I'm wanting to plant some asparagus next spring. How long can I expect to wait before the first harvest? 2 years? More than that? I will have time to garden next summer.
asparagus bed
Anna_Z, I too am planning on putting in an asparagus bed next spring. I have researched as much information as possible on the subject and according to the information I have read it is at least two years from the time you plant crowns. I thought about seed as well but that takes even longer, It is recommended that seed be planted in a peat pot and transplanted, however you may be looking at four or more years before you can harvest even a minimal crop. I tried raising asparagus in one of my raised bed several years ago and had no success to speak of.
The idea I found most intreaging was digging up asparagus from either an abandoned or wild asparagus patch, or finding someone with a well established patch and digging starter plants. The method recommeded from removal was to locate a dense patch about two feet square and dig a trench completely around the outside of the patch. You will need to dig down at least a foot before working the roots loose with a mal (long crowbar). The part of loosening the roots is what takes time but according to the article I read you can get several hundred starter plants which once transplanted to the garden would be harvestable in one year.
I would presume that most wild asparagus is actually the Mary Washington variety, but I don't know that for sure. I have found someone with an established wild patch which looks like Mary Washington who will allow me to remove what I need for starters. I would be interested in hearing if anyone in DG has tried this method with success.
morgan
Interesting.............
Good info, Morgan. And yes, older plantings (think old farmhouses, etc) are most likely going to be Mary Washington. Some of the newer varieties could be the all-male types which are said to produce more abundantly but I prefer an antique like M. Washington, guess I'm old-fashioned in that respect! I'd prefer to see both male/female plants.
If you can find an older patch now would be a good time to check it out and mark the plants. Those with red berries will be the females should you choose to want some of those to go w/the males.
Anna (howdy, stranger!), you could get a small picking in year two if you plant at least 2-year old crowns. You can find those commercially and they are much larger than one-year olds. Shumway's used to sell in bulk so you may want to start there. (I got 500 one year and had friends/neighbors go in with me, splitting the cost. There is now more asparagus in our county than Jimma Carter has peanuts!)
Hope this helps!
Shoe (who wonders if Anna is getting rid of cows or something, freeing up time for gardening...)
And...most importantly, if you want to get the bed established quickly, with abundant harvests... prepare well, fertilize well, and keep it weed- and pest-free. It's amazing the difference a little work to prepare a rich planting bed will make. Yearly applications of fertilizer and light mulching will go a long ways to having a healthy, productive bed of asparagus. I started harvesting the second year after planting crowns (think one-year crowns). They didn't grow much the first year, but sure took off the second year. Now, that bed is thick and healthy.
Do you ever use salt in the bed for weed control. I've heard it does a great job without killing the asparagus.
I once read that if you want the highest yields you should only get male asparagus. Apparently over time the females of the older varieties produce seeds that germinate and the patch will become too dense to let sunlight in.
Good grief.......sexed asparagus..........LOL How do I tell? Or can only the asparagus tell for sure????? Bwahahahaha.........
Hheheh, you have to put your ear to the fronds, Anna, and listen to the sweet nothings whispering in the wind.... ;>)
Shoe
Oh yeh, as for salt, I wouldn't put salt in any garden, too detrimental to the life there. For weed and bug control I'd recommend burning the bed in late winter, the only crop and only time I recommend burning a garden.
Nity nite!
Anna Z: I got my soil tested when I first moved here - it was border-line on being too high in salt. I can't use manure in my yard because of the risk of increasing the salt. Not only do I NOT use salt for weed control - I can vouch for the fact some weeds are salt tolerant.
Anyone have suggestions on asparagus varities and growing tips for asparagus in transition zone 8a/8b?