Asparagus question.

[bobbin]

I have asparagus in a raised bed and another line in bare earth. The bare earth waterlogs on occasion so I'm suprised it's survived. Next year will be year three ... yippee picky Year! However I've just realised that two of my plants have berries indicating they are female. RHS states these should be removed. I'm really reluctant as its not an enormous bed and I paid quite lot for one of the plants as a ready grown infill when I lost 3 others.
I understand from RHS the female can cause the other plants to perform poorly.
.......Hmm this is starting to take on an unfortunate personal tone...ha ha sorry chaps.
What do other asparagus growers think? Do you leave or remove. Also has anyone here grown asparagus from their own female berries? I'm intrigued. As I think we all get excited about anything we can grow from our own seeds.
Is it just bad luck we are sold female stock if it's not viable to keep them??

[bario1]

My crowns were 'all male' varieties, so I've no idea about female plants. Aren't they just less productive? If it's only a couple of plants I'd just leave them.

[It never rains..it pours]

I have a couple of female plants in one of my varieties (think Ariane) and have marked them with sticks, so can just pick off the berries as soon as they start forming, therefore hoping it reduces the yield loss. As I understand it the loss is only on the female plant as energy goes into the seed rather than into spears. Maybe in the distant future when they all get a lot bigger, if they needed more space I may remove the females then

[Mr Bones]

Same here, I bought all male plants but ended up with a couple of females too. I don't pick the berries off and they seem to do alright, maybe the potential loss of performance is down to seedlings shooting up everywhere.

[4Shoes]

Often think that loss of production is an optimal "commercial" thing and not going to be noticeable for a small garden. I've got 7 plants grown from seed this year, so still have to be planted out. If 50% were female and grow 1 less spear, I'd not notice. If they were all female, would be a picking less. That I might mind


On that... How close do you plant them to each other.... 18" spacing all round? or better going for 2'?

[bobbin]

Spaced abou 18" or a bit less. Maybe I'll remove the berries. Sounds a faff though but maybe worth it.
Just discovered a third female darn it. Thanks for advice. Any more welcome as always.

[It never rains..it pours]

Often think that loss of production is an optimal "commercial" thing and not going to be noticeable for a small garden. I've got 7 plants grown from seed this year, so still have to be planted out. If 50% were female and grow 1 less spear, I'd not notice. If they were all female, would be a picking less. That I might mind


On that... How close do you plant them to each other.... 18" spacing all round? or better going for 2'?

Depends if planting in a row or a square and how much space you have availiable

[bravo2zero]

Ive a large bed of Thielem F1 which berries up every and i dont bother with them just letting them get on with it Mind you the birds might be doing it for me. Ive not noticed any reduction in yield on crowns where the ferns have berried.

[It never rains..it pours]

Thanks bravo2zero, I thought that variety were supposed to be all male

[Small pumpkin]

Is it normal?

My asparagus is putting up 2 new shoots.
Is he a little confused?
I only cut the dead ferny bits off last week.

[bario1]

Mild November? Not been to the plot for a week or so, but I’ll check to see if there’s any activity next time I’m down there. Cut mine back a few weeks ago, maybe it stimulates growth?