Move Established Asparagus Bed?
 

Happy Spring, all -

Has anyone tried to move an existing asparagus bed to a new location and
been successful in that venture? If so, do you have any tips & tricks to
share?

We're moving to a new home and I'd love to take my aspargus bed with and
re-establish it in the new location. The bed consists of about 100 crowns
ranging from 3-6 years' maturity.

Thanks ahead of time for any advice you might offer!

Jim

I've never done it, but my aunt goes out into the field and digs up wild
asparagus and transplants it into her bed. It seems to work for her. You
have to dig a little deeper than you planted them and get as many roots as
you can.

Dwayne

"Jim Johnston" wrote in message
...
Happy Spring, all -

Has anyone tried to move an existing asparagus bed to a new location and
been successful in that venture? If so, do you have any tips & tricks to
share?

We're moving to a new home and I'd love to take my aspargus bed with and
re-establish it in the new location. The bed consists of about 100 crowns
ranging from 3-6 years' maturity.

Thanks ahead of time for any advice you might offer!

Jim

G'day Jim,
The conventional method of propagating asparagus's is to
lift and divide clumps when dormant. A strong garden fork, a small axe, lots
of bandaids and several beers. They are very tough plants, quite hard to
kill, especially when they naturalise, and are traditionally sold as
'bare-root' crowns. They love a neglected garden, and can make an area
unpassable when 'let go'. So I don't think you will have any problems, be
they dormant or not. Start potting up some crowns now so they can get
established. I understand that it can take up to three years to get new
plantings up to proper production and good stem thickness. If you have an
unusually good variety or a recognised cultivar, you might be able to get a
local nurseryman to do all the work in exchange for as many crowns as you
need. You may be surprised how many 'splits' they can get from a single
established plant.

100 crowns? You must have a bit of space to play with then,
lucky ******* ;-)

China
Wingham
NSW
065

On 3/30/05 8:21 AM, in article , "Jim
Johnston" wrote:

Happy Spring, all -

Has anyone tried to move an existing asparagus bed to a new location and
been successful in that venture? If so, do you have any tips & tricks to
share?

We're moving to a new home and I'd love to take my aspargus bed with and
re-establish it in the new location. The bed consists of about 100 crowns
ranging from 3-6 years' maturity.

Thanks ahead of time for any advice you might offer!

Jim



My first reaction was to say 'Just dig them up and go'! After thinking
about it for a time I thought that the ground that they will be planted in
should be properly prepared...you won't get another chance to put in compost
or manure again later except for top dressing.
So, having said that, prepare where they are going then 'Just dig them
up and go'! Dividing them as you move them will become apparent as you go
through the process. You may even end up with more plants than you thought
you had...maybe you should expand your bed area...?
I have an asparagus bed also...never thought about moving them, until
now. Thanks for asking.
Gary

Jim Johnston wrote:
Happy Spring, all -

Has anyone tried to move an existing asparagus bed to a new location
and
been successful in that venture? If so, do you have any tips & tricks
to
share?

We're moving to a new home and I'd love to take my aspargus bed with
and
re-establish it in the new location. The bed consists of about 100
crowns
ranging from 3-6 years' maturity.

Thanks ahead of time for any advice you might offer!

Jim

as others have said, time is of the essence if you want to do it now.
In SE Michigan it would be too late, everything hardy is coming up
right now.
You could consider asking the new owner if you can remove half the
crowns,
then remove and replant them as quickly as you can (or keep them in wet
sand until ready), then do not harvest this first year to give them a
better chance to recover. Unless you have extreme clay, planting them
now, and topdressing later, should work.

"Jim Johnston" writes:
Has anyone tried to move an existing asparagus bed to a new location and
been successful in that venture? If so, do you have any tips & tricks to
share?

We're moving to a new home and I'd love to take my aspargus bed with and
re-establish it in the new location. The bed consists of about 100 crowns
ranging from 3-6 years' maturity.

I've never moved mine, but I expect you'd want the plants in the condition
mine came in when I originally planted them. They were bare-rooted and
with no foliage. So I'd guess that you dig them up in mid-winter, shake
off most of the soil, and transport with the roots wrapped securely in
damp paper or potting mix, etc., so they don't dry out.

I remember having to prepare the bed ahead of time, but just forget what
was required.
--
John Savage (my news address is not valid for email)

On 31 Mar 2005 07:19:50 -0800, "simy1" wrote:
Unless you have extreme clay, planting them
now, and topdressing later, should work.

And if you have extreeme clay?



email: dallyn_spam at yahoo dot com
please respond in this NG so others
can share your wisdom as well!

in that case, bed preparation is better.

Thanks to all who responded to my post. Opinions seem to be evenly divided
as to the feasibility/sanity of my plan so I think it's only fitting that I
try to (promptly) move half the bed and leave the other half for whomever
buys our old place. Hopefully they'll be asparagus fanciers.

Jim

"Jim Johnston" wrote in message
...
Happy Spring, all -

Has anyone tried to move an existing asparagus bed to a new location and
been successful in that venture? If so, do you have any tips & tricks to
share?

We're moving to a new home and I'd love to take my aspargus bed with and
re-establish it in the new location. The bed consists of about 100 crowns
ranging from 3-6 years' maturity.

Thanks ahead of time for any advice you might offer!

Jim

In article ,
"Jim Johnston" wrote:

Hopefully they'll be asparagus fanciers.

Jim

Something to mention that has value.

Bill

--
Zone 5 S Jersey USA Shade garden in a Japanese manner
Vision problems? http://www.ocutech.com/ we own two.
Tell folks where to get your files FREE at http://www.DropLoad.com
"oeuf tôt pique " Lover "Well my son, life is like a beanstalk, isn't it?"

On 4/4/05 1:09 PM, in article
, "William Wagner"
wrote:

In article ,
"Jim Johnston" wrote:

Hopefully they'll be asparagus fanciers.

Jim

Something to mention that has value.

Bill
Absolutely! "This house comes with it's own asparagus bed!"...up the price!
Or you could just take it all...especially if they are not asparagus lovers.
I guess asking them is out of the question...?
Gary