Looking for Advice on Planting an Asparagus Bed

[NJCher]

Am I nutz or what? It's going to take until spring 2008 until I harvest any spears. But I've always wanted an asparagus bed so I've decided to put one in. Today I went out for the composted cow manure and bought 400 lbs of it and unloaded it (all myself).

Tomorrow I will plant it. This is enough for one day.

Does anyone know of a visual guide on how to do it? I've been reading articles on the 'Net but there's nothing like a picture step-by-step. If anyone knows of one in a book, I'd love to hear about it.

I ordered the crowns from Gurneys and they were delivered yesterday.




Cher

[NMDemDist2]

1. I will follow your thread with interest as that is one thing I want to do

in the new house too

we could eat asparagus every day and they do grow in NM fine from what I read

[Arkansas Granny]

2. You have never tasted aparagus until you have grown your own.

There is nothing to equal the taste of asparagus that is prepared right after harvesting. It is well worth the effort you put into it and wait for harvest. Once it is established it requires minimal maintenance and bears for years. You are in for a real treat.

[politicat]

3. No pictures, but...

Dig a trench. (Or pile up compost) Looking for 20 inches deep. If you want a square bed, dig/pile 2-3 trenches.

Lay in the crowns about 8 inches apart. Cover with soil/manure.

When the crowns break through, cover with more dirt. Repeat until the trench is filled.

Water lots. Resist urge to snip off shoots the first year.

Winter over with a big pile of leaves.

Cut sparingly in the spring of year one. Water. Give more soil if necessary. Add compost, mulch, manure. Water. Winter over with a big pile of leaves.

By year two, you can usually cut to your heart's content.

I'm in year one with one patch and year zero with the other, and I got nuthin in year one's patch this year worth talking about. (Weird winter - not very wet.)

The seem to love composted coffee, by the way.

[NMDemDist2]

4. well I'll have plenty of that

:rofl:

[NJCher]

5. thanks, politicat

I put in my first crowns today. I only put in two! It was so much work.

This is no task for the weary. Digging all that organic matter in, dragging the composted cow manure around the garden in bags, digging 20" deep; ay yi yi.

I found a good diagram at this site, but you'll have to scroll down to see it:



http://pubs.caes.uga.edu/caespubs/pubcd/B577.htm



I'm psyched, though, at the thought of having asparagus come up each year and having it fresh, too!


Cher

[TreasonousBastard]

6. When it does come in, get some...

before it breaks the ground.

Years ago in Germany we had the seasonal "spargel hunts" and crawled around looking for the little breaks in the soil where a shoot was coming up. Dig it out and get the fantastic and elusive proper white asparagaus before it turns green in the sunlight.

Dunno if that was a special variety or it works with any asparagus, but I do know the white stuff I see for sale doesn't come close.

[OnionPatch]

7. If you're nuts, I'm nutzier

Because I started my asparagus patch from seed! I will have to wait until spring of '08 as well because I planted them last spring. The good news is they are doing great! In a few more years I'll be so happy I planted them.