asparagus

[HunkieDorie23]

How big is an asparagus bed? 4x8 is that big enough?

Mine is 4'x18' but we love asparagus and I plan to pickle quite a bit.

Is that a raised bed? I still have 4 kids at home and my oldest has a girlfriend and two kids. We might use a good bit of it, and I love pickles. Do you have to have it fenced, ie what kinda critters get into it? I have a really big dumb dog that tears up everything. I am hoping she is going to grow out of it but no signs yet. She is showing no signs yet.

 

[seedcorn]

Asparagus is a useful companion plant for tomatoes. The tomato plant repels the asparagus beetle, as do several other common companion plants of tomatoes. Meanwhile, asparagus may repel some harmful root nematodes that affect tomato plants.

Anyone know if this is true? From wikipedia

 

[The Mama Chicken]

How big is an asparagus bed? 4x8 is that big enough?

Mine is 4'x18' but we love asparagus and I plan to pickle quite a bit.

Is that a raised bed? I still have 4 kids at home and my oldest has a girlfriend and two kids. We might use a good bit of it, and I love pickles. Do you have to have it fenced, ie what kinda critters get into it? I have a really big dumb dog that tears up everything. I am hoping she is going to grow out of it but no signs yet. She is showing no signs yet.

It is a raised bed without borders, just a mound of dirt. It's not fenced yet, the whole garden is getting fenced in a couple of weeks. I'm not sure what kind of pests it's prone to, I only started the bed a few weeks ago, it's barely started to sprout.. This is our first garden on our new property, so I finally get to plant perennials.

 

[ducks4you]

Give me some advice. I bought 5 fronds of Purple Passion asparagus in 2011--remember my DD messed up my gardening with her April 2nd wedding??--they never made it out of my 2 1/2 foot pot I put them into--this is my pot that I've put fruit trees in, in the past. In November I moved the pot to the south side of my garage and this Spring I was convinced that the 5 fronds were dead. Nope. I just cut and ate 3 stems this morning.
WHEN can I safely transplant them into the ground?

 

[lesa]

I would do it now... they don't transplant great- but I have done it successfully. Just follow the planting instructions and realize that it is going to be a few years, before you really harvest. I just wouldn't feel comfortable keeping them in a pot any longer....

 

[seedcorn]

IF they were mine, I'd go dig a hole much larger than the pot they are in, line it with manure, and transplant now. I'd seperate them as I wanted and probably not harvest the next spear. I'd let one go so it can feed the plant. In real world, I'd not harvest at all this year, then start next year.

 

[ducks4you]

Thanks! After I finish my cleanup--I HAVE 5 EVERGREEN STUMPS TO REMOVE--AAARRRGGGHH!!!!--I'l be ready to transplant.
WOW! These are about the fastest answers I've ever gotten on one of my posts!

 

[momofdrew]

Asparagas; is a perennal that can grow for 15 or more years...so the prep of the plot is essencial... it likes a high ph or sweet soil...you can plant crowns for a quicker harvest but I have done them from seed and had to wait for 3 years before I could lightly pick them...I had to leave them at our old house as we moved in the middle of the winter....so I bought Jersey knight crowns from Johnny's Seed...they are all males as they dont use their energy into making seed...I put well composted manure on the plants in the late fall and dont trim the fern until they are brown...sometimes I dont get to them until spring...my plot is 8 x 11 and we get enough to feed the family but lots of times they are picked and eaten before they get into the house...there are very good directions on the puta for planting crowns...remember you have to have patience with these wonderfully taste treats...

 

[seedcorn]

dug up my old bed and transplanted it. Went online to see how/when to fertilize it. To my dismay, Iowa says transplanting old established beds don't work as the roots are damaged too bad to ever recover. Hate to think all the hard work I put in last year was for nothing........dang.

 

[dickiebird]

dug up my old bed and transplanted it. Went online to see how/when to fertilize it. To my dismay, Iowa says transplanting old established beds don't work as the roots are damaged too bad to ever recover. Hate to think all the hard work I put in last year was for nothing........dang.

I wouldn't bet on it not surviving, I've transplanted lots of asparagus with great success.

THANX RICH