Asparagus winner!

[vfem]

So over the years I've bought many bareroot asparagus crowns. Each year they either shrivel up and die, or the voles get them before they should have come up. I've tried a few different kinds, including a few transplants from my neighbor. Each year.... NADA! So last year I gave up, I wasn't going to waste a whole bed over and over again to grow a perennial that NEVER came up. (I even dug around to find the roots.. and there was never anything left.)

This year I happened across a package of 8 bare roots for $2.99 in February. It was Mary Washington which really isn't the one I ever saw suggested for my area... but for $2.99 I would try them. I opened the package at home and noticed they were NOT very healthy. One was sprouting, and several had mold on the roots. I don't know why I didn't chuck them in the garbage then!

Anyways, I planted all 8, and the one that already sprouted is for sure dead now. I dug around yesterday to see how they're doing. But I was happy to see the next 3 beside it all had little shoots coming up about to hit the surface. So maybe this year isn't a total bomb out! Of course, its a long wait to get to eat any.... but the fact they're even alive gives me hope.

 

[seedcorn]

congrats.......know the feeling.

I had to move my asparagus bed. Transplanted about 40-100 and only got about 1/4 to live. This is year 3 so I'm hoping to harvest some. Old bed was producing more than we could eat. but it had to go......................

 

[897tgigvib]

vfem, maybe if you entirely cage them to protect them from the varmints?

If you have some wire fencing and lineman pliers to make a circle large enough, then wrap that with gopher wire which is like chicken wire but smaller holes, side around, top and bottom, but don't put the top on until after you sink it deep enough... plant your asparagus in it, then top it with the gopher wire after putting 5 mousetraps in it and another 5 outside it, you may have better luck. Asparagus plants get to a good sized bush, so make it big enough. FORT ASPARAGUS! Set some gi joe toys in and around it too! A cuple rambo toys will help! Oh, gotta put the top on it in a way that is not too hard to remove later.

 

[Chickie'sMomaInNH]

i had bought some started from seeds a few years ago. they had been growing well the past couple years but the weeds had started taking over the small patch. if we were still living in that other house this year would be the 1st harvest year, if the snow ever goes away :/ . i'll have to run over to the other house and dig them up.

i started some i got from seeds this year. i have Mary Washington as well as Argenteuil growing and reaching for the lights in my front hallway. i'm thinking of getting UC157, UC72 but i haven't seen much info on them yet. i'm thinking about the Jersey types but they are only hardy to zone 5 so i worry they might get a really cold winter that would take them out before they gave me anything. i just found one that is called Viking that should do well in my area, but tend to produce a lot of female plants that would need to be pulled. i probably should have bought the gallon containers i saw last year at our local greenhouse when they went half price. would be much quicker than waiting the 3 years for my seedlings to be old enough to grow.

 

[Kassaundra]

I had my first harvest this year! woo hooo



To much to eat???? seedcorn, that doesn't seem possible! at least at my house, I love asparagus.

 

[seedcorn]

We didn't freeze any and yes, we let it go when we got tired of it. WAS a great patch. Same story for rhubarb-had to move as well

 

[Gardening with Rabbits]

I planted asparagus crowns last year. After planting I read this article http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/1000/1603.html after I spent forever spreading the roots. It says Toss the crowns into the furrow on top of the fertilizer. The fertilizer will not burn the crowns, and the plants will grow regardless of how they land so don't bother to spread the roots.

I did not read this part until today or I forget and I did cut the ferns down in the fall. Article says - Do not cut down the fern growth at the end of the growing season.

I did read this and I am planning on harvesting. - The year after planting, asparagus can be harvested several times throughout a three-week period, depending on air temperatures. Research shows there is no need to wait two years after planting before harvesting. In fact, harvesting the year after planting will stimulate more bud production on the crown and provide greater yields in future years, as compared with waiting two years before harvesting.

I have Jersey Knight and Mary Washington.

 

[vfem]

Thank you for that link Rabbits!!!

 

[Chickie'sMomaInNH]

i was reading something earlier too that said you can cut the stems down too and get a summer harvest. but that probably works better for us northerners since we don't get as hot up here often.

 

[Smiles Jr.]

Wow GwR, that Ohio State fact sheet flies in the face of everything I have ever learned about Asparagus growing. Many years ago I was instructed to dig an 18" deep pit and mix a mild fertilizer well into the bottom soil, then carefully spread out the roots and cover with 3" to 4" of loose soil/compost. When the growth began to show cover the plants with more soil and repeat this until the soil level was flush with the surrounding land. Only after the second growth year was I allowed to harvest.

The times sure have changed.