Storing Asparagus Crowns. Help!

[sallym]

I've bought some Asparagus Crowns today ( £2.98 for 4 crowns Gijnlim at B&Q )
and they are in a polythene bag at the moment. Some shoots have already started to grow, some about 4" long. Could someone please advise me how to store them until I plant them out in early spring as recommended? I don't think they should stay in the plastic bags and I guess that they should be kept cool, but should they be stored in the dark??
Thanks in advance.
Sal

[bazzaboy]

Sal, I faced a similar problem last year, which I solved by first planting in large pots using good quality free draining compost and keeping cool but frost free in a cold greenhouse until March when safely planted out. Because asparagus is known to react badly to root disturbance I tried to reduce that by using tomato pots (the kind with no bottom) and planting them up inverted (i.e. so the pot tapered towards the top) which meant when it came to planting I could just dig a hole and slide the pot off. Once established asparagus seems quite tough so whether such fussiness was strictly necessary I don’t know but it grew on quite successfully so I didn’t complain… b.

[Paulottie]

Big thing is not to let them dry out. just put them in a box and cover them in multipurpose..NOT soggy though...they be fine until March/when the weather breaks. Make sure their prospective home is well prepared and throw them in a bucket of water for an hour or two before planting.

Try not to snap of any shoots (within reason!) and it would be as well to gently put some peat or multipurpose round the crowns at planting.

[Two_Sheds]

Pot them up and keep them somewhere like a cold greenhouse or coldframe