This Forum will close on Wednesday 27 March, 2024. Please refer to the announcement on the Discussions page for further detail.
Asparagus - will it grow?
mwright0702
Posts: 5
in Fruit & veg
Hi. Any help welcome, here.
Took over a small additional allotment plot late last year. Some asparagus was growing in a side bed but had already started to go to seed. I took advice and left it, also as I didn't know if it had only been in for a year or so.
Looking forward to some fresh asparagus this year, but so far - absolutely no sign of any movement or anything breaking the surface.
Any clues if I'm likely to ever see it again?
0
Posts
Its a perennial so it should come up again. I think we are just about at the start of the season, so keep an eye on it. The first "grass" in the shops is usually forced under cover. Time to make sure it is weed free and give it a top dressing of compost mixed with a little fertiliser.
Where abouts are you? The asparagus growers in Norfolk aren't harvesting from the fields yet, only the stuff in the polytunnels. I wouldn't start worrying yet unless you're somewhere very mild.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Ah, just seen you're in Cheshire. Plenty of time for yours to appear - when it wakes up it grows very quickly.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
I am starting to plant in a raised bed. How far apart and depth should I plan them?
I inherited some on my plot a couple of years ago - at the end of the season, prune it back to so many inches (can't remember the height now) give it some well rotted manure and a covering of mulch or straw for the winter - but that's a long way off obviously - the thing to look for when it's growing is the ruddy fly / or bug that mates all over it (and eats it) - first glance, you see nothing then when you peer closely, there's half a dozen - pick them off and squeeze them
Mine has only just appeared so you may see some soon.
Thanks, everyone. First shoot emerged and looking healthy. Advice much appreciated. Cheers
Enjoy! Hope Cheshire is warmer than Norfolk today ...... we've got snow showers .... that'll slow the asparagus crop down
Say high to Sandbach for us ... OH's family come from up that way.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
My Asparagus plants, planted about two years ago, are sending up thin shoots only. Are these male, I wonder? Can I expect nice thick shoots later on? I seem to remember hearing Bob Flowerdue advising listeners to only buy male plants. Mine were a gift so know little about them. The whole subject of growing asparagus seems anything but straight forward. How I would love some delicious thick shoots to cut and enjoy.
I harvested a small bunch this week. 12 crowns planted 3 years ago and only 5 survived. Is it too late to plant several more, or should I wait till autumn?