new asparagus bed

My asparagus bed is about 20 years old, and most of the ones that come up are spindly. However, beyond the edges of the bed nice thick ones are coming up so the plants itself are healthy, it is the soil that's tired. We also get quite a lot of asparagus beetles, though that in itself is not too bad, there are many more healthy spears than bent ones.
I intend to start a new bed this autumn, and wonder whether to use some of the old plants, or to buy new ones. What should I do?

 

Thanks. And do I have to start the new bed in the autumn, or can I start it now, by digging in compost? And as to binning - can't I throw the old ones on the compost heap?

 

out with the old and in with the new as in plants and plot , lots of new varieties on the market "male clones" being the ideal choice .

If me I would harvest what you can and then remove the plants ASAP and the beetles have nothing to live on which will help next year.

Wish I had the space to have a bed

Spruce

 

Good idea.

- I'll put my husband to work immediately!
xA

 

I used old (6 year) crowns dug up to begin my bed and wish I had bought new. They are cheap and I think will very soon outperform your old ones that are played out. Also start some from seed right now will also work.

When you dig up your old bed it will be a huge chore in dense soil because it will be solid asparagus roots and crowns. That is why it is spent - the crowns are strangling each other,

 

Also - if you have room you can thin the bed and it will get producing again - just dig out 90% of the crowns and you will get it producing in a couple years - and then put a bed of the modern ones elsewhere. I just think the modern verities will be better. The asparagus can last indefinitely if you give it a radical thinning now after 20 years, or a moderate thinning every 6.

 

The trouble is you can't buy crowns now, you have to wait till March and I'm impatient! The ones at the edge and in the path look fine, so why couldn't I dig those up and start them fresh somewhere else? I'm happy with the variety, whatever it was.
Interesting that it is overcrowding, rather than exhausted soil, which is the trouble. Makes sense.

 

Hi

You can still buy crowns until the end of May , have a google you will be surprised , they lift them early then keep in refrigeration , but you do need to prepare the bed in advance .

 

You'll till be able to get crowns from supplier who keep them chilled.
e.g.
http://www.asparagus-in-kent.co.uk/grow-your-own-asparagus

Of you could sow seed now, and you will have plants ready to plant out next Spring. I paid 50p for my packet of seed, in the sale, and I have about 50 plants now ... crowns are £1.50 each. Make sure you get an F1 Male Only seed variety.

 

You're absolutely right. Luckily my husband is a very kind man .......

 

I too started a few asparagus plants off, this season and as its the first I was told to not cut the asparagus, allow it to flower. Currently I have spindly asparagus stems of approx 2 1/2 feet - no sign of flower shall I let them keep going?

 

depending which variety you have they dont all flower the new ones are all male clones , and yes just leave alone as they are the stems that will build up the roots for next year

 

Yes, leave them alone! This is how they grow. They will get very very tall, about 4-5 feet. Then they will flower. Don't cut them down at all, till they die off of their own accord. My old asparagus would form a thick high bush, and when we had kittens they'd love to climb them and chase each other in the tops. Our cats always use them to hide in the shadow. One autumn, when we had just finally cut them, a cat came to my husband and made it very clear that he wanted him to put the tops back on.