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Asparagus question
This is the first time I've grown asparagus and don't know much about it
except that I'm not supposed to harvest it for the first two or three years while it establishes. Anyway, back in Spring I planted 10 crowns of dried asparagus roots in a trench as per the instructions on the packet, 9 of which have taken leaving an irritating gap in one place. However, I've just noticed that one of the asparagus shoots has lots of pea size green spheres on it. Are these seeds? If so can I grow one to fill the gap in the bed? How should such seeds be planted and when? What should I do with the others - is there a danger of them self-setting everywhere? Any advice welcome. -- David .... Email address on website http://www.avisoft.co.uk .... Blog at http://dlts-french-adventures.blogspot.com/ |
#2
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Asparagus question
"David \(in Normandy\)" wrote:
However, I've just noticed that one of the asparagus shoots has lots of pea size green spheres on it. Are these seeds? Sort of- they're berries that will turn red when ripe, each containing several black seeds. Easiest to clean by crushing the ripe berries in your fingers, then mixing with water to float off the pulp. You can plant the seeds in flats in late winter, and put the resulting plants in a nursery bed for a year then into the permanent bed the next spring. BTW, the roots shouldn't have been "dried;" you didn't say what percentage took. In my own limited experience, home-grown plants do so much better, it doesn't even cost any more growing time to get good producing asparagus. You can also buy just asparagus seed, including some hybrids promised to throw mostly male plants, which produce better. Gary Woods AKA K2AHC- PGP key on request, or at home.earthlink.net/~garygarlic Zone 5/6 in upstate New York, 1420' elevation. NY WO G |
#3
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Asparagus question
"Gary Woods" wrote in message
Sort of- they're berries that will turn red when ripe, each containing several black seeds. Easiest to clean by crushing the ripe berries in your fingers, then mixing with water to float off the pulp. You can plant the seeds in flats in late winter, and put the resulting plants in a nursery bed for a year then into the permanent bed the next spring. BTW, the roots shouldn't have been "dried;" you didn't say what percentage took. In my own limited experience, home-grown plants do so much better, it doesn't even cost any more growing time to get good producing asparagus. You can also buy just asparagus seed, including some hybrids promised to throw mostly male plants, which produce better. Thanks for your reply Gary. The roots/crowns were on sale in the local garden centre in string bags and were quite dry - it may be the way they are sold here. According to the label the variety is "Lolita" - don't know if that is a common or good variety? Of the 10 in the string bag 9 have come up, though a couple of those look a bit weak and are a bit poor is size in relation to the others. I will harvest all the 'seeds' when they are ripe and sew them as per your instructions. Is there a way to tell male / female plants apart, short of waiting to see if they bear 'seeds'? David. |
#4
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Asparagus question
"David \(in Normandy\)" wrote:
Is there a way to tell male / female plants apart, short of waiting to see if they bear 'seeds'? Not until they at least flower.... personally, I suspect the difference in productivity doesn't warrent a unisex asparagus bed. There's probably a genetic test too, if you've buckets of money you don't need. Gary Woods AKA K2AHC- PGP key on request, or at home.earthlink.net/~garygarlic Zone 5/6 in upstate New York, 1420' elevation. NY WO G |
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