Asparagus

[Tutter]

Yes, the prep work is well worth it in the end!

Reinbeau, I have heard some people say that the 4th year is it for them, too. I wonder if that has to do with area?

 

[simple life]

I know what you mean about the soil, its tough around here.
For every hole I dig I get two buckets of rocks.
Every time we plant anything we take the tree, shrub, whatever out of the container and then use the container to hold all the rocks we dig up during the hole digging process.Usually you end up needing two buckets anyway.
Last year I noticed a rock coming up out of the ground and I didn't want anyone to trip over it. I went to dig it out, went down further and further and it turns out to be another boulder. We had to use a saw to cut the top of it off and then just cover it back up with dirt, at least so no one would trip.
How they ever farmed here is beyond me.
This is one of the biggest reasons I did the raised beds for the vegetable gardens.
It ought to be fun digging 50 feet of trench for the asparagus. My husband and oldest son love asparagus so hopefully they will have some incentive.
Thanks for the tip on the soil.I will make sure to prepare it correctly.

 

[Reinbeau]

Reinbeau, I have heard some people say that the 4th year is it for them, too. I wonder if that has to do with area?

Tutter, I don't know if it's the area or not, but I'm hoping!

Natalie, my bed is 25' long. I started to dig the thing myself in this horrible, rocky ground. I got about 9 feet done myself. It took me over three hours with a pickaxe and shovel, and I literally couldn't move my hands for three days afterwards. I was in tears when my youngest son came home. I begged him to help me. He did the last 16 feet in about half an hour. No word of a lie. Youth and muscles will win out every time!

 

[simple life]

Oh man, I know what you mean. The other day my husband and I were both out doing stuff in the yard and I asked him to widen a bed for me.
He said he had too much to do at that time and I could start it and he would help later.
I said you know what takes me 3 hours to do takes you like 10 minutes.
Sure enough he wanders over later and says you are still working on that?!

 

[freshfood]

Oh man, I know what you mean. The other day my husband and I were both out doing stuff in the yard and I asked him to widen a bed for me.
He said he had too much to do at that time and I could start it and he would help later.
I said you know what takes me 3 hours to do takes you like 10 minutes.
Sure enough he wanders over later and says you are still working on that?!

Yep, sounds familiar - here in upstate NY, our biggest crop is rocks. Our vegetable garden has been in place for nearly 20 years, and we still spend two days spring and fall picking rocks. Thank God we till the thing with the tractor! Weeding by hand is quite enough!

BTW, we just tilled a new bed for my permanent stuff: this fall I will put in rhubarb and garlic, in the spring the asparagas will go in, along with maybe some berries, haven't decided yet.

 

[freshfood]

Soil preparation is important. I dug a trench 15" deep and 18" wide and layered in well composted manure with a layer of soil on top, set the crowns, then filled in the trench over the season as they came up. Backbreaking work around here! This is the third year and the harvest is just starting to get good. Next year should be the year!

I've also read that asparagas needs to be side - dressed every year. Is that so? Anyone know?

 

[simple life]

The rocks are so annoying, I pay my kids by the bucket for collecting all the rocks that rise up through the lawn.
Those suckers hurt when you have bare feet, but its impossible to keep up with them.

I think I heard that with the asparagus as well. I usually side dress all of my permanent residents anyway.
You will be so happy with the new bed, its always nice to have something permanent.
There has been alot of discussion about garlic this week, so if you are looking for info I think its on two different threads.

 

[Reinbeau]

Soil preparation is important. I dug a trench 15" deep and 18" wide and layered in well composted manure with a layer of soil on top, set the crowns, then filled in the trench over the season as they came up. Backbreaking work around here! This is the third year and the harvest is just starting to get good. Next year should be the year!

I've also read that asparagas needs to be side - dressed every year. Is that so? Anyone know?

I give it a good layer of manure every fall, and I feed it with Espoma Bulbtone every spring. As long a you keep the soil healthy and fertile you'll geta good harvest.

 

[bills]

It ought to be fun digging 50 feet of trench for the asparagus. .

Backhoe!

I started several asparagus from seed this year to fill in some areas of the bed that was barren. They actually are doing quite well. I started them in the greenhouse early this spring, and planted them in the bed a few weeks ago. They all start off as tiny ferns.

Even with a mature bed of asparagus, any thin spears that appear, I let go to fern, rather than harvesting them. I only cut the bigger spears. Apparently this helps the plant in gathering nitrogen from the air, and gives it's roots a boost for the following year. Seems to work as I get a good harvest, and some very large spears.

During the dormant season, I top dress the bed with good compost, and sea soil. http://www.seasoil.com/

They are heavy feeders.

 

[Broke Down Ranch]

I have a good-sized area dug that I had planned to use for asparagus. How do you all think it would do in our Texas heat? The area I originally picked out gets full sun :| But I'm liking the idea of placing it here and there in flower beds....