asparagus crown storage

[bikermike]

I have just received my asparagus crowns in the post. the box is festooned with "open immediately" and the like.

It's hosing it down here, I've got other stuff to do etc.
how long have I got to plant them, and what is the best way to store them?
currently still wrapped in my unheated garage (nb attached to house and thus frost-proof)

thanks
Mike

[geepee]

I have just received my asparagus crowns in the post. the box is festooned with "open immediately" and the like.

It's hosing it down here, I've got other stuff to do etc.
how long have I got to plant them, and what is the best way to store them?
currently still wrapped in my unheated garage (nb attached to house and thus frost-proof)

thanks
Mike

I am not an expert by any means but if its any help, I bought some crowns from the local GC back in Jan/Feb 2017.
Put them in the seed drawer an Unintentionally forgot all about them until I discovered them , whilst searching for something completely different, as usually happens to me these days.

despite appearing to be 'Bone dry' and looking a bit like Tumbleweed, they had managed to produce new shoots/spears.
So on the basis of nothing ventured etc I planted them into a tough approx 50 cm deep, all I'd got available at the time. Mid to late April.
They flourished and grew ferns 4/5 feet tall and as green and healthy as you could wish.
I will see if I can find some pics.
Asparagus likes free draining soil(backed up by how dried out mine were) Wont tolerate weed competition and dont like their roots impeded, good idea to form a Ridge / mound in the centre of your planting trench so the crowns sit on the ridge with roots dangling down each side (like sitting astride a bike) when you plant them out.
I soaked mine in water for a couple of hours before planting. Chopped the fern back around christmas when natural die back started. Covered with a good Mulch of FYM and some new multi P comp,
They have just started to heave the top layer so i think Ill cover them with another layer of MP to protect any new growth from the possible cold/snow this weekend.
Old hands have told me in the past to liberally sprinkle the bed with Salt just prior to emergence to suppress weed growth during the harvest period, dont know if it works.
Good luck with it.
Gp

The ones on the RH side of photo are GC bought .The LH ones grown from seed myself in January /Feb 2017

[It never rains..it pours]

Sorry have always planted when arrived so cant advise on storage. But do know they need good draining soil or raised ground/bed, as lost some on a wet spot. This time have made a mound, looks like I have buried someone with good soil. Also put alot of manure under the mound in a trench, along with adding some lime as they dont like acid soil and some BFB fertilizer. Lot work but hopefully only do one year in fifteen

[bikermike]

yes, one of the reasons for holding off is the sogginess of the soil.

I have several bags of sand to add, and it's the free-est draining part of the plot. I will erect barriers and evict raspberry squatters this weekend, and may even plant

I know as a good allotmenteer, you would never bury a body in good soil - that's a waste, bury the body in poor soil as nutrient for next year...

p.s. - thanks to GeePee - forgot to acknowledge at the time and the thread sidled down the board...

[It never rains..it pours]

Thanks, next time will bury in poor soil

For what its worth, I found sharp sand best on the clay soil here vs builders sand

[bikermike]

"next time"?
*makes mental note not to offend anyone on the island this summer*

[bobbin]

I started asparagus crowns off in 2016.. They arrived at the beginning of a week I had planned to be in Newcastle. (accent refresher course) I'm afraid though they remained packed up some deteriorated due to drying out. Despite soaking and carefull planting one or two gave a poor performance. A couple died. Plant immediately is obviously best but not always feasible for many reasons. Just do your best and don't beat yourself up if you lose a few.

[bikermike]

well, I put them in this weekend. They were very dry, so I dunked them in a bucket of water before putting in. they were very small too... but with very long roots. 2 or 3 had white sprouts on them, so I assume they will be almost certainly alive.

they are at the bottom of a spades' depth trench resting on a bed of sand under sand/compost, and with more sand/compost on top with a bit of the nicer soil from the digging on top of that. Fingers crossed...

[It never rains..it pours]

"next time"?
*makes mental note not to offend anyone on the island this summer*

If ever stuck in an wet weather time here, and think we can be of use, feel free to ping me on here. Otherwise please be careful on roads here at TT

Hope asparagus come good