Talkback: Growing asparagus - Talkback

oldchippy

17/05/2012 at 12:47

My Dad had asparagus growing in the front garden next to the privet hedge in two clumps,I don't remember them ever eating it,it was grown just as another plant most probably self sown.

Oldchippy

AdamColeman

17/05/2012 at 13:11

Hi,

I took over an allotment plot in October last year (2011) and have been busy clearing it bit by bit and planting my own veggies. Recently I noticed to my delight that I have 2 patches where asparagus has sprouted. The problem I have is that they are in completely the wrong place. They are growing up through the corner of an old fruit cage left behind by the previous tenant and are right at the edge of the plot almost on the path and boundary with the adjacent plots. I have managed to harvest about 24 good sized spears from the 2 patches and they have tasted amazing compared to the shop bought stuff I'm used to. So my question is can asparagus be moved or will moving them kill them? I don't what variety they are or how long they have been there for.

figrat

17/05/2012 at 13:23

I'm sorry to say that I don't think asparagus moves very well.

Emma Crawforth

17/05/2012 at 15:02

Hello AdamColeman,

I recently inherited a veg plot with asparagus in the wrong place too. In my case it's too near the middle of the plot, so that when it grows up high, it obscures the plants beyond it from view. I was considering starting a new bed in a different position. As Pippa says, it takes a while to establish, but maybe you could continue to harvest from your old plants for the first years?

Enjoy it!

Emma

gardenersworld.com team

C15.52

24/05/2012 at 20:41

is asparagus a root vetatable

figrat

24/05/2012 at 20:50

No, it is the shoots which are eaten. Thet are just about to come in season here, though you will see stuff flown in from Peru or mars or somewhere far far away in the supermarkets. The asparagus plants' roots are spidery an far reaching which is why they don't transplant well. New plantings take a couple of seasons to establish before they are cropped. They are however perennial so once established and happy should crop for many years to come.

Allotment newbie

30/05/2012 at 15:24

Why , or how do the slugs cause the Asapagus to curl?

Thanks in advance

TJ666

30/05/2012 at 18:02

You can definitely move asparagus, just dig it up with as many roots you can in autumn and replant. I've moved house with it. I did leave it a year or 2 to establish before harvesting.

backyardee

31/05/2012 at 08:08

I have/had 2 rows of asparagus plants in a bed purpose made. The plants I grew from seeds and have tended them lovingly for their entire little lives (5 yrs old). Last year was a bit disasterous with the weather, so the spears were very thin. This year i'm so piddled off, A mole has dug a tunnel along both rows. No signs of life at all. If I catch the little bu@@er, he'll be pinned against a wall and tortured.

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