Interplanting asparagus?

[veggiechicken]

VC what does Gertrude Franck book say? I have mine in a dedicated bed and we are sandyish soil, free draining anyhow. Other than that my sparry grass is left to it.

Gertrud and I are living apart at the moment so I can't ask her. Since its a perennial it wouldn't fit in with her planting scheme anyway.

[veggiechicken]

The asparagus have been planted in a "raised bed". Its a wooden delivery crate that contained a load of paving slabs. I had already lined it with membrane and filled it with soil. Last year I grew roots in it and salad leaves through the winter with a sheet of perspex over the top.
I had 3 packs of Wilko's crowns (should have been 3x3 crowns but there were 4 in one pack) and 3 from T&M on the GYO offer. They were very different in size. The T&M ones were very dry with long roots that would need a big mound to spread them over. The Wilko's ones were packed in compost, were already shooting and had much shorter roots. I preferred the Wilko's ones as they looked healthier. One baby spear broke off so is now in water to see if it will root!
Thanks for all your advice!!

[BarleySugar]

I had loads of fern grow last year (it was the first year planted, so none cut). I hadn't thought about planting between, but it's a good idea. Mine are next to strawberries, so perhaps planting some runners between would be a good idea. Failing that, maybe some dwarf french beans, with the roots left in place after cropping, for nitrogen? What do you think?

[veggiechicken]

I shall definitely be planting something in with the asparagus as I can't spare the space for something that does nothing for a couple of years. I thought quick growing salad leaves early in the year, maybe strawberries or squashes that can trail outside the box. Need to see how they grow and how tall this year. I'll chuck some radish in there tomorrow while I think about it!

[BarleySugar]

Nicos posted this link, Root Development of Vegetable Crops: Chapter VI, on the New Shoots, Asparagus thread. It explains how asparagus roots grow, which might help in deciding what, if anything, can be grown between the crowns.

[veggiechicken]

I saw that BS. Its all a bit scary - they're monsters intent on taking over the world as we know it - or at least my garden. This year may be the only chance I have of growing something between the crowns.