost into the soil. Am I better to create a raised bed or to try and improve the clay in the ground?
We're trying to use no-dig methods as much as possible, so we're willing to accept that aspargus isn't something we can do this year - perhaps we could grow potatoes in that bed this year to help break up the soil?
STeve
As long as it doesn't waterlog asparagus grows fine on clay... ours does. I'd plant potatoes this year to break it up get lots of organic stuff in it... like your chiken muck and shavings and look towards putting the asparagus in next year when you are sure it's free of perennial weeds.. :)
Its takes around 4 years to establish a bed so go for it now and if any fail replant next year.
Ideally you should have prepared the bed in the Autumn but if I were you I'd double dig it and get as much compost in as possible.
Last year I set two beds up one for myself and one for my daughter, mine had a 25% failure rate hers was a lot better.
I will only know the true success rate this Spring especially with the hard winter we have had.
Make sure they are keep well watered through the Summer.
Good luck
I'd use a raised bed to be on the safe side, after losing plants twice running because of winter waterlogging. Put the roots on the surface, and add whatever you can; no need to raise it more than a couple of inches the first year. It likes sand, so that would be a good thing to add.
I grow asparagus on clay, mulched yearly with compost, that's no problem - but for heaven's sake try to eradicate perennial weeds, I've got some docks and a comfrey that I just cannot get rid of. I'd get started now, though, home grown asparagus is wonderful.