On 08/05/2012 08:55, Jonathan wrote:
On May 8, 6:55 am, "David WE wrote:
"David in wrote in . orange.fr...









On 07/05/2012 17:31, David WE Roberts wrote:
Just to note that a couple of days ago we discovered some asparagus on
the allotment.

Now we have to investigate and see if we can find all the crowns amongst
the grass and weeds.

We have no idea how many years it has been there, but we cut the first
spears anyway :-)
Very, very tasty.

Now wondering if it is worth filling in any gaps in the bed once we have
established exactly how far it extends.
I have read up about asparagus and nowhere does it mention transplanting
anything other than one year old plants, so reorganising the bed doesn't
seem an option.

Cheers

Dave R

Asparagus has male and female plants. If you have a mix you should get
some orange coloured berries on the female plants in Autumn. I have grown
these with no problem. You do have to wait around three years to get
asparagus plants mature enough to cut spears from. I read that asparagus
can be cropped for up to around ten or twelve years. Don't know why there
would be a limit. Anyway the asparagus in your allotment may be older than
that?

Google suggets up to 20 years cropping - I guess everything gets old and
knackered eventually :-)
Anecdotal evidence suggests the asparagus may be two or three years old but
grown from seed (or perhaps a couple of years older, or...) - certainly not
a 20 year old bed.
It would be good to grow some from our own seed - I was wondering if
asparagus would self seed if allowed.

Cheers

Dave R
--
No plan survives contact with the enemy.
[Not even bunny]

Helmuth von Moltke the Elder

(\__/)
(='.'=)
(")_(")

Asparagus does self-seed very easily, which is why some nurseries sell
male-only stock.

Jonathan

I've heard it said that male plants are preferred as they crop more
heavily. Can't say as I've noticed a difference though. I'm glad to have
a mix, it means a never ending supply of new asparagus plants and not
having to buy new crowns, ever. :-)

--
David in Normandy.
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