On 2007-01-07, DonS wrote:
I want to try asparagus this year. L.A. Jackson in the N&O says to go ahead
and plant this month. Any tricks/tips to consider to produce a good yield
this year and going forward?

Thanx.

With this heavy soil I raised my bed about 6 inches above the rest of
the garden. If you google you will get varying advice. ONe ag school
had run some tests and the stuff is very tolerant which is why I suppose
there were so many methods. Mine are only 6-8 inches deep but I put
new compost on the top so it is growing. They carefully placed the
roots on one batch and just threw the other crowns in the trench and
covered them. There was no difference in quantity or quality.

They claim it is best to get a variety that does not produce
germinating seeds. I think mine were a hybrid Jersey something or other
and I think from Burpee. You probably should have prepared the bed
earlier considering all the rain. If you go raised bed you may want to
mix garden soil and some of the commercial bags of "topsoil" to keep it
from compacting. Additional organic matter is good - if well composted.

Do not harvest this year, let all the plant energy go into the roots.
You will need a fence of somekind around it. I used rope at 3 levels
with the top one about 4-5 feet off the ground. I had to occassionally
pull the canes inside the ropes after havesting season, but it makes for
a neater row. My row is about 25 feet. If you have a large family you
may want to consider 50 feet of row. My bed is about 3 feet wide.
Enough to have initially tilled it with my troybilt. I wish I had made
it 4 feet. You will need a working space between the rows of 2-3 feet
maybe even 4 feet because the canes overhang a lot.

I hope this helps.

--
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