Making an asparagus bed

[Rob G]

Thinking of getting asparagus in the spring. Got an area set aside - about 2m square - so I need to know the plant and row spacings to know the number of crowns to order, and that's where the problem comes.

My trusty Mr Hellyer says rows at 4 ft and plants at 1 ft (he's old so he's allowed to use imperial), whereas I've just looked at the RHS website and they say 30 to 45cm for the plants and 45cm (18") for the rows with the plants staggered. This row spacing is significantly different such that I can get in many more plants with the RHS method. This is obviously desirable but is such a close spacing going to be as productive ?

Has anyone recently made up an asparagus bed and what spacings did you use ?

Thanks

Rob

[Hazel at the Hill]

I've just done a drawing (sloooooooow day at the office )) and put in all the recommended spacings and reckon that you can put 12 in your bed (4 rows of 3 which you can then stagger) which seems to satisfy the criteria,

Haven't grown asparagus myself, mind, but I know that Wellie has an asparagus raised bed about that size - perhaps she can advise further.

[rustylady]

I'm making a bed this year. Main thing is to make sure that all perennial weed roots are removed, apparently. I would go for the closer spacing if you are making a bed - I think long straight rows are going out of fashion (with good reason - beds are much easier to tend and maintain)

[MissGreen]

Sorry for ALWAYS hi-jacking everybody else's threads, but if I'm going to plant, say 20 asp. plants in the spring, how much space would I need, if I was using the RHS metode?

[bravo2zero]

asparagus spacing

3 years ago i planted a bed 38 crowns in a bed of about 25 ft x 4 ft which roughly equates to spacings of 16 in between plants in two rows 18 in apart. the variety was gjinlim from trevor sores. in hind sight i should have planted maybe three types to give a longer season but you live and learn. asparagus crown have long searching roots so you can plant crowns quite close to the edge of your bed and dont forget to stagger or block plant them to get the optimum use of the space. this year was the first year i was able to crop it heavily but have refrainedbecause a few of the crowns looked to be struggling so i left it alone and judging by the ferns which have developed i am in for a bumper crop next spring from a thriving bed. well worth the investment in time and money if you ask me.

[Madasafish]

I planted 20 grown from seed in a bed 2 metres x 2 metres (short of space) 2 years ago. Mulched heavily with leafmold/compost in winter - depth 10 cm

Got a good crop in 2007 and expect more in 2008.

Not ideal spacing but I don't care: nice asparagus and that's all that matters.

[rustylady]

I think that as long as you mulch and feed you can get away with closer spacing than traditionally recommended. I would think that well rotted stable manure would be a great topdressing during winter.