Asparagus transplanting

[Eugene]

Morning wife ask me what my plans were for the day. I said I didn't have any thing on my schedule. OK, I know that was the wrong answer. 15 year old asparagus bed needs to be dug up.

Took spade and cut straight down around a 2 foot by 2 foot section then divided that into quarters. Heavy duty 5 tine pitchfork and lifted each section out. Soaked each section in a 5 gallon bucket of water. Then separated out the crowns.

40 crowns salvaged out of the 2‘ x 2‘ section.

[bob in CT]

Why dig it up?

[Donny M]

Why dig it up?

Wife's wishes.

[bob in CT]

Why dig it up?

Eugene,
Was this just an elective decision to move the bed or was there a reason for this? I have an asparagus bed that is about 15 years old. I noticed I have a number of crowns now just below the surface even though I planted mine in a deep trench with lots of bone meal and dried blood mixed in so I should be all set for some time. I was wondering if they need to be replanted to maintain vigor. I planted Jersey Knight, which I highly recommend. Big fat tender spears. I can't wait for it to come in.

[Eugene]

http://www.motherearthnews.com/Organic- ... spx?page=3

The bed was getting over crowded and production falling off. The 2 foot by 2 foot area is about 1/5th of this particular bed. Several portions of the bed have not produced in a couple of years.

Wife replanted the 2 foot by 2 foot section. We gave away the remainder, 30 or so crowns.

Will tackle the less productive areas of the bed tomorrow. When finished I should easily have enough crowns to repopulate the bed.

I have a total of 4 asparagus beds. The one I'm working on. One about 3 years old, one 2 years old this spring and one started last fall. As you can probably tell, asparagus is the families favorite vegatable.

[bob in CT]

I guess it is! I started with 25 crowns in 93 or 94. I bought the place in November 92 and I don't think I had time for a garden that first Spring as I replaced all the doors, windows, siding, and roof that first Winter. I cannot keep up with it when it really comes on, but at least I am not traveling and that will make a big difference in my garden this year. The spears are as large as my thumb. What variety do you have?

Joe Malinowski is up in Northampton MA, which was once called the asparagus capitol of the world until the asparagus rust showed up and wiped them out. You can see it growing wild in the highway medians. My guests are always struck by the beautiful dense and tall ferns in my garden in the summer. They are amazed that it is asparagus. That means they don't know how good it is if they have not had fresh early season spears.

Funny story: Our dogs love(d) asparagus and they get the ones I should have cut the day or two before. Wiggles ( Australian Shepard) likes to take her prized asparagus downstairs to eat under my wife's desk. She is a little skittish as she was a rescue dog. She was trotting off to the basement when both ends of the long spear broke off when she went through the partially-open door. She ran down the stairs to get away from the asparagus that tumbled down the stair after her. That was almost as funny as the time Piper started barking at the rhubarb after it first appeared in the Spring.

[Eugene]

Most of my asparagus is of the Mary Washington type. I have one section of a purple all male type.

I collect the seed pods in the fall. Dry the pods and shell out the seeds. Most of my newer beds have been started with seed with some transplants.

[johnny j]

I was told in England there are Asparagus beds that go back 300 years.I planted Mary Washington last year, and was hoping
my grandchildren would pick some.What is best to feed the asparagus I was thinking lime and 10-10-10 ?

[Bill Hudson]

Here is information on the care and culture of asparagus. Enjoy.

http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/1000/1603.html

Bill

[Barnyard]

Morning wife ask me what my plans were for the day.

Why dig it up?

Wife's wishes.

But that was the morning wife's wishes. What did the afternoon and evening wife have to say about it? Sorry, I couldn't let that slip by.

[dirtyred]

Morning wife ask me what my plans were for the day.

Why dig it up?

Wife's wishes.

But that was the morning wife's wishes. What did the afternoon and evening wife have to say about it? Sorry, I couldn't let that slip by.

good job lets go cub hunting!!!!

my mother has a lot of asparagus that has run up,it never died this year, can i cut it off and mulch it then harvest some?

[bob in CT]

Sure, You can cut it down and harvest spears like normal.

Anyone else have asparagus beetles?