Okay. My veggie garden is in and going, and my main plan for the summer is to get things situated and soil amended and raised beds built so, come time for a fall garden, I can do it right and start producing seriously. This will be my 3rd summer at this house and I'm finally figuring things out! Part of the plan is to garden year-round.
So... it's hot and humid here, temps and humidity both in the 90s for most of the summer. Except for this little tiny cool spell we're in right now, it's already summer and may be summer until Halloween. Summer lasts between five and eight months. I think you have the picture now.
So. I truly would like to tackle asparagus, but I don't want to waste the time, etc., if it's a lost cause from the start. I know it will take years before I'm harvesting, and that's fine. Is there a variety that can survive here? Preferably thrive? And anything else I need to know, please feel free to advise! The plan is that I will have 12 raised beds, each 2x6. The asparagus potentially will go in the bed in the corner of the garden, by the fence, and likely will get a good shot of full sun but plenty of afternoon shade from the surrounding plants. The long side of the bed will be against a north (slightly NNW) fence, with a fence to the west as well.
Thanks, y'all!
is there a gulf coast asparagus?
I have actually grown asparagus in Texas - Jackson county to be exact. That was a few years back and I planted from seed. I think - and I'm really pushing it here - that it was Martha Washington (does that sound right?). I planted in the fall, side dressed the plants when they came up w/composted cow manure as recommended and actually had some thin spears that spring. The seed was Lone Star which was sold in the nursery in Pt Lavaca. True, they said on the seed packet to not eat the produce the first year but we did - not all of it so that it would reproduce. The second year we got some delicious asperagus.
Ann
I found one topic but it seemed mostly recipes (?)
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/821080/
Apparently there is an asparagus patch at Texas A&M in Bryan/CS. No idea what variety though. Maybe UC157?
When I lived at home in San Antonio, our next door neighbor grew asparagus. I think it's still growing to this day as I see it when I go visit my dad.
Thanks for the link! I THOUGHT I'd seen something on asparagus not too long ago. I may give it a shot. I can start preparing the bed now, then get seeds and plant them in... October? Hmmm... so... in 2012, I can have some asparagus? Great! That's a lot sooner than 2013!
A friends' Dad grew it in Pasadena, TX. He sunk a bathtub and used proper soil. It did well but there are southern varieties that will do better than others.
Your plants will produce far more quickly from crowns rather than seeds. Edible spears in 2-3 years. Let me search for the article I just read. It was about growing in LA. I think I left the magazine at work.
I love asparagus and hope you will try it. Then, you can advise us what will/won't work.
Yeah I'd buy crowns and plant in the fall (2008). Then let them fern out next year (2009), then harvest just a few spears the following year (2010). Then harvest for 3-4 weeks in 2011.
Sounds like a plan to me. I'm sure I can find a place to order the crowns. Plant in September, then?
I do have a couple of location options. How many hours of full brutal sun would be good? Because I'm thinking the back corner, but I have a front corner that would work as well. I want this permanent.