Growing asparagus

[Herbidacious]

Has anyone grown asparagus? If so do/did you think it's worth it?

I'd have to build a dedicated raised bed, but that's not really a problem.

[scullion]

i tried it some years back - either our soil didn't suit or the slugs had a more up-market meal than usual.

[TeresaFoodie]

I always fancied it because I asparagus but research has always hinted that it is a tough, time consuming and expensive veg to grow so I have never tried. Good luck if you do have a go!

[StokeySue]

My Dad's friend from just up the road gave us a lovely bundle of asparagus for my 21st birthday, grown in his garden

So Dad prepared a bed, ordered crowns from the same supplier, and planted them

A total and unmitigated disaster, Dad had few of those, but this was one

I've been a bit nervous about it ever since

[suffolk]

I planted an asparagus bed once a long time ago ... then 13 year old son, in an effort to get back into his Mama's good books, dug over her vegetable bed for her ... as a surprise ... ... he also pulled up the dead stick things at the other end of the veg patch ... that was the black currant bushes gone too then ... he was so pleased with himself and he had dug it all very nicely
I've not bothered since ... there's lots of lovely locally grown asparagus around here

[earthmaiden]

My mother had a few plants amongst the flower borders and got enough for a few good meals every year.

Isn't there something about having to wait several years for the first crop?

[Luca]

Yes, that rings a bell em. My mother, a keen gardener, was unable to succeed in a big crop but we managed a few meals a year for the two of us on occasion. She did mention something about the years it took!

[suffolk]

Oh yes, you don't get your first harvest until the bed is at least 3 years old ... if you crop them before that you'll weaken the crowns and get nothing the following year. And for the first few years after that you only take a few ... it's a long term project

[StokeySue]

Dad's didn't even produce leaves, apart from a few scruffy bits, I wonder in retrospect if they were infested with something like vine weevils (no treatment for them then I suspect)

[Herbidacious]

[Herbidacious]

I am prepared to wait. I waited two years for my rhubarb. In fact, waiting is almost appealing. I am not sure where I would put it though, now I think about it. The bottom half of my garden is possibly too shady, and I am not sure I want a vegetable bed in the top half. Need to cut down some trees... (My neighbour certainly does His behemoth has grown massively this year and has put our very big garden in shade. Last year the entire lawn was bathed in sunlight in the summer. Now only the top and bottom few feet. And he made us get our twig-like eucalyptus cut down. Anyway...)

It would probably be ok in in the bed where the rhubarb is, but I would have to take the rhubarb out.

[TeresaFoodie]

[suffolk]

It made me chuckle too .... eventually

He still gets reminded of it from time to time

[Zosherooney]

My Dad did plant a large area in Asp. eventually gave up, and ploughed them back in...... little return for a lot of effort. I did buy a couple of crowns but they eventually 'disappeared'. My rhubarb is splendid and I get loads from two plants. Lots of my local neighbours benefit

Good Luck Herb !

[Badger's mate]

It's a debate at home. Do I need a third plot, for a polytunnel, asparagus bed and a lot of strawberries.

Likewise the keeping of chickens, the 'Voice of Reason' prevails...

As Suffs says, plenty of good locally grown asparagus. We gorge upon it in season, don't eat it the rest of the year

[Herbidacious]

I am toying with this idea again. I currently have two 1.5m square raised beds one being taken up by rhubarb (could move some and give away the rest) and the other reserved for annual vegetables. I now have room for either two more raised beds for a small polytunnel/polythene greenhouse. So I could fit asparagus into this scheme. One web site says 10-12 plants per person. I couldn't manage that many (20-24) in one of these raised beds. Hmm... OH is quite keen which is almost a contradiction in terms where garden/food matters are concerned!

edit: probably left it too late for this year unless they come back into stock for autumn planting.