asparagus

farmerjan

Super Self-Sufficient
Joined
Mar 12, 2017
Messages
1,144
Reaction score
3,478
Points
232
Location
Shenandoah Valley, Va
If there are more than 3 spears from a crown, and the spear is at least finger size, it actually is good to harvest sparsely so that there are not too many spears trying to grow and then go to ferns... it will deplete the roots a little actually, before they actually will feed the crowns. I agree with not "harvesting" a crop but a meal would not hurt if there are a couple of size from each crown...
 

CrealCritter

Sustainability Master
Joined
Jul 16, 2017
Messages
10,643
Reaction score
19,834
Points
377
Location
Zone 6B or 7 can't decide
I checked on the asparagus this morning. There's a lot of pencil or smaller diameter sized spears coming up, very few the diameter of a sharpie or larger. Some planted crowns have not sent up spears at all yet, I suspect they will soon though.

I plan on side dressing both sides of the row with barn limed cow manure scrapings from the cattle run-in it needs to be cleaned out anyways. This should feed the roots well with each rain. It's still a little early in the season for asparagus. But thankful for signs of life in the bed.

Jesus is Lord and Christ 🙏❤️🇺🇸
 

CrealCritter

Sustainability Master
Joined
Jul 16, 2017
Messages
10,643
Reaction score
19,834
Points
377
Location
Zone 6B or 7 can't decide
Asparagus update...

So the early spears got hit with hard freeze and wilted and died back. Had I known, I could have cut some for supper. But crowns are sending up new spears again so that's good. Pretty tough plants that's for sure. I'll harvest sparingly next spring.

Plan is to scrape out the cattle run in and spread out over the bed, sometime next month would be good. If weeds are bad I may do a shallow till along the sides and hand pull up around the ferns, before spreading out cattle scrapings. The I'll just continue to build up the bed with whatever organic matter I can scrape together and apply when the ferns go dormant. I could stand a halfway decent wood chipper, perhaps one might come along.
IMG_20230406_150002726~2.jpg


Jesus is Lord and Christ 🙏❤️🇺🇸
 

R2elk

Almost Self-Reliant
Joined
Jan 25, 2021
Messages
298
Reaction score
1,005
Points
165
Location
Natrona County, Wyoming
Asparagus update...

So the early spears got hit with hard freeze and wilted and died back. Had I known, I could have cut some for supper. But crowns are sending up new spears again so that's good. Pretty tough plants that's for sure. I'll harvest sparingly next spring.

Plan is to scrape out the cattle run in and spread out over the bed, sometime next month would be good. If weeds are bad I may do a shallow till along the sides and hand pull up around the ferns, before spreading out cattle scrapings. The I'll just continue to build up the bed with whatever organic matter I can scrape together and apply when the ferns go dormant. I could stand a halfway decent wood chipper, perhaps one might come along.
View attachment 23089

Jesus is Lord and Christ 🙏❤️🇺🇸
At first picking of the early shoots that happen before the end of freezing temps, I do take all shoots big enough to eat because they will freeze back and be lost anyway.

Once killing frosts are over, I leave the young plants alone. I have not noticed any loss of young plants by doing it this way. Whether I harvest the shoot or the frost gets it, the plant recovers for me.
 

CrealCritter

Sustainability Master
Joined
Jul 16, 2017
Messages
10,643
Reaction score
19,834
Points
377
Location
Zone 6B or 7 can't decide
At first picking of the early shoots that happen before the end of freezing temps, I do take all shoots big enough to eat because they will freeze back and be lost anyway.

Once killing frosts are over, I leave the young plants alone. I have not noticed any loss of young plants by doing it this way. Whether I harvest the shoot or the frost gets it, the plant recovers for me.
Thank You for the info 👍

Jesus is Lord and Christ 🙏❤️🇺🇸
 

CrealCritter

Sustainability Master
Joined
Jul 16, 2017
Messages
10,643
Reaction score
19,834
Points
377
Location
Zone 6B or 7 can't decide
I would say we had a very high crown survival transplant rate from last fall. I seen 2 skips but little spears poking up so many 100% success rate. Hopefully you can see the ferns popping up in the row. Some are nearly 5 foot tall, the largest being, maybe slightly smaller in diameter than my pinky finger. Hopefully they grow well this summer and I'll be able to harvest sparingly early next spring.
IMG_20230414_184703059.jpg
IMG_20230414_184703059.jpg


Jesus is Lord and Christ 🙏❤️🇺🇸
 

CrealCritter

Sustainability Master
Joined
Jul 16, 2017
Messages
10,643
Reaction score
19,834
Points
377
Location
Zone 6B or 7 can't decide
Supposed to harvest April through May, it's March 17th, so about 2 weeks ahead of schedule. Martha Washington has a sweet nutty taste and is way different than store-bought. My opinion... Martha Washington grown from seed is most definitely worth the effort, it's what I remember asparagus tasting like 👍
Screenshot_20240317_170220_Messages.jpg


Jesus is Lord and Christ ✝️
 
Top