Hi there - Has anyone grown this variety. I have a few crowns in the garden, but slugs and mice play havoc with them plus my clay (with ground springs :o) hasn't' helped these last few years even though they are in raised beds, and every spring I try to fill in the gaps which get increasingly expensive
I have looked at buying seeds but most of our UK firms charge nearly as much for a seed as a crown, but thanks to your excellent thread on seeds (that's why I am up so late :D :D) I think it is Seeds of Italy have some of these at a good price for the quantity.
I think I will give them a go but just wondered if anyone else had grown it.
all the best
Sue
I bought asparagus seeds on ebay from one of the regular sellers (Premier?.. Midland?) two years ago... it was a Martha Washington strain.... I've got shedloads of plants now, hopefully going into a bed this year as the pots are taking up a lot of space..... IIRC they were 99p for about a hundred seeds, germination was good and despite a lot of neglect in their first year and giving away a load of plants last year I've still got tons of them...
chrisc
My bed has been grown from seed, it's been going nearly 12 years now. Started with Martha Washington too, but then I did sow some others, but can't think of the variety now, an all male one.
Seems surprising to be able to buy all male seed. Obviously seed comes only from female plants, and as far as I know there is no way to distinguish male seeds from female seeds.
I assume that the all male plants that we can buy have been grown to a point where they flower, and then the females can be weeded out. But I'd like to know more if there is another way.
I understand where you're coming from artichoke, but I was fairly sure I did buy all male seed. I had a google and found this page which makes reference to supermales.
http://www.paradise-garden.co.uk/vegetables/asparagus/asparagus.html
Then this link shows pictures of male flowers and male berries, so I suppose that is how they distinguish them. I do note that they say you may get some (25%) female plants. http://www.paradise-garden.co.uk/vegetables/asparagus/asparagus_cultivation.html
I'm still not sure what I sowed, but they quote Gijnlim, which you can get from Nickys nursery, and you can get Marte from Fothergills, and Jersey Knight from Tuckers
"Male asparagus plants can also produce berries from hermaphrodite flowers. The seed from these berries will give 25% female plants, 50% males and 25% supermales. The supermales can then be used to create new all male hybrids. The photo shows the berries on a plant of Gijnlim."
Thanks, that's very interesting. I bought all male Gijnlim plants some years ago, but they always throw up a few berries. I might even try sowing the seed from those berries to see what I get, and possibly establish a fresh all male bed without having to buy more plants.
No idea how to distinguish males from supermales, but as long as there are no females, I don't suppose it matters.
I believe the fact remains that the ordinary gardener cannot confidently distinguish male from female at the seed or seedling stage, but should wait until they flower before setting them out in a permanent bed.