Gardening and Horticulture - Asparagus
Doityourself.com community forum was created to provide answers to all questions related to home improvement and home repair. Doityourself community can help you find information about how-to topics on small fixes to large remodeling projects. With comprehensive how-to content and expertly moderated community forums DoItYourself.com makes it easy to tackle even the most complex home improvement projects.View Full Version : Asparagus
barefoot
05-29-03, 10:14 AM
Help, I am planning on starting asparagus in my garden and I am wondering - if I have raised beds (29' long - 3 feet between each)
1. Would it be enough to plant one row of crowns (family of 4 (2 children under 5))?
2. Is the root system going to interfere with other veggies grown in adjacent rows?
or
3. Should I plant them off to the side (soil quality is not as good (many roots that I am still cleaning). The side of my garden is close to a heavily treed area (reason for the roots).
Thanks.
1. Would it be enough to plant one row of crowns (family of 4 (2 children under 5))?
2. Is the root system going to interfere with other veggies grown in adjacent rows?
or
3. Should I plant them off to the side (soil quality is not as good (many roots that I am still cleaning). The side of my garden is close to a heavily treed area (reason for the roots).
Thanks.
marturo
05-31-03, 11:23 AM
Hi, barefoot
1. Would it be enough to plant one row of crowns (family of 4 (2 children under 5))?
50 roots planted ::::::::: in a double row will fill in & the summer fronds will shade out the weeds. You will find little plants each spring to transplant into new beds unless you grow an all male Var.
2. Is the root system going to interfere with other veggies grown in adjacent rows?
Not a problem, the plants spread so slow. We started with 50 & had to plant 400 more roots, just to have some for sale & ourselves; now after 6 years we have more than enough. In fact we now get by with the first 50 for us, but it was 5 years before they put out enough for a Family of 4.
3. Should I plant them off to the side (soil quality is not as good (many roots that I am still cleaning). The side of my garden is close to a heavily treed area (reason for the roots).
No the Asparagus needs a rich well built soil, with 6" of composted Horse or Cow manure on top, after the brown tops are removed in late Fall. Fertrell makes a Chicken poop compost that they really like, just use it, in small amounts due to the high Nitrogen content.
Even using the 3 year old roots, don't expect more than a taste for the first 3 or 4 years. Every shoot you pick and eat wants to grow into a big fern. So you pick a few the first year & let them grow. It becomes a balance, & you will see it after a few years. Once they mature in place, your Grand kids will enjoy what you planted today. Your a good Grandpa :) sounds odd huh? Enjoy them now, Kids grow up so fast. Then they turn you into a babysitter, all over again LOL.
Have you seen what they want in the store for shipped Asparagus? I Picked a mess last Eve, & they were fresh & sweet unlike the old store bought stuff.
I hope I helped you.
1. Would it be enough to plant one row of crowns (family of 4 (2 children under 5))?
50 roots planted ::::::::: in a double row will fill in & the summer fronds will shade out the weeds. You will find little plants each spring to transplant into new beds unless you grow an all male Var.
2. Is the root system going to interfere with other veggies grown in adjacent rows?
Not a problem, the plants spread so slow. We started with 50 & had to plant 400 more roots, just to have some for sale & ourselves; now after 6 years we have more than enough. In fact we now get by with the first 50 for us, but it was 5 years before they put out enough for a Family of 4.
3. Should I plant them off to the side (soil quality is not as good (many roots that I am still cleaning). The side of my garden is close to a heavily treed area (reason for the roots).
No the Asparagus needs a rich well built soil, with 6" of composted Horse or Cow manure on top, after the brown tops are removed in late Fall. Fertrell makes a Chicken poop compost that they really like, just use it, in small amounts due to the high Nitrogen content.
Even using the 3 year old roots, don't expect more than a taste for the first 3 or 4 years. Every shoot you pick and eat wants to grow into a big fern. So you pick a few the first year & let them grow. It becomes a balance, & you will see it after a few years. Once they mature in place, your Grand kids will enjoy what you planted today. Your a good Grandpa :) sounds odd huh? Enjoy them now, Kids grow up so fast. Then they turn you into a babysitter, all over again LOL.
Have you seen what they want in the store for shipped Asparagus? I Picked a mess last Eve, & they were fresh & sweet unlike the old store bought stuff.
I hope I helped you.
barefoot
05-31-03, 11:27 AM
Marturo,
Thank you so much - you answered all my questions.
Thank you so much - you answered all my questions.