Two Asparagus questions.

[jacquie]

As I dig and plan on my new allotment, I keep thinking of questions. I thought the best way to post them is under each veggy's heading. So here goes.

I have found a chicken wire 'cage' within one of the outer rabbit fenced areas, which is full of tall brown stems, with several shoots from each of eight or ten plants. The only thing I can think that would be that in need of protection is asparagus. There is no typical fern type leaves yet but I assume this will have broken off during the winter. There are some seed head looking bits at the ends of the shoots. I haven't got near to them yet. I will take my camera today and then try to work out how to send a photo.

If it is asparagus, do I cut it off near the ground? Or pull the dead shoots off? Does it need any top dressing or should that have gone on in the autumn.

Assuming that I have the start of an asparagus bed, I bought another 6 roots yesterday. It says on the packet to plant them in March to April, but I have to get the trenches ready for them. In the mean time, they look very dry; they're in a bag of wood shavings. Do I need to give them a spritz of water, or temporarily put them in some compost and move them in a week or two? Or just keep them cool and dry?

Many thanks
Jacquie

[djhs196]

If it's asparagus, yes, cut last year's stems to the ground as these can over winter asparagus beetle within them.

In my own bed, this year's asparagus hasn’t started showing yet but I've expect it to start to think about it come late April - so it won't be showing yet. And yes, each year I've give it a top dressing. Now's fine.

I'd get the roots in the ground as soon as you can. They can only dry out in the meantime, and that's never going to be a good thing.

Best of luck with the allotment!

[Nicos]

I agree....soak the roots in a bucket ASAP- they hate drying out.

...piccie??...good idea!

[selfraising]

Yep soak the roots in water. If you can't get them in the ground just yet, I suggest wrapping the roots with damp newspaper to stop the drying out.

[Paulottie]

Well just starting to see some shoots appearing here in sunny Sussex!!

Never let them dry out...dunk them in a bucket and pack them in slightly damp compost and keep them cool.

You need a well prepared home for the crowns. They will be there a good while.

If that is an existing bed. You need to get to them and cut all the old ferns down. initially a couple of inches left so you know where they are, A weed and mulch will help.

[gojiberry]

If the brown stems from last year have seed heads on them then they are not asparagus. Asparagus produces a ferny stem and if its a male there will be red berries on the ferns, but no seed head I'm afraid. Could be fennel or angelica. A picture would be great, how thick are the stems.

Ian

[Edwardo82]

Thanks guys, thats very useful for my aspargus crowns I have bought.

[jacquie]

Stems are very thick, maybe an inch. The seeds are in long (couple of inches), narrow (less than quarter inch) pods, on a sort of central rib. The plants were probably four foot high before winter damage, and had grown out through the top of their cage.

I forgot to take my camera, so I picked a stem with the seeds, but when I looked for it at home to photograph it, I had left it there. Duh. I'll try harder tomorrow.

If it's not asparagus, I'd better go and buy some more; six plants won't be enough.
Jacquie

[Paulottie]

Asparagus have round red berries 6mm diameter containing 3 or 4 black seeds....sorry 1/4" in old money, The stems are more often 3/4". Don't sound like sparrow's grass to me.

I wouldn't bother going shopping for dried up ones...order them from asparagus in kent or highfield nurseries,,,or any reputable supplier instead. As I said above get a bed weedfree, lots of muck and ready to go

They are not that hard to grow from seed if you can wait a year longer (or need time to make a good home.)