Asparagus

Anyone has good experience with planting 2-year old crowns?
I am very tempted to order some heirloom varieties, but not sure if worth the money.
Also, since it's pretty hot here in summer, I was thinking of putting it in the semi-shaded area. Yes/No?

Worth the money, you will have asparagus next year. Buy a variety that grows well in your area.
Nice to see you again Weedless!

http://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/asparagus/

Weedless,
Earlier this week I placed an order for twenty-five 1 year old crowns, determined to have plenty for year round use knowing they will also multiply. If you take the plunge we could compare notes along the way.

Llama, I am game! Ordered two heirlooms and one staple variety today, total of 26. Figured, I'd vary them a little, not to put all eggs in one basket. Gonna plant as soon as they arrive, which should be mid march.

I love asparagus to pieces, and it will be very sad if it doesn't work. Asparagus is also one of the very few vegetables that I can eat a lot of, while on low-carb diet.

Hey Weedless, that's Terrific!
I went with 25 crowns of Purple Passion set for delivery mid April. Supposedly never stringy and very sweet. I'm glad my husband thinks he hates asparagus, more for me. After it's established this means asparagus heaven either fresh or blanched/frozen ALL YEAR ROUND. Sounds like we both adore the stuff to no end.

llama momma wrote:... I'm glad my husband thinks he hates asparagus, more for me...

Hubby here hates the stuff as well. MORE FOR MEEEEEE!!

GG

Oooh you already have some, jealous here, soo what kind and how much do you have?

In 2011, I planted some asparagus from seed and also planted some 2 year roots, last year I planted more, and this year I am hoping for the pay off.
After mine reached the green frond stage and then the yellow stage I started to look around and realize how much wild asparagus I have around me. The only way to find it is to know how to recognize it in the fall, and go back in the spring to look for the small shoots.
It grows along the sides of roads in many areas, I first read about it in Barbara Kingsolvers book "animal vegetable miracle"

I picked up 12 1 gallon pots of the Washington variety this past weekend and hope to have them planted by the end of this week in a new raised bed I am working on. From everything I have read and been told, I should be able to harvest these in 2014.

I am really looking forward to growing my own as they say it is so much better than store bought. Perhaps we need to start an asparagus club

I have set aside a re-purposed bed for asparagus this spring. I am ordering Jersey Knight, it is supposedly one of the best at over wintering with hard freezes. I have an old patch (I have forgotten what I planted there) that sort of wanders in the roses and peonies near the porch. The tall fronds make a lovely back ground I think. The new bed I hope to plant sweet peas in also, I think they would look nice blooming through the fronds come summer. I have tried twice before to establish a new patch and each time they froze out in the winter.

we planted our first crowns last year 2012....6 two year old crowns....it took forever for them to come up.....we ended up growing cucumbers in the same area because we thought our crowns died....well...they shot up in AUG with their ferns in the middle of summer .....we are excited to see how they do this year..

I know we planted
2-washington
2-Jersey Knight
2-purple somthing??

happy gardening
rose

Probably Purple Passion, Rose.
Turan, I am very curious as to what varieties were killed off during your winter? I just bought a bunch of purple passion. I suppose my Ohio winters are pretty different from yours.
bnoles, I like the idea of an asparagus club, I love this this forum because it is so neat to compare notes with each other.
GWN- I've got to get hold of that book!
Well everybody the title of this thread is super easy to remember so we can share our ups and downs asparagus experiences. I am very happy to compare notes with everyone!

I put in 12 2-yr crowns 2 years ago, last year got my first gleanings. This spring I should get my first really good crop, can't wait! It grows wild in ditches around here as well. Found a really great spot last summer and picked probably 7-8 lbs of the stuff! I may dedicate another bed for 'spoogagus' (gotta love the vocab of a 3 yr old!).

GG

+1 to the idea of an asparagus club!

I'm trying to figure out when I should order my crowns, since planting time here is March or so. I'm afraid that if I wait too long, there won't be much of a selection left!

Also, how many should I grow to feed myself, and perhaps freeze some? Should I plant 6" or 12" deep? I did 6" in Southern California, and they seemed to do okay.

Donna, if you order them, the supplier will usually ship them when it is planting time in your area. Follow the planting instructions that come with your shipment.

llama momma wrote:
Turan, I am very curious as to what varieties were killed off during your winter? I just bought a bunch of purple passion. I suppose my Ohio winters are pretty different from yours.

I wish I remembered
I know I was enchanted by the idea of all male plants at least once. So surely that was a Jersey. What is growing right now seems to be all male, but is right next to the porch in a protected area with excellent drainage.

Look at this article on hardiness of varieties. I think i just changed my mind on getting any Jersey. http://www.ehow.com/facts_7192714_type-asparagus-can-plant-minnesota_.html

I am searching for Viking KB3, it is an improved variety of Mary Washington, is OP, and seems very hardy.

Between bad weather and the flu bug, I was delayed a little in getting out to finish my asparagus project. Today was about 55* here in Atlanta with just a hint of breeze and I was feeling much improved from the antibiotics, so it was perfect for this kind of work (at least for me).

The raised bed is 8' X 3' X 10". I filled it with a combination of top soil, cow manure compost, mushroom compost, coarse vermiculite, sphagnum peat, a premium potting mix, some home made compost and some dolomite lime to sweeten the PH. I worked a good bit of the afternoon getting this bed finished and hopefully I will plant the asparagus either tomorrow afternoon or Monday as the weather picture still looks promising. The asparagus I ended up with is the Washington variety and the only kind my garden shop carries as it is supposed to be best for my area. I got 12 1 gallon pots and should be able to have asparagus ready for the table in 2014.

Next on my list is to finish moving the soil to the new location for the strawberry bed you see right behind the asparagus bed with the PVC frame over it. Got the box moved to this part of the yard a couple of week ago, but still need to wheelbarrow the MM down and fill it up.

Here are a few pictures to enjoy of my adventures so far.

Filled Bed

Ready to plant

Another view

Sorry for having to use links, but photo bucket is not cooperating with our site. Looks like I will have to go thru the new learning curve

Only the 'ready to plant' photo was viewable. The other two said they were removed. Maybe you have them on private or something.
Anyway, the one I saw looks really good. I envy you starting your garden soon while I'm still under snow here in Maine.

Bob, I tried to follow the links, and photobucket wouldn't show me the pics, without me signing up. Are your photos on your computer?

Turan, You might try planting a little deeper, your hard freeze line may be pretty deep where you are. Also, don't expect asparagus to compete with other root crops, (roses and peones, carrots, beets,) Asparagus doesn't handle fighting for nutrients. An annual or plant that doesn't have deep roots should be ok. I don't know about the sweet peas?

By the way, my asparagus is coming up! I think I have Mary Washington, which put on some seeds last yr. This is a pic of the little seedlings. Jo

Okay... I took a crash course in hosting pictures from my computer and it appears to work. Sorry for the mess on Photo Bucket.... please disregard my previous links.

Here are the pictures!

bnoles, why is your asparagus in pots? Or are you going to transplant it?

edit: Oh, and I have that same garden bench! My husband got it for me for Christmas last year, but so far, it's made a better coffee cup stand in the living room, believe it or not. I shouldn't admit what a great decorator I am, in public.

Pictures look really nice Bob! Hope you feel better too.
Can't help but notice your lovely leaf corral. Wish I was planting asparagus but my order is due April 15.

lol.... I hope to transplant the asparagus from the pots into the ground tomorrow if all goes well.

I got my bench/kneel-er for Christmas also and love it. I would not be able to get back up from my knees in the garden without it and it is great for a break between chores too.

Thanks LLM! That leaf coral is my pride and joy and hope for lots of compost this season. Not near the work you have put into yours, but I have a much smaller scale garden than you

I could not wait on mail order until April 15 as it is recommended we have ours in the ground between Jan 15 and March 15 for my zone in GA. Besides, these nice days are calling me out from the house and I just have this desire to play in the dirt.

sorry if this is a dumb question, but from what I see, leaf coral is an actual coral, and I do not see any in any of the pictures, am I missing something does leaf coral mean something else as well
thanks