Help !! Have I killed my asparagus bed

Hi I'm hoping that you will be able to tell me that I haven't killed off everything in the bed.

Last year at about aug-sep time I created a new raised bed and put in a mix of manure, top soil and sand. Then I followed the directions for digging trenches and having a heap of soil in the middle with sand either side before planting the three year old crowns in it. after a little bit I had a number of thin little asparagus shoots coming up which I left alone as I didn't think I was meant to pick the first lot. (Can't remember why I assumed it was to do with not weakening the plant.)

Over winter I have left the bed alone other than brushing off the falling leaves but now there is nothing just bare soil and no shoots? Are they all dead or is there not meant to be anything showing yet and I'm having a panic for nothing?

Any help would be greatly received.

 

It's still a bit early for your asparagus to start showing growth Jen. Give it another month or six weeks before you start worrying.
Don't harvest more than a couple of spears from each plant this year. Next year you should be ok for a full harvest.
If you planted in a trench you should ideally have gradually earthed up the crowns until the trench was full.

Anyway, once you've got the bed established you'll be able to look forward to cropping your asparagus for many years to come

 

I would say Dont Panic. I looked at the local asparagus field and it is not through yet. If in doubt have a gentle look but usualy it suddenly galvanizes itself into action and then in the space of one day can appear very active. Asparagus is a fairly tough plant once established.

[ 22. February 2007, 04:21 PM: Message edited by: oldwinegum ]

 

Great!! so I should take the fact I had some shoots before winter as a good sign that they took? But wait a bit longer before worrying that they have died this year.

Thanks for setting my mind at ease.

Should I be putting anything on the bed to help the growth ie. more manure or some kind of chemical fertilizer or just leave well alone?

 

There's a nice simple guide to asparagus here Jen-

http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/extension/easygardening/asparagus/asparagus.html

 

That's a really good link, Dave- have read, marked and inwardly digested! :D

 

I too have bookmarked it - a very helpful link thanks Dave

 

that's a really great link thank you. :D

 

Hi All,Just a quick update

It's Alive!!!

I went down to the asparagus bed at lunch to do a bit of weeding and see if I could spot any shoots coming through.

There are at least 22 of the original 25 crowns already producing 1-2 shoots each. yum yum.

You were right about them suddenly appearing as there was nothing last week.

I'll just have to try to be good now and not harvest them all before they are compleatly ready.

 

Some years ago I grew asparagus from seed. Despite popular advice about buying 2-3 year old crowns. Quite successful for a few years then they just died a death on me. Never knew why.