Sexing Asparagus

[wildcandytuft]

I'm growing asparagus (Connovers Colossal) from seed to plant out next year. I've read that it's preferable to grow the male plants as the females don't produce spears, or not as many...umm? If that's correct, two questions.

Do I need to plant out any females in with the males?

How will I know which sex is which to pick out the ones to use?

[rustylady]

Doesn't matter which sex for spears to pick. The main problem with female plants is that they produce flowers and subsequently berries (seeds) which tend to produce rogue plants. If you only have male plants then obviously you won't have this problem. If you grow your plants on in pots you should be able to tell which ones produce flowers (females) and discard them and only plant out the male plants.

[wildcandytuft]

That's very interesting, thanks so much for clearing that up. The myths put in books hey? I will take your advice rustylady and wait for them to flower. Excellent!

[Demeter]

I have read that the females produce fewer, bigger spears whereas the males produce more, smaller ones. Also, I guess as the females are putting their energy into flowers / berries there is not so much left for asparagus? (I guess it's less hard work to make pollen than fruit...) Only going by what I've read though. Interested to hear how others get on as I'm doing the same, growing CC from seed to plant next year. Anyone know when the flowers or berries might appear? not seen anything yet but little ferns.

[ceflet]

I am growing 6 plants of Connovers Collosal also from bare roots. Only one has produced a result up to now and it looks a bit like a christmas tree, about 5-6 inches in height. Any advice welcome.
ceflet

[lynda66]

I really really need to get some new glasses :$

[Demeter]

I am growing 6 plants of Connovers Collosal also from bare roots. Only one has produced a result up to now and it looks a bit like a christmas tree, about 5-6 inches in height. Any advice welcome.
ceflet

The christmas tree thing is the fern. Is it all spindly (I think that's normal)?

Lucky you - you should get some actual asparagus next year. I've got to wait until 2010!

[wildcandytuft]

There's lots of advice on how to plant the crowns, prepare the beds, but little on how to raise from seed. Going off the advice on the back of the packet alone. Mine are in the greenhouse but I was wondering if they could be hardened off and left out over winter ready for next year. What size pots to grow them on in until then?

Demeter, the reason I asked if females were needed was because of planting sweetcorn of all things, because they need both for pollination, but as asparagus aren't for making fruit I suppose they're not required in this case. Your suggestion makes perfect sense. Mine are still tiny, ferns just appearing, as you're ahead perhaps you'll let us know when you have a flower? It seems so wasteful to throw plants you've raised, so I'd like to get this right and not discard all the males!!

[Demeter]

There's lots of advice on how to plant the crowns, prepare the beds, but little on how to raise from seed. Going off the advice on the back of the packet alone. Mine are in the greenhouse but I was wondering if they could be hardened off and left out over winter ready for next year. What size pots to grow them on in until then?

I did 2 sowings. The first lot were indoors and nothing happened so I put them outside in disgust, where they promptly germinated about 3 days after i sowed a second lot! The second lot I sowed in a plastic mini-GH and they are currently in there with the door open until I get around to potting them up at which point they will probably go outside.

My first lot I put in pots about 4"-5" or so (not all the same size, just a bunch of odd freebies from the GC recycling bit) and I'm expecting them to be alright in there until spring, although I'm not sure yet how to overwinter them.

With the second lot I thought I would experiment and put them in the deeper root trainers. They look a bit small so I'm not sure they will do in there until planting time - dunno. (The main reason I put them in there was because, what with having so many plants in the end, I was going to give some to family when I see them in the autumn and they will be easier to transport that way! Hoping to palm off the female ones lol)

Demeter, the reason I asked if females were needed was because of planting sweetcorn of all things, because they need both for pollination, but as asparagus aren't for making fruit I suppose they're not required in this case. Your suggestion makes perfect sense. Mine are still tiny, ferns just appearing, as you're ahead perhaps you'll let us know when you have a flower? It seems so wasteful to throw plants you've raised, so I'd like to get this right and not discard all the males!!

I'll see what happens. I've never seen an asparagus flower, I suppose they must do in order to make berries but I can't really imagine it!! Then of course we have to work out which one is female and which male lol

Found a nice pic here though doesn't say if male or female:
Picasa Web Albums - David Way - Jewels of the...

[wildcandytuft]

Ha ha this will be fun! I've seen thousands of asparagus ferns in fields and they looked 'flowery' to me. Wish I'd taken notice. Maybe, fingers crossed there will be some berries produced, can't mistake which is which that way. I don't see the harm in rogue plants on the allotment as there would be plenty of eager takers for them, but if they really are invasive then perhaps not the best plan, and if females don't produce as well as males, of course wasting valuable space.

Mine took forever under glass. Maybe it was too warm for them then? They've germinated so successfully now that I've got too many. Some in tiny pots, some in root trainers, peat pots, anything to accommodate them all! Ironically the best came up in a small seed tray where I scattered the last of them in desperation for space. Pointless not using them up at once as they take so long to mature!

When I think of the mature crowns you can get they've really got quite a spread of root. Big pot? Small pot? I'll just have to see how many are left and where they can be safely kept out of the way until next year. Who knows how many males they'll be in a batch of a hundred?? Uh ho!

[Paulottie]

As stated females have berries, you don't want them. Apart from self sets crowding out your bed they are not as productive as males and no, the spears are not bigger. I have only a couple out of fifty crowns in my original bed from which I save seed.

They don't usually flower in their first year which means you can't really sex them till you've got to the second year. If you are growing in pots you can discard the females and set out then... or wait till year three. In a nursery bed you shouldn't move them in fern just mark the sex and location carefully.

I sow in modules and pot into 4" pots for year one, Overwinter them under a south facing hedge so they don't dry out...you could equally well do this under cover with care. April of Year 2 and they go into 2 litre pots all staked. I water DAILY and feed weekly as they are indoors. (obviously a hastle but I don't have a home prepared yet this year)...you can equally leave them outside but you must keep an eye on the beetle grubs stripping them then. They'll go out again next month or into bed that is currently being cleaned with early potatoes through Mypex.

This years seedlings are all outside at home as greenhouse space at a premium (even though I've got three!!!)
Here are the photos of potting on last year's batch (3rd April.)
I'll try and take some of what they look like now.

[Demeter]

Thanks Paul
Brilliant to get some info from someone who's done this before!

[gojiberry]

Asparagus are not invasive, although they do require a fair sized bit of ground. I would also caution on overwintering as frozen crowns have a tendancy to rot off.

Ian

[Paulottie]

A bit of bubble wrap is handy during cold snaps but its pretty mild here and mine were in an ideal spot. A cold frame would be ideal I guess. on my wish list...one of these years i'll get one built!

[Demeter]

Right, I'll have to put them under fleece or rig up something to keep the frost off them over the winter then as I'm planning to take down the placcy greenhouse for the winter - it's doing OK in the windy weather we're having at the mo but I don't think I could take the stress of a whole winter wondering whether it'll blow away!! Thanks again.