Any comments on growing Asparagus?
 

I have no experience whatsoever with asparagus (other than eating it).

I love the stuff, but never grew it, but recently I saw in a local store some bags of asparagus crowns. I got two packs of 8 crowns. I can go back and get more if needed. I have a total of 16 crowns.

Here is what I was planning... I was going to make a bed in a large container and load it up with good soil...and then plant the crowns in there.

Now here's the rub. I gather a 'crown' is a ball of roots?

Is 16 crowns enough? How much asparagus can one get from each crown in an average harvest?

Does anyone have any tips at all for what I am doing? How big of a container do I need for 16 crowns?

On a side note, if I ever want good quality mushroom compost dirt, they sell it by the truckload less than 1/2 an hour away. I can fill my whole bed with it if needed.

No experience growing asparagus in containers, but over 30 years experience growing it in the ground. It is a heavy feeder and when planting, each crown needs to have its roots spread out in all directions and the roots from one crown shouldn't be touching the roots from the ones on either side. The crown is the part of the plant that is where all the roots meet - the center or top as it were. Most recommend planting the crowns at least 18" apart. You aren't supposed to harvest any spears for at least the first year, if not the first 2, so that all the energy can go into developing a strong root system. I'm sure they would love mushroom compost, but as I said, you need to hope someone has been successful with asparagus in containers and can guide you. Can't imagine putting more than 1 or 2 in each container, though, if you're talking the 18 gallon kind that's talked about here. Sure you don't have enough ground to put them in?

My experience is about the same as already posted. It takes up to 2 -3 years before you can harvest them. You need to keep them well watered the first few months and keep them weeded well or they get choked out. Not sure about container growing. They do come back each year so if you put them in the ground keep it in mind that will be their long term home.

Ground... I have plenty of ground. The problem here is our over abundance of absolutely horrible weeds that will overtake anything you plant.

As for a container, I do not mean a bucket. I mean, if anything, something like a nice raised bed or something very large that would be equivalent to something like 100 gallons, or even more.

They sell some huge galvanized horse troughs that I can take a drill to and those will last at least a month of sundays or longer.

The permanent home thing is exactly why I am thinking of getting a big trough and using that. I saw one that was round, 6 feet across and 2 feet deep....320 gallons. $150 bucks...

Or if its cheaper I can build whatever I want. I don't want anyone being tempted to run over my stuff with the mower and I want to keep the good soil in and the bad stuff out.

A raised bed would probably work just fine. Just keep it weeded out and you should not have any problems.

Your plan is sounding better now that I know what you mean by a BIG container. They do need excellent drainage or you can have trouble with root rot. Again, just don't crowd the roots when planting and keep them fed and damp when they're small. Google some instructions about planting, because you need to cover them shallowly at first and then keep filling in the dirt as they grow during the first season. Weeds will be the death of them...I learned that by planting red raspberries too close to my first asparagus bed. :(

Ideally how deep should I build the 'container'/bed... 1 foot deep? How deep do good asparagus roots grow?

Will a hard freeze kill asparagus?

Umm...asparagus roots can go down several feet and spread for at least 2' on each side of where the stalks appear.

The key to keeping an in the ground bed weed free is heavy mulch. 6" of mulch, spread out at least 18" from the center of the row, on each side of the row, would be about right. Make a couple inches of that mulch composted manure and you'll have an asparagus bed that will produce top notch monster spears.

If I have 18 crowns, about how much asparagus could I get from that? Assuming that I do everything right.

The size and number of spears will increase as the plants mature, but once established, "they" say that each crown can produce 1/2 lb. of spears.
Also, they are very hardy.

Sorry, double post.

Hi Alamo5000,

Watch this video on asparagus planting.
[URL]http://www.gardenersworld.com/how-to/projects/asparagus-grow/[/URL]

Wendy

[quote=alamo5000;193905]Ideally how deep should I build the 'container'/bed... 1 foot deep? How deep do good asparagus roots grow?

Will a hard freeze kill asparagus?[/quote]

One foot is deep enough. Mulch with cardbaord newspaper and then grass clippings or other yard waste (thickly).

Mine over wintered fine in Lakes Region-NH.

If you are looking for large, cheap containers, think:
Home Depot, Stainless steel bathtubs...$99.

Growing Asparagus in Houston. Well, there are easier things like sword-swallowing. ;)

I think the challenge is not enough chilling hours and thus the asparagus crowns/roots don't properly enter dormancy. Although I say that and despite the "climate change", the last few years in Houston have had the coldest winters on record that I remember. Snow used to be a once-every-other-year event, and typically there were only 1-2 weeks of temps in the 30's. The last few years have seen multiple days of snow and 3-4 weeks of temps in the 30's.

I would find out what varieties of Asparagus that Texas A&M is growing here. I believe they've got a patch of Asparagus in Bryan/CS that produces well for them. Maybe check out some of the better (non-chain) nurseries and see if they have some insight.

I built frame out of treated 2x6's laid it on the ground and dug 2 ft. of clay out of the inside of the frame. Then filled to the top of the frame with compost , cow manure and good dirt. [You could use the mushroon dirt.] I would not plant as asparagus in any thing that has a bottom in it as aspargus roots go realy deep.YA can't beat home grown aspargus!!!!
GOOD LUCK WHAT EVER YOU DO! YOPPER

Alamo, frost isn't the problem with asaparagus, too few chilling hours might be. Did'ja get yours where the sales people are knowledgable? IE not WW.

By report there are newer cultivars that require fewer chilling hours...

Tons of it grows in Michigan, in very sandy soil.

Yeah it's a weed in Michigan. :)

It's wild in many northern states I believe. When I was a child my grandmother would take us for a ride to get wild asparagus. She would tell us to watch out the windows and yell when we saw some. I suspect she knew exactly where it was as we never seemed to ride that long without finding some. It WAS quite common to find it growing along the road or in overgrown fields. I still harvest some from my FIL's field. It's been there at least 50 years and probably much longer. I get some tremendous spears. Thick as 2 thumbs, my grandma would say. Sadly I don't see it much along the roads any longer. Probably too much road improvement. Most of the roads were dirt or just oiled at the time(late 1940's and early 50's).
Tom

[quote=alamo5000;193913]If I have 18 crowns, about how much asparagus could I get from that? Assuming that I do everything right.[/quote]

On average you can expect around 1/2 pound per plant +/- and for eating raw, Purple Passion is the only way to go, very sweet.

[quote=feldon30;202579]Yeah it's a weed in Michigan. :)[/quote]

Yes, you can pick it on the roadside in many counties. Morels and Asparagus for breakfast, Mmmmmmmmmm

[quote=grapenut;207695]On average you can expect around 1/2 pound per plant +/- and for eating raw, Purple Passion is the only way to go, very sweet.[/quote]

Yes the purple types are the best for sweetness,ive got the Pacific Purple variety which i grew from seed,i'm fortunately that i live in a remote area so there no other asparagus within five miles, so now that my plants are 6 years old the seed i'm now harvesting seed thats true to type,ive got truck loads of seed pods turning red now if anyone would like some seed to do a trade send me a PM.

So, how is the taste compared to Purple Passion? I had no idea there was another Purple one out there...Cool!

I've grown asparagus at my last two homes. My first attempt I purchased expensive male only hybrid 4 year old premium roots and then planted them too deep (18 inches) and still half of them produced wonderfully for years until I moved. My second attempt was at my current house, I purchased inexpensive "Martha Washington" roots at our hardware store here in town. The roots were 8 per bag for $3.99 and I bought two bags and planted them in 2008. Ours are planted in mostly common garden soil, I added some sand and maybe some compost and planted them about 8 inches deep. Now this Spring, three years later we have picked asparagus three times already this year and it is coming up very well. You will probably do fine just don't pick the first year, only a light picking year two and then pick for about 10 weeks each Spring after that then let it grow into ferns for the remainder of the year. I'm not sure if this method is textbook accurate but it is working well for me in zone 5b Indiana.