Planting Perennial Vegetables

[ccrecelius]

When is it too late to plant veggies like rhubarb and asparagus? I live in Southern Indiana right on the edge of zone 5 and zone 6. Also, how many asparagus roots should I start with. I would like to order both of these and want to make sure I don't make a big mistake! Thanks for whatever information you might have. Also, if you know if a Mary Washington is better than Jersey Knight or any other type is really good. I need to know.

 

[Reinbeau]

One thing I've learned when buying asparagus roots is don't believe you're getting all male plants. I've got plenty of berries out there on my 'all male' Purple Passion bed

If you can find the roots now, go ahead and plant then, but I think you'll have better luck getting them next spring (although you may be able to find the rhubarb potted up, go ahead and plant it now). Prepare the beds deeply and well, I dug down 18" for the asparagus, layered in well-rotted cow manure and then soil to place the crowns on, and then filled in the trench as they grew with a combo of manure and soil. Good preparation now means the bed will last for years and years. Same thing goes for the rhubarb as far as soil prep goes (without the trench). Dig deeply and amend the soil well.

As for how many, I planted 25 asparagus roots, that's enough for me and my family. I've got two rhubarb plants, also enough, no one likes it but me and my mum. You'll just have to figure out how many 'lovers' you have for each and go from there.

 

[ccrecelius]

OH, thank you sooooo much. I was worried to death I wouldn't get an answer to my question. I don't know any better, so I am just going to order it from a place like Gurneys (I believe that is what it is called). You answered my question perfectly! Thank you ever so much, I am very excited about getting them in the ground. I have wanted to grow these for years. I am just not letting anyone tell me NO any longer!

 

[Tutter]

OH, thank you sooooo much. I was worried to death I wouldn't get an answer to my question. I don't know any better, so I am just going to order it from a place like Gurneys (I believe that is what it is called). You answered my question perfectly! Thank you ever so much, I am very excited about getting them in the ground. I have wanted to grow these for years. I am just not letting anyone tell me NO any longer!

Good for you! :coolsun

You might want to talk to your local nursery first, though. You can see what you are buying, and won't have to pay shipping.

 

[patandchickens]

I dunno as you can even get asparagus roots this time of year, although maybe I'm wrong. Potted rhubarb is certainly available (try locally). It might be better to wait til fall to plant it though -- at which time it won't be in active growth and the weather will be cooler, less sunny and probably a bit less dry. The only reason I can think of for putting it in during summertime is that you expect them all to be gone by September

What you *can* do now is, like Reinbeau says, work on the beds. Since the plants will be there for decades and you'll be harvesting, they need deeply-prepared well-amended soil. That may keep you busy for a while anyhow <g>

Good luck and have fun,

Pat

 

[simple life]

I just ordered 50 asparagus plants last week from
Daisy Farm and they sent me an e-mail that they are shipped and on their way.
They are sold out of alot of stuff, but there are a couple of varieties still available.

http://www.daisyfarms.net/index.html
Hope the link works. Good luck with your gardens.

 

[ccrecelius]

LOL! I am such an impatient person. I had already order from Gurneys! They will not ship until Fall and some of the stuff in the Spring. I do not have a nursery near me. But after that last post about Daisy Farms, I ordered from them too! I know, I am nuts. I am starting on the bed tomorrow! It will just be a lot bigger than I had originally planned. Thanks to all of you for all of the information!

I made strawberry-rhubarb jam for the first time this summer. It was wonderful. I ended up having to buy the rhubarb at the grocery store. I cannot imagine how much better it will taste with home-grown rhubarb. We had rhubarb by the lilac bushes growing up, my brothers and I would just pick it and eat it while we were outside playing. I don't imagine I have the stomach for it now though!

Thanks a bunch!

 

[simple life]

AND OFF YOU GO!!

 

[blurose]

Its sure a good thing I heartily dislike asparagus, because it sounds like just too much WORK.

 

[ccrecelius]

LOL! I tilled up the bed for both of the aspargus and the rhubarb. Please tell me if this is a good idea. I am planning on removing all of the dirt (my tiller only goes down about 8 inches) and then tilling again. Removing part of the dirt. Make my trenches and go from there. Good idea or bad?