Asparagus growing/harvesting

I started an asparagus bed last year with about 30 2-year-old roots, and expanded it this year, adding 25 more 2-year old roots. Last year I left everything to grow and feed the roots, and will do the same this year. Down here in Savannah many of the fronds stayed green even through a frost or two, so I cut everything down about 1 inch above the ground between Thanksgiving and Christmas.

My question is about harvesting. After the bed is properly established (maybe next year for the first planting?) how do I harvest without taking too many stalks and weakening the roots? I've read things like "harvest sparingly" which leaves me as befuddled as before. Can I take most of the stalks in the spring and then let the later summer stalks feed the roots? I've never been able to find a clear answer on this, and I'm hoping someone here can explain it to me in words of one syllable so even I can understand! I'd hate to do those roots any damage, but my husband and I are drooling waiting for the time we can harvest!

My asparagus bed is pretty similar to yours, I put in about 30 roots in the Fall/Winter of 2006. This spring I ate a bunch of asparagus for about 2 weeks and have just been letting it grow since then.

The rule I used was to take any sprouts that were bigger than a pencil. After the two weeks, the sprouts started to get noticeably smaller so I stopped harvesting. Just today I noticed several sprouts that are the diameter of a quarter or so which I could probably eat but I went ahead and left those too.

Some things I've read say that the harvesting is good because it spurs additional growth when you cut the growing point (much like pruning the top off a plant to make it bush out). But you don't want to cut so much off that you sap the plant's growth.

So it's a bit of a balancing act and keep in mind that most advice on growing Asparagus is probably written by someone from the north that can only envy the long growing season you have in Savannah.

Jeff

Jeff,

Thanks so much for your reply! Seeing as you're so close in climate to me your guidance is doubly helpful. Another question I have is about the "girl" plants that produce the seeds. I've heard I should remove them (eek!) because they're not as productive as the "boy" plants that don't produce seed. I seem to have about a 50/50 mix of girls and boys, so I'd hate to rip out the girls... What do you do with your flowering/fruiting roots? And thanks again. Your response is MUCH appreciated!

Marion in Savannah

I didn't really have that many females that produced berries that I noticed. I think the roots I bought were supposed to be all or mostly male. Having said that though, I'm the kind of person that will plant anything so if I do get some berries this year, I'll probably gather them and try to germinate them :)

Jeff

Jeff, I'm the girl who was trying to figure out when those asparagus seeds were ripe! I may wind up letting the seeds fall on the bed and sprout (assuming the ravenous birds don't get them...you'd think with all those bird feeders...) and then over time try to figure out which roots are most productive. Hmmm... some of those seeds may fall on the lawn... Would I rather have lawn or asparagus? NO question at all. Thanks for replying!