Asparagus issues this spring

JerryHaskins · April 21, 2016

Anybody else grow asparagus?

My wife gave me some 2-year old crowns about 10 years ago. I planted them in a large bed (24'x4').

Per the asparagus guidance, we did not harvest any the first year; only a few the second year; and lots of great asparagus every spring since.

But this year, the asparagus just put up mostly skinny shoots about the diameter of a pencil, and then quickly bolted to the "fern" stage.

I had removed the old (last year's) growth and fertilized.

I am wondering if the plants are reaching their end-of-life stage. I see in Wikipedia that they normally live 10 to 20 years.

By the way: fresh asparagus is MUCH better than store-bought asparagus.

But if you plant asparagus, realize that it is a perennial and will be there a long, long time. And it grows to about 5 feet tall, the fern-like tops get thick in the summer, and will shade out nearby things if you plant it where it can do so.

spacetogrow · April 21, 2016

I don't know the answer to your asparagus issues, but thought I'd respond to bump your post up where other people might notice it. The only thing I can think of is to ask if there was an early heat wave that might have pushed them to bolt early?

When I was a kid, I was sent off with a paring knife from an early age to harvest the "wild" asparagus. The best patch was at an old homestead that was converted to a tree plantation. The house was already falling down from old age when I was small, but the asparagus and lilacs were still in fantastic shape. The rhubarb probably would have been, too, but was too crowded by a tree.

We had asparagus in the garden also but only along one edge. You couldn't really use that part of the garden for succession planting because, as you mentioned, the bolted plants cast too much shade.

I learned one day when I was quite hungry that I like raw asparagus must better than cooked. I don't trust the store bought asparagus that far, though.

Good luck.

b54red · April 21, 2016

I have grown asparagus in the past but quit after a succession of mild winters caused the new sprouts to get smaller and smaller and eventually they just died. We have had some good winters for asparagus lately and a friend of mine has been growing them successfully for about 8 years now. Evey winter after they die down he covers them with 6 inches of compost or composted manure along with adding a 50 lb bag of cottonseed meal and half a bag of alfalfa before pilling on the compost. Every three years or so he puts about a 6 inch layer of fresh mushroom compost instead of cow manure. He also feeds them as soon as they start getting big with Urban Farms Vegetable fertilizer, Apples and Oranges or TTF all summer long. He also mulches them as soon as he is through harvesting for the season and keeps them watered very well all summer. This year his production was reduced and also his shoots were thinner than the past few years but I think that is because of the very mild winter we had which didn't give the roots enough time dormant.

Bill

JerryHaskins · April 21, 2016

Thanks much for the feedback. Yes, this spring has been a little warmer and MUCH wetter (from frequent, heavy rains) than previous years. That is likely the cause.

I will just wait until next year and see how it goes.

And, yes, I agree that fresh raw asparagus is very tasty. I have not found it served in any way that is bad.

Take care.

Locomatto · April 23, 2016

If your asparagus has started slowing down (which generally happens around 8 - 10 years) then it's past time that they get split. Asparagus can actually live a VERY long time ... if you split the plants occasionally. If the crowns don't get split on a 5 to 10 year cycle, they start to choke each other out, and the bed will eventually die off. That's what's started happening in your bed.

There are lots of instructions and videos on how to split an asparagus crown on the net, but here's something to get you started ...
http://www.motherearthnews.com/organ....aspx?PageId=1

JerryHaskins · April 23, 2016

Super info, folks!

Thanks a bunch.

I will definitely check out the link Locomatto.

efisakov · April 23, 2016

thanks for the info

April 21, 2016	#1
JerryHaskins Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2015 Location: Mississippi Posts: 166	Asparagus issues this spring Anybody else grow asparagus? My wife gave me some 2-year old crowns about 10 years ago. I planted them in a large bed (24'x4'). Per the asparagus guidance, we did not harvest any the first year; only a few the second year; and lots of great asparagus every spring since. But this year, the asparagus just put up mostly skinny shoots about the diameter of a pencil, and then quickly bolted to the "fern" stage. I had removed the old (last year's) growth and fertilized. I am wondering if the plants are reaching their end-of-life stage. I see in Wikipedia that they normally live 10 to 20 years. By the way: fresh asparagus is MUCH better than store-bought asparagus. But if you plant asparagus, realize that it is a perennial and will be there a long, long time. And it grows to about 5 feet tall, the fern-like tops get thick in the summer, and will shade out nearby things if you plant it where it can do so.

April 23, 2016	#7
efisakov Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: NJ, zone 7 Posts: 3,162	thanks for the info __________________ Ella God comes along and says, "I think I'm going to create THE tomato!”

April 21, 2016	#2
spacetogrow Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: MN zone 4 Posts: 359	I don't know the answer to your asparagus issues, but thought I'd respond to bump your post up where other people might notice it. The only thing I can think of is to ask if there was an early heat wave that might have pushed them to bolt early? When I was a kid, I was sent off with a paring knife from an early age to harvest the "wild" asparagus. The best patch was at an old homestead that was converted to a tree plantation. The house was already falling down from old age when I was small, but the asparagus and lilacs were still in fantastic shape. The rhubarb probably would have been, too, but was too crowded by a tree. We had asparagus in the garden also but only along one edge. You couldn't really use that part of the garden for succession planting because, as you mentioned, the bolted plants cast too much shade. I learned one day when I was quite hungry that I like raw asparagus must better than cooked. I don't trust the store bought asparagus that far, though. Good luck.

April 21, 2016	#3
b54red Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Alabama Posts: 7,068	I have grown asparagus in the past but quit after a succession of mild winters caused the new sprouts to get smaller and smaller and eventually they just died. We have had some good winters for asparagus lately and a friend of mine has been growing them successfully for about 8 years now. Evey winter after they die down he covers them with 6 inches of compost or composted manure along with adding a 50 lb bag of cottonseed meal and half a bag of alfalfa before pilling on the compost. Every three years or so he puts about a 6 inch layer of fresh mushroom compost instead of cow manure. He also feeds them as soon as they start getting big with Urban Farms Vegetable fertilizer, Apples and Oranges or TTF all summer long. He also mulches them as soon as he is through harvesting for the season and keeps them watered very well all summer. This year his production was reduced and also his shoots were thinner than the past few years but I think that is because of the very mild winter we had which didn't give the roots enough time dormant. Bill

April 23, 2016	#5
Locomatto Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: Lincoln, NE Posts: 59	If your asparagus has started slowing down (which generally happens around 8 - 10 years) then it's past time that they get split. Asparagus can actually live a VERY long time ... if you split the plants occasionally. If the crowns don't get split on a 5 to 10 year cycle, they start to choke each other out, and the bed will eventually die off. That's what's started happening in your bed. There are lots of instructions and videos on how to split an asparagus crown on the net, but here's something to get you started ... http://www.motherearthnews.com/organ....aspx?PageId=1