How long for asparagus crowns to show?

[Yasminh14]

Hello all. This year we have finally got our asparagus bed going. I had saved last year's Gardeners World in which Monty showed how to prepare the bed, and followed his instructions to the letter - pretty backbreaking! I dug a trench around 1m wide by 5m long. Added 3 barrows of gravel, 3 barrows of sand and 3 bags of manure, mixed it all up and then made 2 ridges. We planted 10 each of 2 varieties that we got here in France from a very reputable organic online supplier, both 2-yr-old crowns. One is called Lima, supposed to early and vigorous, the crowns were huge and looked very robust. The other is a purple variety called Jacq ma Pourpre, crowns smaller and more fragile looking, but both types had little nubbly heads as they should, so all looked good.

We soaked all for a good hour before planting, then sat them on the ridge and covered with about 5" of soil. This was a good month ago now. To date, there has been no sign of them. Yesterday, getting anxious, I gently dug down to look at a couple - the Lima look exactly the same as the day we planted, no sign of life at all. The JmP was showing the start of a shoot, so that looks to be on the move.

I have no idea how long it should take for asparagus to get going, so should I be worried about the Lima? We are in Brittany, so the weather here has been pretty similar to the UK recently. When we planted it was pretty warm, but soon after we had that very cold spell, so could it just be delayed due to the cold? The last week it has been getting warmer again, so hoping I might see some signs soon. Hoping someone can reassure me, or give me an indication of how long it usually takes for crowns to start growing.

Incidentally, 50 potatoes (Desiree and King Ed's) planted a week later were all up within days and now belting along....

[bario1]

Hi Yasminh

I don't mean to dishearten you, but my crowns planted on 20th April were showing within a week, and now I have 6" spears dotted all over the bed. I don't think I planted as deep as you though, maybe they're just working their way up. Have you given the bed a good soak since you planted? Some of my spears came up and then withered and died, so I gave them a soaking last night, as it hasn't rained much here since they went in.

Good luck!

[Penellype]

I've never planted an asparagus bed, but I do wonder if you have planted them too deeply. You say you covered the crowns with 5 inches of soil?

The RHS advice for planting asparagus says to leave the bud tips just visible:
https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/grow-y...bles/asparagus

[Yasminh14]

I've never planted an asparagus bed, but I do wonder if you have planted them too deeply. You say you covered the crowns with 5 inches of soil?

The RHS advice for planting asparagus says to leave the bud tips just visible:
https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/grow-y...bles/asparagus

Hmm, I did what Monty Don showed and advised in Gardeners World. He was quite adamant you had to make sure they were 5-6" deep! He even said to check after a couple of weeks and make sure they were deep enough! But as you say, the advice on the link you give is a little different. I've also seen US sites where they say to cover only lightly and then add soil as the shoots start to show, and not to do the whole trench thing at all.

Even so, the fact that one variety is showing shoots when I dig down, while the other looks no different to when I planted it suggests that it isn't the depth that is the problem. The shoots may take longer to reach the surface, but the Lima doesn't even have any shoots.

I'd really like to hear anyone's experience with crowns. Beginning to wonder if I should start some seeds as at this rate I might be having to start again next year with half my crowns anyway.

[Yasminh14]

Hi Yasminh

I don't mean to dishearten you, but my crowns planted on 20th April were showing within a week, and now I have 6" spears dotted all over the bed. I don't think I planted as deep as you though, maybe they're just working their way up. Have you given the bed a good soak since you planted? Some of my spears came up and then withered and died, so I gave them a soaking last night, as it hasn't rained much here since they went in.

Good luck!

Oh dear, thanks, but I do feel a bit disheartened now . I did soak them before planting, and they seemed well hydrated. I did water the bed a couple of times, but the soil seemed fairly moist so didn't want to overdo it (I read somewhere not to water too much). Over the last week we've had a fair amount of rain. So I just don't know!

[ESBkevin]

I had a couple of two year old crowns in a large pot which I simply transferred to a preparred bed a few weeks ago. It's been a cooler spring here and I had nothing to show until well after my neighbours established crop was showing lots, even then the spears were thin, fragile and shot to fern very quickly.
I expected no crop this year and had written it off anyway, but the distinct lack of growth is a disappointment.

[BUFFS]

5/6ins deep and the awful chilly spring, I would give them at least another month and another good soaking, drench the area thoroughly. when I planted mine they took ages, at the same depth but with better spring weather so don't give up yet.... good luck with them...

[CaraFlower]

My guelphs which were planted over a year ago have only just started showing some skinny spears again this year and they were sluggish last year too. They are quite close to the surface. I suspect I upset them at some point. I have been watering and mulching with partially decomposed leaves since I spotted the spears.

The gijnlim I planted recently I don't expect to see for a while. I doubt either of your types are dead, just sulking. Plants do that well.

[SarrissUK]

Asparagus does need to go that deep to be happy long term, and they do like a good feed too. Don't get too disheartened if they don't show much this year, and in fact, you should not take much off it next year either. This year will be spent creating a very dense root system - google it, it's fascinating
If you take too much next year, even if they were three year crowns, you will weaken the plant for years to come.

[Muddy_Boots]

Asparagus does need to go that deep to be happy long term, and they do like a good feed too. Don't get too disheartened if they don't show much this year, and in fact, you should not take much off it next year either. This year will be spent creating a very dense root system - google it, it's fascinating
If you take too much next year, even if they were three year crowns, you will weaken the plant for years to come.

You are so correct SarrissUK, the crowns in your bed have been planted correctly. Just be patient as the first year is for the crowns to develop a dense root system and when the foliage appears it will be feeding them through photosynthesis. Remember to support the fern foliage using stakes and garden twine to make a ‘fence’ either side of the row for support.

Allow the foliage of your asparagus plants to yellow in autumn before cutting it down to soil level for the winter.

Do not harvest for the first two years after planting. In the third year, harvest spears from mid-April for six weeks. In subsequent years you can harvest for eight weeks from mid-April.

To harvest, cut individual spears with a sharp knife 2.5cm (1in) below the soil when they are no more than 18cm (7in) tall. In warm weather, harvest every two to three days for the best quality spears.

[Yasminh14]

Thank you everyone for your replies. I feel a bit better now! I will just make sure the bed is well watered if it gets hot and dry (it's a very open and sunny spot) and maybe mulch the top of the bed too. Then keep my fingers crossed. Wouldn't want to be too hasty to give up as they were not cheap! Thanks again.

[Nicos]

Asparagus eventually have enormous root systems....really enormous.
If your plants are putting their energies into their roots, then I wouldn't be too worried at this stage about the top growth.
I think you need to step back and leave them to it.
You'll not be cropping anything off them this year anyway.
If you need to fuss over them a bit, why not sprinkle some sand and salt over the area ( the stuff you use on the paths when it's icy) water it in and cover them with fleece to add a touch of warmth .

Personally I think the depth is fine.
Mine were that deep and cropped well.

[Deano's "Diggin It"]

Yasmin!

Asparagus is just one of them low maintainance crops that ya "Bang In" n let em get on with it!

Sometimes early! Sometimes late! Weather related really!

Mine have only just started showing face! But it as been a very cold off the cuff Spring!



Yours are in infancy too! Be patient! They will reward you no Dought!

[Yasminh14]

Wanted to say thanks again for your reassurance everyone - and to let you know that today we finally saw the first sprout showing. So hopefully things are starting to move now! Despite being 2-yr-old crowns which the supplier claims you can harvest from in the first year, I'm guessing it's probably best to leave them this year and possibly next year too...?

[SarrissUK]

Suppliers do claim that but I really don't think it's a good idea to harvest from them in their first year, even if they are two or three year old crowns. Mine have been in the ground two years now, and having been three years already, and the showings are terrible so far. I've had two little spears, one of which the chickens took. Unless they perk up immensely, I won't be harvesting from them this year either, but will feed generously