Asparagus

I followed the advice I could find and last year created a deep dedicated Asparagus bed ... and planted 3 varieties of crowns. (Marshalls 3 var pack)
As per advice took no crop last year let then grow until they died back then cut back to ground level.

Growing well this year ... now I know the advice is only take a 'light crop' in 2nd year.
So what does that mean in practise .... do I cut some as soon as they are about 6" above ground ... do I leave some on a plant grow well above that before I harvest others off that plant.?

What about ones I don't harvest do I leave them just grow ? do I cut tips off ?

I ask as some 'spears' are approaching 24" long .. other spears just coming through.

 

Hi

Do you only have 3 plants ? as you wont be able to crop them that much. (a taste off)

If say , you have 5 shoots popping through the soil and they are only in the 2nd year , I would only cut two out and leave the other three so the plant can build itself up for next year , the ones that have already sprouted and quite large leave alone its to late to cut them to eat and dont trim out the top just leave alone , the new shoots coming through if thick enough to eat cut at 6/8 inch .

Hope this helps if not just ask ....

Spruce

 

I've always been put off growing "dargon tails" (asparagus) because I've read and heard so many reports that its very difficult to look after. Is this not so?

 

Its the prep of the bed that you have to get right but saying that once planted you can crop them for 10 years plus if mulched every year with a quality mulch ie Horse manure very well rotted so you really have to plan it out where they will be growing , full sun well drained but moisture retentive soil , I have grown the odd one or two in a flower border and the foliage make quite a nice contrast to the rest of the flowering perennials.

Spruce

 

Anyone happen to have a pic of it growing please? Its easy enough to find pics of recognisable asparagus spears growing, but I'd be interested to see what it looks like when its left to develop foliage. I can give it full sun, and prepare it a nice rich bed, in the front garden. Trouble is the front is exposed to all and sundry so I don't want to growing anything that looks like its worth nicking. If I can blend it in with a nice ornamental arrangement then most people will just leave it be.

 

Grown among something like nigella, and some early annuals like perhaps English marigolds, I bet the average passer-by would never even consider that it was a food crop growing.

 

Go for it, Clueless! It really isn't as difficult to grow as it's made out to be. If the soil's heavy, dig in plenty of WRFYM and sharp sand, plant the crowns spread out over a slight mound or ridge of earth in a wide trench, then back-fill. It's a long-term crop...just gets better and better. And English green asparagus is much, much nicer than the horrible, big, bitter, white continental stuff!

 

We cropped ours for just a few weeks in Year 2 - rather than a couple of months, as we do now its established. The less you take the more the plants will establish ... so apart from having a taster-tester-meal you might want to just leave them be until next year ?