Asparagus 2018

[Muddy_Boots]

Will I need to fleece them in the predicted forthcoming cold snap?

The simple answer is no you will not need to fleece them as they are very hardy, even if they have just been planted like my new third row. The only way to kill it is either to plant it in boggy or ground liable to flood during the heavy rain periods or by letting the roots dry out before you plants the crowns in the first place. Good luck with yours.

[Small pumpkin]

Both of my crowns have their first spears . I was sure one had died.

[WeeGarden]

I planted 10 crowns in a raised bed when I first did the small kitchen garden area at home last year. 7 survived my neglect. When I went to tidy the bed earlier this spring, found that it had turned into a huge cat litter tray  I think only three have survived as no others are poking through

[mrbadexample]

The simple answer is no you will not need to fleece them as they are very hardy, even if they have just been planted like my new third row. The only way to kill it is either to plant it in boggy or ground liable to flood during the heavy rain periods or by letting the roots dry out before you plants the crowns in the first place. Good luck with yours.

Thanks. I've filled the bottom of the trench with compost, added a layer of potting grit to improve drainage, then the raised ridge of soil, covered the roots with soil and left the tips of the crowns just poking through.

It's now chucking it down again so I guess I'll find out if it's draining ok.

[muck lover]

Hello Muck Lover. Have just had asparagus plants delivered - all we have in our tunnel at the moment apart from seeds are strawberries which are in flower - would it be worth planting the asparagus as lookiking at your post that's where yours are! We will be planting tomatoes as soon as they are ready so just wondering what you think - many thanks!

I dont know how to advise you issy. My original idea was to grow asparagus in the polytunnel raised beds for an early and hopefully large crop. Here in Northern Ireland asparagus isn’t very widely grown. Not sure why. This is the first year I’m taking a harvest but it’s the third year the asparagus has been growing there. I buy huge quantities of asparagus all year and it is expensive. Also it’s from Peru or Kenya and just couldn’t be fresh. But space in the polytunnel is really precious and I’m agonising about whether or not it’s worth it. I could grow a lot of tomatoes in that space which would be frozen and used for soups and pasta sauce all year.
What I might do is see if I can start up an asparagus bed outside and if it works I will hoik out the plants from polytunnel. I’ll never ever be self sufficient in asparagus. I do intercrop it in the polytunnel with autumn planted garlic which gets lifted about June just when the asparagus fern starts getting tall. So that’s quite efficient.
So the jury is still out for me as to whether I’ll keep growing asparagus in the polytunnel.

[penny]

Hi I have grown asparagus outside, in heavy clay North Derbyshire soil for at least thirty years, it is tougher than you think. I do put home made compost on the bed every year, we have beetles to pick off every year otherwise not much trouble.

[geepee]

I dont know how to advise you issy. My original idea was to grow asparagus in the polytunnel raised beds for an early and hopefully large crop. Here in Northern Ireland asparagus isn’t very widely grown. Not sure why. This is the first year I’m taking a harvest but it’s the third year the asparagus has been growing there. I buy huge quantities of asparagus all year and it is expensive. Also it’s from Peru or Kenya and just couldn’t be fresh. But space in the polytunnel is really precious and I’m agonising about whether or not it’s worth it. I could grow a lot of tomatoes in that space which would be frozen and used for soups and pasta sauce all year.
What I might do is see if I can start up an asparagus bed outside and if it works I will hoik out the plants from polytunnel. I’ll never ever be self sufficient in asparagus. I do intercrop it in the polytunnel with autumn planted garlic which gets lifted about June just when the asparagus fern starts getting tall. So that’s quite efficient.
So the jury is still out for me as to whether I’ll keep growing asparagus in the polytunnel.

Hi Ml

I hear exactly where your coming from...Poly tunnel/ greenhouse space is always, usually limited to say the least. how many of us have erected tunnels/ Gh's and then regretted not putting up a bigger one, especially if space and budget allows.
I venture to say that I think your Asparagus will be fine in outside bed, if you have space, go for it ....as you know it is a fairly low maintenace crop although land hungry ..!!

If nothing else, you could utilise the tunnel space for the good old Irish favourite veg....Cabbage....as long as you can prevent overheating, and it will give protection from the dreaded cabbage whites etc

[Issy]

Thanks muck lover. I have ear marked a piece of garden for the asparagus - husband has rotovated it as we removed all the raspberries so now have a good area to do exactly what I like (yes makes a change!) last year was the first year for our poly tunnel and tomatoes and cucumber did well - also carrots- I have planted strawberries last Autumn and they are flowering - supposed to be the same as those eaten at Wimbledon - apparently they grow as big as apples but depends on the taste of course !

[muck lover]

I do grow carrots on the polytunnel which sounds ridiculous but i cant seem to grow them outdoors. I sneak in a small row here and there and they mostly seem to escape carrot fly.
Over winter i had kale psb and garlic.
All my strawberries are grown in polytunnel.
I grew a couple of dahlias in pt for cutting but although they grew like triffids the stems were quite slender and i eventually decided they werent worth the space.
I think i could happily fill another four polytunnels and still not grow everything i want.

[Jonny.D]

Third lot that I've harvested

[geepee]

Third lot that I've harvested

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Look Delicious.....how old are your Crowns ..???
Gp

[polly_ni]

Hi muck lover
Whereabouts are you? I grow (not very much) asparagus outside in Belfast. It's been quite happy for a few years now and I plan to put in more crowns next year. I split one this year, but it doesn't seem too impressed. I think I was a bit over-optimistic and it would probably be better to start some completely new ones.
The one I didn't split is doing well, but a long way off making a meal or even a respectable starter.

[Jonny.D]

Look Delicious.....how old are your Crowns ..???
Gp

3rd & 4th year in 2 different beds

[bario1]

Picked my first ever spears today. They wouldn’t win any prizes, but they tasted amazing!

[Baldy]

Think all but one plant has given up. Probably need to do a new bed when I get time...