Other Veg In The Asparagus Bed

[broadway]

Hi Folks,

I'm planting a new asparagus raised bed this year and wondered If I could utilise the space for other crops as well and if so what?

[Jeanied]

Now you are asking for your cake and to eat it, Danny! Asparagus is demanding and needs a lot of feeding and watering - so competition doesn't suit it. However you may get away with tomatoes round the edge (tumblers?) basil or maybe some flowers - cosmos? Just make sure you referee them so there isn't competition. Asparagus has to be the top plant.

[sarraceniac]

I've got seakale (genuine seakale) and globe artichokes in with mine. No problems so far (5 years) he says optimistically.

[Jeanied]

The problem with globe artichokes round here is that they grow to 4ft high and 4 ft wide and are devils to dig out! The blue flowers are spectacular though! Never tried seakale.

[Nicos]

Once my crowns were 5 years old, I planted lettuce under fleece along both sides of the mound in early Spring.
The asparagus was fine and the lettuce eaten and gone by the time the spears were coming through thick and thin.
But as Jeanied says- the asp will need a good feed! ( I used liquid seaweed)
Other than that- no weeds whatsoever!

[Pumpkin Becki]

My understanding is that Asparagus doesn't like having its root disturbed. I'd be inclined to dedicate a bed to it and give it as much love and attention as possible to reap the best rewards.

[Comfreyfan]

Asparagus is so amazing picked fresh that I'm more than happy for it to have it's own space.

[Patsy]

Parsley sown near asparagus is supposed to help keep away asparagus beetles which I seem to be plagued with. The blasted beetles need something to keep them away as they're very tricky to squash, every time you go to squash them they drop off just as you get your fingers in the right position!

[BUFFS]

asparagas are gross feeders,so you may get away with some of the earlier mentioned crops but i never try to double crop that area,i keep it covered (at ground level) with metal mesh(2 ins) to keep cats off and put 2/3 ins of cow manure(carries less seeds) each autumn,its then a case of standing back in spring,waiting for that lovely taste,the seeds were originally a freeby from a mag,so its a win win crop for me..

[broadway]

Hi Folks,

Thanks for all the replies. I think I will leave it alone, well for this year anyway

[Paulottie]

Parsley sown near asparagus is supposed to help keep away asparagus beetles which I seem to be plagued with. The blasted beetles need something to keep them away as they're very tricky to squash, every time you go to squash them they drop off just as you get your fingers in the right position!

The secret is to put you hand underneath and they drop into your hand....you should be able to creep up on them as they always seem to be at it!! you can also use a piece of cardboard under the plant.....Certainly you need to be searching for the maggots as it is those that do the majority of the damage in young beds. Also look for eggs...look like hairs at right angles to the stem)

Then when you cut down the ferns in November leave a few longer ones for the hibernating ones to sleep in .... then come along and yank out and burn the remaining bit in Feb....get the critters while they are asleep

I don't bother planting anything around the crowns. The yield (and+ flavour) and timing(in the hungry gap) of an Asparagus bed compared to the land used is never something I'd begrudge.

[broadway]

Ok a side swerve, how about other veg in a rhubarb bed?

In both cases I was thinking about spring onions.

Also, during the dormant period how about green manures?

[sarraceniac]

Rhubarb is very hungry and thirsty. It is also very large when mature and is likely to shade out other plants. Wouldn't recommend it.

[broadway]

Not having muck luck am I

[organic]

You'd need something extremely shade tolerant. Probably depends on variety but I've seen rhubarb leaves that were 2 feet across. My granny's rhubarb patch was pretty much left to its own devices and produced LOVELY stems but it was incredibly dark underneath. (That's the kind of thing you find out when you're a kid playing hide and seek near a rhubarb patch... you also find out what a mess the ashes spread over the patch make when you lie down in them.)