I believe this is the finest way to grow asparagus. I have 2 years
experience with this concrete block method especially with asparagus.
This year I am experimenting with strawberries via the concrete block
method. But with asparagus I have ample experience. I started using
concrete block on asparagus to locate them where I had planted them and
so I put a 16"x8"x8" block with one hole over the asparagus so I would
not mow it while mowing. But now I have those asparagus of 2 to 3 years
old and I just keep the block there because when I weed I just lift the
block and weed out the grasses. And during the summer months when the
asparagus is tall and bush like I put a wire tomato cage around the
asparagus using the block as a additional support so the asparagus bush
is not blown down in a wind storm.

So I believe the concrete block method is the finest and world's best
means of growing asparagus.

The only trouble I have with the block is that ants like to use them
also so I use the thinnest edge to set on the ground. And I am vigilant
for any ants that want to colonize any block.

If I had not used block for the past 3 years for my asparagus, they
would have all be lost to the brome and quackgrasses for they are in a
ditch that is infested with brome and quack grasses but those asparagus
are now beginning to take over from the grasses all thanks due to the
concrete block.

Archimedes Plutonium
whole entire Universe is just one big atom where dots
of the electron-dot-cloud are galaxies
www.archimedesplutonium.com
www.iw.net/~a_plutonium

"Archimedes Plutonium" wrote in message
...
I believe this is the finest way to grow asparagus.

I hope you have bought special organic concrete blocks

Jim Webster

"Jim Webster" wrote in message ...
"Archimedes Plutonium" wrote in message
...
I believe this is the finest way to grow asparagus.

I hope you have bought special organic concrete blocks
(Heh!)

I assume the roots are allowed their full natural spread in the ground
outside the blocks. You mention mowing around the blocks: does this
mean you let other plants grow over the area where the asparagus roots
are seeking water and nutrients? Do you find that under these
conditions your plants are as well-developed as those grown more
conventionally? Of course yours aren't old enough to give a proper
crop yet, so maybe it's too soon to judge.

MIke.

24 Apr 2004 07:21:09 -0700 Mike Lyle wrote:


I assume the roots are allowed their full natural spread in the ground
outside the blocks. You mention mowing around the blocks: does this
mean you let other plants grow over the area where the asparagus roots
are seeking water and nutrients? Do you find that under these
conditions your plants are as well-developed as those grown more
conventionally? Of course yours aren't old enough to give a proper
crop yet, so maybe it's too soon to judge.

MIke.

Well 3 years ago the block served only as to locate the asparagus amongst the grass and weeds so that
when I mowed I did not mow the asparagus. But now the block serve as a sort of large pot via the 2
holes in the block. And of course their roots are in no manner hampered and should the asparagus
spread further out of its block region I can either cover them with additional block or dig up some
roots and transplant to a newer spot.

Conventional asparagus growing requires too much time and labor to maintain. Whereas my block method
allows much more freedom from care and maintenance. I remember one year where I utterly neglected the
asparagus other than mowing around the blocks. And the ditches where they are growing is infested with
quackgrass and brome grass that is so dense and matted that my spade is slow to cut through.
Conventionally I think one cannot ignore their asparagus for a full year in such conditions and that I
would have lost them all if not for the block that suppresses the grasses in the holes.


Archimedes Plutonium
whole entire Universe is just one big atom where dots
of the electron-dot-cloud are galaxies
www.archimedesplutonium.com
www.iw.net/~a_plutonium

Coal fly ash and furnace slag are common ingredients of concrete
blocks as substitutes for Portland cement and aggragate. . Both are
cheap waste products as well a substantial sources of heavy metals. I
can envision the plant roots growing in the hollows of the of the
blocks are well placed to absorb all of that good "stuff" as it
leaches out...

(Be patient this link loads slowly)
http://www.recyclenow.org/PDF_greenb...sentations.pdf

http://www.uga.edu/srel/coal.htm

http://www.minesandcommunities.org/Action/press323.htm
On Fri, 23 Apr 2004 11:21:24 -0500, Archimedes Plutonium
wrote:

I believe this is the finest way to grow asparagus. I have 2 years
experience with this concrete block method especially with asparagus.
This year I am experimenting with strawberries via the concrete block
method. But with asparagus I have ample experience. I started using
concrete block on asparagus to locate them where I had planted them and
so I put a 16"x8"x8" block with one hole over the asparagus so I would
not mow it while mowing. But now I have those asparagus of 2 to 3 years
old and I just keep the block there because when I weed I just lift the
block and weed out the grasses. And during the summer months when the
asparagus is tall and bush like I put a wire tomato cage around the
asparagus using the block as a additional support so the asparagus bush
is not blown down in a wind storm.

So I believe the concrete block method is the finest and world's best
means of growing asparagus.

The only trouble I have with the block is that ants like to use them
also so I use the thinnest edge to set on the ground. And I am vigilant
for any ants that want to colonize any block.

If I had not used block for the past 3 years for my asparagus, they
would have all be lost to the brome and quackgrasses for they are in a
ditch that is infested with brome and quack grasses but those asparagus
are now beginning to take over from the grasses all thanks due to the
concrete block.

Archimedes Plutonium
whole entire Universe is just one big atom where dots
of the electron-dot-cloud are galaxies
www.archimedesplutonium.com
www.iw.net/~a_plutonium

Coal fly ash and furnace slag are common ingredients of concrete
blocks as substitutes for Portland cement and aggragate. . Both are
cheap waste products as well a substantial sources of heavy metals. I
can envision the plant roots growing in the hollows of the of the
blocks are well placed to absorb all of that good "stuff" as it
leaches out...

(Be patient this link loads slowly)
http://www.recyclenow.org/PDF_greenb...sentations.pdf

http://www.uga.edu/srel/coal.htm

http://www.minesandcommunities.org/Action/press323.htm


On Fri, 23 Apr 2004 11:21:24 -0500, Archimedes Plutonium
wrote:

I believe this is the finest way to grow asparagus. I have 2 years
experience with this concrete block method especially with asparagus.
This year I am experimenting with strawberries via the concrete block
method. But with asparagus I have ample experience. I started using
concrete block on asparagus to locate them where I had planted them and
so I put a 16"x8"x8" block with one hole over the asparagus so I would
not mow it while mowing. But now I have those asparagus of 2 to 3 years
old and I just keep the block there because when I weed I just lift the
block and weed out the grasses. And during the summer months when the
asparagus is tall and bush like I put a wire tomato cage around the
asparagus using the block as a additional support so the asparagus bush
is not blown down in a wind storm.

So I believe the concrete block method is the finest and world's best
means of growing asparagus.

The only trouble I have with the block is that ants like to use them
also so I use the thinnest edge to set on the ground. And I am vigilant
for any ants that want to colonize any block.

If I had not used block for the past 3 years for my asparagus, they
would have all be lost to the brome and quackgrasses for they are in a
ditch that is infested with brome and quack grasses but those asparagus
are now beginning to take over from the grasses all thanks due to the
concrete block.

Archimedes Plutonium
whole entire Universe is just one big atom where dots
of the electron-dot-cloud are galaxies
www.archimedesplutonium.com
www.iw.net/~a_plutonium