Storing Asparagus

[vegnut]

Hi Grapes

I have been given a dozen Asparagus crowns, the trouble is that the bed i have prepared for them is full of fresh compost and just not ready for them yet until early spring.
I have them laying in plastic mushroom trays at the moment in the greenhouse (unheated) with loads of fine meshing covering them.

How would you store them until next March/April. They look a lot fresher and bigger than those crowns you buy so i would hope that they would stay fresh and dormant until then.

Thanks Grapes

[rustylady]

I'm not an expert by any means, but I don't see why you can't plant them straight away.

[Aberdeenplotter]

Me either provided you don't plant in direct contact with the fresh compost.

[WendyC]

I would think that the roots would be best in contact with some potting/ multi purpose compost in your mushroom trays, otherwise the roots might dry out too much if just under netting. Old compost would be fine as you don't want to feed them and enough growth. That way if they do look like they are too dry you can sprinkle them with a little water. Or else could you pot them up and plant them from the pots when you are ready in the Spring/

[vegnut]

Thanks for the replies everyone.
I think that there is too much compost in the bed at the moment, i'd like the winter to break this down a bit first before direct planting, but i think throwing some old compost over them where they are would work for this short time.
Thanks for that thought WendyC.
Sometimes we need a little nudge in the right direction.

[Rhona]

We stored 20-odd crowns last year in a mixture of sand and multi purpose compost, kept it on the dry side of just damp enough; wrapped in fleece in a big tub, in an unheated greenhouse. Although yours sounds like they are in better condition than ours were, I still would be tempted to cover them with something to keep them in good shape.

[vegnut]

Thanks for letting me know what you did Rhona. I will be doing similar to you very soon before the severe colder weather hits.