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Asparagus

pclark42pclark42 Posts: 186
in Fruit & veg
Last year I planted 12 Asparagus crowns, I think in March. Nothing happened for a long time, and I had to keep reminding myself where I had them, just incase I started digging, however during the early Summer abour 4 of them started to show as small ferns and eventually 10 of them were up, I accidently cut one off whilst using a weeding tool, and from then on I avaoided too much weeding in and around them. So I have 2 questions firstly a couple of the ferns are now nearly a metre tall and have flopped over, should I prune them back? and secondly if I did would that still be OK to grow next season.

Posts

  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    Yes cut them back at ground level, then mulch. 


    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • pclark42pclark42 Posts: 186
    Thank you Dovefromabove, I tried to find the answer everywhere and there was nobody telling me to cut down those long 1st year shoots, the Monty Don video is great, the only thing that worries me is the weeds, I planted the Asparagus in a plot I had 'made' by basically turning over some bare ground with grass on the surface, I took the grass off like a piece of turf, leaving what looked like lovely fertile soil below, but as the Months went by a million weeds appeared, all I can do is get on my knees and pick the blighters out as they pop up, I was a bit set back last spring/Summer due to my eye operation, but I am now ready to wreak havoc on weeds.
  • psandersworkpsanderswork Posts: 1
    Could anyone advise on this?  I planted 10 asparagus crowns this March and they are generally doing what they should. However, two of the plants have 1-2 beautiful spears alongside the yellowing ferns. Should I: a) leave them to presumably die back, or b) cut them off and eat them?  I’m in Sussex. 
  • KeenOnGreenKeenOnGreen Posts: 1,831
    We planted our Asparagus crowns in the Spring.  We waited until the ferns/foliage died down to a yellow colour, and then we cut these down.  We then mulched the raised bed that they are in with well rotted horse manure.  We didn't get any spears, but if it were me I would leave those to die down, so that any goodness goes into the roots.  We won't eat many (if any) of the spears next year, so to crop some of yours spears in the first year of planting is probably best avoided.
  • Nanny BeachNanny Beach Posts: 8,719
     you should leave them 3 years before cutting the spears to eat,, Mine now get to nearly 3 mt tall, they dont ever go yellow, we just have to make a decision in autumn to cut them back, I warn you as they grow they take up an awful lot of room
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