Asparagus grrr!

[Woollykecks]

We dug a pit of a hole, layered it with gorgeous soil, manure etc set 10 asparagus crowns away and got a few shoots off each one but no further foliage, what's gone on???
Is it hiding underneath the soil waiting to casually surprise us with a bounty next year, or plain 'ol dead?

[pigletwillie]

You should not crop it at all in the first year and only very lightly in the second to allow it to establish itself.

If its still alive it will send up shoots in April (ish) time. If they do, leave it be this year and feed it well.

[Flummery]

Welcome to the grapevine Woollykecks. (Haven't heard that term since I emigrated many years ago!). It's generally considered to be a 3 year wait till you get a decent asparagus crop, but it's worth it to allow the plants to build up strength. The one regret I had when we moved here was that I left a well-established asparagus bed on our old allotment. It was too far to keep the allotment on and we'd nurtured the asparagus for 3 years, had 2 years cropping then moved! I hope someone's getting the benefit and that it's not one of those 'overgrown with brambles' allotments that many here have taken over.

[Woollykecks]

Thanks for that.
We knew not to expect anything for 2 years save maybe a very light crop next year, but the foliage only grew by about 6 inches then died. Is that normal, or have we killed it?
We need woollykecks up here, is freezin'

[shirlthegirl43]

Hi and welcome to the vine Woolykecks. Your asparagus sounds to have done the very same as mine. I am waiting patiently to see what appears with the better weather. Any failures will be replaced. Good luck with yours.

[rustylady]

As long as it didn't get waterlogged it should be OK. Be patient and wait and see.

[Woollykecks]

thanks a lot everyone I really appreciate the advise
I went over there today and 4 of the crowns are lying on the top of the bed, do you think the rain has washed away the soil or can they work themselves out? Do I replant them again or leave them where they are?

[Nicos]

For some strange reason ( ie..watertable) ..my asparagus sits under the water table all winter- for the past 2 yrs we have had a good crop( although not as good as it should) if it is waterlogged, you should still get a crop!

Oh ...and welcome to the Vine...( OH is from Lancashire and still talks about his kecks!!)

[Polly Fouracre]

If you can get hold of some seaweed,lay it on the bed and let the worms take it in.If not I daresay powdered seaweed would do just as well.

[TonyF]

I've planted a couple of beds of asparagus in the last season. One went in early and threw up lots of the small spindly fronds and it appears to have taken well. I'll know later today when I go up to see the chums I put it in for but as it was so vigorous last year, think it should be ok. I planted it in ridges and used the dips between for catch crops, seems to have worked well.

The other (in my garden) went in late and I've covered the bed with large mesh garden fencing and held it down with poles to stop the cats digging in it. Not sure but think this one should have taken also, no signs of the crowns having grown through or the soil being washed away.

[piskieinboots]

We need woollykecks up here, is freezin'

where do I buy these 'ere woollykeckys thingys? I'm on a family trip in February to North East, to Haltwhistle area - granma was one of they thar gordie lasses - me, oim good ole Cornish stock see

Welcome WK

As to your sparragrass, I can't grow it cos I move alot (military wife *sighes) so can't help you myself

[Flummery]

Lancashire lass here - we had kecks. Don't know where else the words is used. Obviously Nort East as Woollykecks uses it - but I'm in E Yorks and they don't know what I'm talking about here. They don't know what nesh is either!

[smallblueplanet]

Ahh not many folk know what nesh is Flum - I'm from Derby btw! But we're moving sarf cos I'm nesh! But I'm not mardy about it I'm happy!

[Flummery]

Mardy - exactly - that was the definition I was going to give if asked! Hope you've got a passport ready.

[wellie]

Girls!!!! I'm sure Woolly's now completely confused...!

Woolly, it does sound to me as if the soil has washed as little off the crowns, and seriously, if I were you, I would build the soil up around those roots. No, they don't like to have their roots too much in a badly-drained soil, but neither would they like their roots exposed to the elements either.
I have 13 crowns (now 3 years old - bu@@er because I'm moving to France and leaving them behind..... please God let me crop them before I have to move?!!) and I planted them in a Raised Bed to aid drainage. I could realistically have planted them in a slightly sunnier place in my potager, but hey! they seem to be doing fine....
Whatever you do.... do keep the ground in amongst and around them clean of weeds, both annual and most importantly perennial. And then you will be fine.
AND! watch out for slugs when the spears come up! Little black 'keel' slugs that live in the soil can be an absolute ba**ard, beleive me!

I wish you LOADS of luck....