Asparagus (& Rhubarb)

[Andraste]

Hi all,

A search of the forum here came up with so many references to everyone picking & harvesting Asparagus that I'm sure you'll be able to settle a debate in our house We're trying to decide where would be best to site the Asparagus - which is also going to decide whether the Rhubarb moves or not.

The Asparagus will be a new venture (crowns planted in our 1st year were unwittingly destroyed when a 'helpful' neighbour rotovated over it). We plan to put in some low edging around where the Asparagus is planted but no more than about 5 inches high (not high enough to really call a raised bed).

The Rhubarb has grown far too big for our needs. It needs dividing, so we plan to do in a few weeks time & just keep 2 small lumps - the ideal time to move it elsewhere if we're going to.

We have 3 planting spots available: top, top-right-down-a-bit, or bottom.

Our plot's on a very slight slope but has good sun all day for all 3 options (we don't really have a shady bit).

At the 'top' is our boundary with the plot behind - a fence of pallets. The plot behind isn't very well looked after - it seems to harbour slugs in that area & they also have a 'compost'/weed pile in the right-hand corner. We've positioned a dalek bin on the corner in front of their heap next to our right plot boundary, then there's a gap to the left which isn't currently planted with anything permanent, then we have our bench to the left (roughly in the middle of the plot). The 'top' planting spot would be between our bench & dalek bin.

'Top-right-down-a-bit' would be down from a dalek bin - where we have a 2nd dalek vertically down from the top one at the right side of the plot. Nothing permanent planted there either at the moment. This would move the planting spot away from the lazy-neighbour boundary but would still effectively be at the top end.

This is only our 2nd year but we believe it's wetter at the bottom end but it doesn't get waterlogged as far as we've noticed (all existing stuff grows just fine). 'Bottom' is where we currently have a Loganberry growing over the right-side of our entry arch, then rhubarb, rhubarb, rhubarb, then an Autumn Raspberry, then a Blackcurrant. If the Asparagus goes at the bottom it would replace the Rhubarb - the Rhubarb would then move to top &/or top-right-down-a-bit.

If that makes any sense I'd welcome any thoughts on where the Asparagus (& Rhubarb) would be happiest.

[Nicos]

Ah…has no one responded?
I’m just bumping your question Andraste

[Vince G]

Hi there, I grow a lot of asparagus, and I mean a lot! 5 x 15 foot rows of it. We give carrier bags of it away in May & June. If you get full sun on all parts of your plot it doesn't really matter where you are going to plant, but I'd make 2 points:

1. Make sure you have got all perennial and deep rooted weeds out of the site you choose. Once your asapragus are established if those weeds come back and intertwine themselves amongst your crowns, you're screwed. You can't fork too deep as you may damage the roots and buds forming spears below the soil surface.

2. Make sure your soil is fairly free draining and also has some well rotted manure mixed in before you plant your crowns. This will give them a good boost and if you have plenty of crowns planted you can rob a few spears from the strongest looking plants in year 1 without fearing that you're affecting year 2. Don't be greedy though.


Also got 2 rhubarb crowns, and my advice here is not quite so technical. Bung em anywhere they'll be fine!! I alternately force 1 of my 2 crowns every year, so if you're forcing any of yours just give that crown a feed once you've finished picking for the season.

[Andraste]

Thanks Vince G

There's definitely a bit of bindweed that's likely to creep in from the plot behind that's not likely to go away any time soon & would make the 'top' bit unsuitable for the Asparagus so we're going to stick a lump of Rhubarb there instead.

I've been digging bits of bindweed from in amongst the Rhubarb at the 'bottom' end too (although I'm winning the battle there) & the occasional dandelion so we'll remove most of the Rhubarb (& hopefully the remaining bindweed) to leave just one lump & use the extra space for something else (probably some Perpetual Spinach & some Wild Rocket).

Based on your advice we've decided 'top-right-down-a-bit' will be best for the Asparagus as we know there are only shallow-rooted/annual weeds to contend with there

PS the OH is not so impressed that the Rhubarb will grow pretty much anywhere - he was hoping I'd agree to get rid of it completely or that it wouldn't be happy in a new position so would die off lol.

PPS thanks for the 'bump' Nicos

[Andraste]

Does anyone have any wisdom on companion planting for Asparagus?

I've read that Parsley & Petunias will deter asparagus beetle?

I don't have any Petunia seed (although I'm not adverse to buying some) but have a handy packet of 'Plain leaved 2' Parsley in the stash.

I'm wondering with the Parsley though as I've not grown it before & wonder just how 'perennial' it will be (Fothergill's packets have lied to me before)?

I thought Parsley had a taproot which would concern me if I would need to pull the old growth up annually & potentially disturb the more shallow rooted Asparagus?

The weather here really needs to start to improve so that I can stop over-thinking months in advance & get some real gardening done lol

[Plot70]

Parsley is normally bi-annual so the root will store the flowering energy over one winter and then release any useful nutrients that it has transported from deeper in the soil.
I normally buy those pots of germinated seed from supermarkets when I see them in the reduced display.

[Andraste]

Thanks Plot70 - if the Parsley can stay put then I might give it a try

[rary]

I don't grow asparagus nowadays, I don't have a big garden and use raised beds and I felt that an asparagus bed took up too much room and required too much work having to water it quite frequently for the returns on it, but if I had plenty of room and an area which stayed quite moist, I would dig a trench a bit deeper than advised depth for planting, then dig in some course sand or grit to prevent the plants sitting in water, mix some soil and compost, I would look for cheap bags of compost or grow bags to mix with the soil, and make a planting ridge for the asparagus to sit on then back fill the trench.
So with that I personally would go to the bottom end of your plot, and as advised remove as many weeds as as possible while working the soil
As for the rhubarb plant that at the top of the site, it might benifit from any nutrient run off from close by compost heaps plus it would be easier to see and remove any bind weed

[Snoop Puss]

rary, I'm not sure asparagus needs that much watering. I've left mine to its own devices. Hardly watered at all year one and not at all this year. Most of the crowns have survived OK. With the rain you get, I'd have thought you'd be OK in that respect. What I need to do more of is weeding...

[Nicos]

Asparagus root system , once established can be enormous…

”The crown and root system can grow to an enormous size: 5 to 6 feet in diameter and 10 to 15 feet deep. Therefore, where possible, select a soil that is loose, deep, well-drained and fertile”
https://extension.unh.edu/resource/g...0and%20fertile.

I grew my asparagus on ridges in very peaty soil which used to flood it still produced spears but I guess many of the roots rotted, so given the right conditions it would have flourished.
To keep down surface weeds around them, I grew catch cropped lettuce on the ridges until the ferns were allowed to grow.

[rary]

rary, I'm not sure asparagus needs that much watering. I've left mine to its own devices. Hardly watered at all year one and not at all this year. Most of the crowns have survived OK. With the rain you get, I'd have thought you'd be OK in that respect. What I need to do more of is weeding...

You are right about the rain Snoop, possibly where I was growing it was the wrong place as it was hard against a fence with trees and bushes behind it, in a raised bed sitting on bare soil and no doubt I needed to water due to their roots taking all the water from the soil, when I broke up the raised bed it was full of tree roots

[Andraste]

Thanks Rary, Nicos & Snoop Puss,

Combining your advice I think we'll stick with 'top-right-down-a-bit'. That area will get the 'run off' from the daleks for extra goodness & the soil is looser than down at the bottom. As well as digging deep to put some grit in the bottom & add the compost/grow bags, I'm inclined to at least double our planned 5" edge too give that extra depth. Knowing the Asparagus will be staying put for such a long time it makes sense to put in the extra work now to improve our prospects further down the line

[Vince G]

Does anyone have any wisdom on companion planting for Asparagus?

I've read that Parsley & Petunias will deter asparagus beetle?

I don't have any Petunia seed (although I'm not adverse to buying some) but have a handy packet of 'Plain leaved 2' Parsley in the stash.

I'm wondering with the Parsley though as I've not grown it before & wonder just how 'perennial' it will be (Fothergill's packets have lied to me before)?

I thought Parsley had a taproot which would concern me if I would need to pull the old growth up annually & potentially disturb the more shallow rooted Asparagus?

The weather here really needs to start to improve so that I can stop over-thinking months in advance & get some real gardening done lol

I've never companion planted with asparagus. Asparagus beetles rarely do a great deal of damage, unless you get a massive infestation, and can easily be picked off by hand. I ccassionally see blackbirds taking them too.

[Andraste]

Thanks for the reassurance Vince G,

I think I'm reading too many allotment blogs where the beetles probably only get a mention when they've done a lot of munching - so maybe not a balanced view

[It never rains..it pours]

Andraste, you maybe similar to me in rainfall , in which case my advice would be drainage is vital
We have had above average rainfall this autumn but the effort to add grit to our clay therefore creating a raised bed is now paying back
Second is crown quality. Personally found growing from seed (planted inside boxing day) best but so would be quality grade A crowns. You do not want any poor crowns that may introduce fusarium to your bed