Asparagus.

[Durgan]

This is my 11 crown Asparagus bed. I am carefully recording the harvest over the next month. So far there has been three cuttings of 1/2 pound, two of one pound. The Spring has been cold which probably slows growth somewhat. At the present time it I steam cooked and garnished with butter.

http://durgan.org/2016/May%202016/10...sparagus/HTML/ 10 May 2016 Asparagus
First of the season asparagus was harvested. One half pound was cut. The bed is permanent about 8 feet by 5 feet, and was planted with 11 crowns of Guelph Millennium about 8 years ago. It will produce harvestable shoots around 12 pounds over about 4 weeks.


http://durgan.org/2016/May%202016/11...speragus/HTML/ 11 May 2016 Asparagus


http://durgan.org/2016/May%202016/13...sparagus/HTML/ 13 May 2016 Asparagus
One pound of asparagus harvested.

[ChiliPeppa]

Beautiful! We just finished up harvesting ours for the last two months or so. We had so much I hardly knew what to do with it all. Several pots of soup.

[PhilaGardener]

Those look great! My bed is a bit overgrown (after 15 years) and the size of the spears is down. I think I need to divide and replant.

This year's cold, wet Spring also seems to have slowed them down some.

[Uncle Doss]

I have a question about growing asparagus.
I was given approx. 5000 asparagus seeds. these must hzve been processed for a large grower as they are pelleted.
How do I go about growing them?
Should I start them in pots then transplant, or should I sow them directly in the ground?
When you buy crowns, it says don't harvest the first year, so I assume I wouldn't be able to harvest anything from these for 3 years?

[twillis2252]

I planted seeds last year about this time. Had good germination and 10" shoots by August. I planted directly in the garden. I separated the shoots late September, replanted and hoped for the best. They are coming up well, a little bigger but too small to harvest. Will be separating them again later this month. Anticipate a small harvest next year. I also planted some crowns that are coming in well also. Good Luck!

[Durgan]

I bought eleven crowns. Took care and made a good bed according to internet instructions. The bed is out of the way and will last up to 20 years. I add a bit of compost each year, weed and mulch. Basically got nothing of significance for the first three years.

[Barb_FL]

I'm giving up on mine. I bought 25 bare roots Jersey Supreme several years ago. Grew great but ended up seeding after the first season, so I knew they weren't Jersey Supreme which are just males. So I waited the 3 years to harvest.

In the subsequent years, I would see several spears and wait for a couple more to appear and boom they are 3' tall ferns.

I just see less and less so decided this spring that the raised bed would be better utilized for something else.

[Durgan]

http://durgan.org/2016/May%202016/16...sparagus/HTML/ 16 May 2016 Asparagus
One half pound cut today.

[Labradors2]

Barb, do you have another spot in which to plant those asparagus clumps? I didn't know that they needed to be divided, but it makes sense. If you could plonk them somewhere and give them a healthy dose of aged manure, I bet they would be great!

Linda

[Nattybo!]

Now that's asparagus! Perfection! Happy eating Durgan

[greenthumbomaha]

Durgan, you variety is hard to get in the US. It's only sold by Nourse in quantities of 25. Most hybrids sold here are all male and at Rutgers Univ. in New Jersey. I'm curious if yours are all male (no seeds).

Uncle Don, I started Mary Washington from seed as soon as the seeds were put out on racks back in January. I used trays and transplanted into 2 inch pots. I wish I had used larger pots. They take off quickly and grow into a jungle. It seems like my germination was 150%.
Do you know what variety you have?
I'll take pics later in the week. I am still working on clearing a bed, other wise they are easily large enough to survive outside.

- Lisa

[Durgan]

Originally Posted by greenthumbomaha

Durgan, you variety is hard to get in the US. It's only sold by Nourse in quantities of 25. Most hybrids sold here are all male and at Rutgers Univ. in New Jersey. I'm curious if yours are all male (no seeds).

Uncle Don, I started Mary Washington from seed as soon as the seeds were put out on racks back in January. I used trays and transplanted into 2 inch pots. I wish I had used larger pots. They take off quickly and grow into a jungle. It seems like my germination was 150%.
Do you know what variety you have?
I'll take pics later in the week. I am still working on clearing a bed, other wise they are easily large enough to survive outside.

- Lisa

The type of asparagus is Guelph Millennium developed at Guelph Agriculture College. They were supposed to be all male but there is one female in the 11 that I planted. I notice that many places sell this cultivar now. Do a Google.I got mine about eight years ago, eleven crowns. I made a bed as per Internet instructions.

[greenthumbomaha]

I never heard of that before, Durgan. I did look on Google. The retail sellers of Guelph Millennium crowns seem to be in Canada or the UK. It got rave reviews for production when it was trialed in Ohio several years ago.

http://vegnet.osu.edu/sites/vegnet/f...us%20trial.pdf

Our asparagus root in the US is dominated by the Jersey series. You can buy them anywhere from Wal Mart to high end garden stores.

I wonder what type we eat from the supermarkets.

- Lisa

[Durgan]

There are several large asparagus farms in my area along Lake Erie. Port Dover and Simcoe area. Apparently most of the produce is shipped to the USA, since it matures later than the USA crop which floods our supermarkets at the beginning of the season. Also apparently some is point of origin Mexico before the local stuff hits the market.

[Durgan]

http://durgan.org/2016/May%202016/18...sparagus/HTML/ 18 May 2016 Asparagus
On pound cut this day. Continuation of harvest.