Asparagus at Wilko

[mcdood]

Did yours then plant out and thrive , or are you saying that's the current status of them?

[bario1]

This was 3 years ago, they're doing well now
I didn't have to store them for months though, I think they arrived in early April and I had them stored for a couple of weeks before planting out.

[mcdood]

Excellent, Thanks for the advice Bario1, I'll get them into compost.

[It never rains..it pours]

From my experience, I would not let them dry out , however keep them cold so stay dormant as you said. Couple years ago had some delayed in post and were dry sticks when arrived, only got 50% to grow, but no idea if that was drying out or something else I did. Best results I have had is planting seeds at xmas, then potting them up and planting in the bed May time. The fern size and number of them was by far the best this year, dispite being in effect 1 year younger, so in theory will be best producers when take first real harvest from all this year

[Bex2012]

Thanks for posting about these, after reading the thread I bought a couple of bags. Mine definitely look a bit ‘sprouty’ so I suppose id better find a decent box for them to keep them in the dark.

Now for prepping the bed... ive a raised bed they can go into, but I’ll probably move it, so whats the best thing to fill it with? I can get hold of a load of sand and manure if I need to.
Thamls!

[SarrissUK]

None in my local Wilko, so considered ordering online, but realised that they will charge too much for home delivery of compost. I guess it'll be a weekend trip then

[Derbydal]

None in my local Wilko, so considered ordering online, but realised that they will charge too much for home delivery of compost. I guess it'll be a weekend trip then

you can order online and pick up from your nearest willko and its free delivery ! atb Dal.

[It never rains..it pours]

Thanks for posting about these, after reading the thread I bought a couple of bags. Mine definitely look a bit ‘sprouty’ so I suppose id better find a decent box for them to keep them in the dark.

Now for prepping the bed... ive a raised bed they can go into, but I’ll probably move it, so whats the best thing to fill it with? I can get hold of a load of sand and manure if I need to.
Thamls!

Manure for sure but its needs to be well rotted, if not its best to put it underneath first mixed with your original soil so you dont create a root barrier and also so roots dont touch it at planting and get burnt to start with. I found they tolerated my clay soil mixed with sharp sand and compost with manure below, but our rainfall is higher here, sand for drainage would no doubt be less of an issue for you. From my experience i would also plant the bed flat with the roots say 2" below the surface and when they come through and get some fern, then create the small potato type baulks if that makes sense to get the depth you want according to the size of spears you prefer. That means here rainfall tends to run off the baulks into the lows so crowns to some degree are drier in winter but again less of an issue for you.

[It never rains..it pours]

Ps forgot to say they dont like acid soil so if thats the case may need some lime mixed in

[bario1]

Now for prepping the bed... ive a raised bed they can go into, but I’ll probably move it, so whats the best thing to fill it with? I can get hold of a load of sand and manure if I need to.

Sand and manure sounds good, also topsoil, compost, grit, leafmould - they like good drainage. Double digging the area before placing the raised bed on top would also help them get their roots deep - asparagus have enormous root systems. I dug in a generous helping of bonemeal to my bed before planting to promote root growth as well. You might want to add a bit of lime as well if your soil is on the acidic side.

[Gillykat]

Sand and manure sounds good, also topsoil, compost, grit, leafmould - they like good drainage. Double digging the area before placing the raised bed on top would also help them get their roots deep - asparagus have enormous root systems. I dug in a generous helping of bonemeal to my bed before planting to promote root growth as well.

Fussy little buggers, ain't they!

Seriously though....I'll be making an asparagus bed in the next week when I have a week off work and getting some crowns ordered when I get paid on Tuesday. Companies like Thompson & Morgan and D.T.Brown don't send the crowns out until March so the weather 'should' be a bit better than if they were sent out now or February!

[bario1]

Fussy little buggers, ain't they!

Thing is, you only get one chance to get the bed right - once they're established you won't be digging it for 20 odd years!

I got my crowns from Pomona Fruits, Mondeo and Guelph Millennium.

[Gillykat]

Hahaha you've just answered a question I've just posted a new thread about - which varieties to recommend.

I'm off work next week so taking advantage of the good weather and going to get my asparagus bed dug, add some well rotted manure etc and have it all ready for crowns in the spring.

I never thought about Pomona Fruits....will go and look at their website (tho' I'm sure I'll have a catalogue of their's in a drawer somewhere )

Perhaps, as an experiment, I might get some of those £1 asparagus from Wilko and give them their own bed and see how they perform.

[SarrissUK]

I went to Wilko at lunch time today as I am impatient lol I found two packs, so I bought them, but will go back and get some more I think. At that price, it's worth the gamble I think They look healthy and not wrinkly either, though some shoots, so I will keep them in the dark and cool.