New asparagus crowns

[bikermike]

Just got the ones from Marshalls - half price.
I'm pretty sure they are alive (or at least most are) - they have white shoots.
They seem quite small
They also have a lot of mould on their roots - is this a problem?
There are a couple of knocked-off (in whole or part) shoots - will these re-grow?

The crowns are currently sitting in a trough of watered compost in my greenhouse until I can plant them out this weekend

[mcdood]

When mine arrived early spring they also had mould on their roots. Most of them have grown on Ok so I wouldn't worry too much. My advice would be to get them in the ground as soon as possible so this weekend should be perfect. Although the ground here in the West Midlands at the moment would be more suited to planting up a rice paddy field.

[mrbadexample]

I got mine last year from Sarah Raven and I'm not impressed. All female, and only 3/5 of the Gijnlim grew.

Is there any way to guarantee male plants? I am of the understanding that they produce better.

[greenishfing]

I got mine last year from Sarah Raven and I'm not impressed. All female, and only 3/5 of the Gijnlim grew.

Is there any way to guarantee male plants? I am of the understanding that they produce better.

What is the difference between male and female plants? I grew mine from seed 5 years ago. This year is the first time we have picked more than the odd spear. They taste marvellous but all the plants look the same. I didn't know you got Male and female plants.

[mrbadexample]

What is the difference between male and female plants? I grew mine from seed 5 years ago. This year is the first time we have picked more than the odd spear. They taste marvellous but all the plants look the same. I didn't know you got Male and female plants.

Female plants produce flowers and berries. I'll take a photo tomorrow, although I'm likely to need my underwater camera.

[greenishfing]

Female plants produce flowers and berries. I'll take a photo tomorrow, although I'm likely to need my underwater camera.

Thanks. Mine are obviously all female.......

[It never rains..it pours]

Males produce flowers too at present, the berries appear on the females after. The femailes produce less crop due to berry energy loss. Here I have marked the odd femail have and remove the berries when small on a day when im ahead, not many of those in a year

[mrbadexample]

Males produce flowers too at present, the berries appear on the females after.

I didn't know that. Mine may not be all female after all.

[bikermike]

Put the new ones in over the weekend, lets see how they go...