Further asparagus questions

Discussion in 'Planting, growing, nurturing Plants' started by hawkypork, Mar 3, 2010.

  1. hawkypork

    hawkypork Junior Member

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    Hello,

    I posted questions regarding rehabilitating old asparagus. Well the asparagus is going completely off after adding cow manure and drip reticulation.
    I wonder if anyone has any advice about splitting up a vigourous crown to get more next spring?
    Also, it seems that most people dont rate growing asparagus from seed but I seem to recall Jackie French writing that it is the way to go. Any advice there?

    many thanks
    Hawkypork
     
  2. geoff

    geoff Junior Member

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    Hi Hawkypork,

    You can split the crowns by digging them up and cutting them into pieces with sharp secateurs, making sure each piece has at least a couple of live buds in it. Once planted you'll need to leave them for a year before harvest to let them get established.

    I've successfully grown them from seed, but you'll be waiting for 3 years before they get to a stage to be harvested. They germinate well, and from a single packet of seed you can get a lot more crowns for your money than you would buying them already grown. I've currently got some in pots, I grew them up and potted them on for two years, and will be planting them in the ground this winter, where I'll let them grow on for another year. You could probably plant them out after year 1 in the pots and get a year ahead, but it would depend on local conditions and how strongly they grow in the first year in the ground.

    Cheers,
    Geoff
     
  3. ezylala

    ezylala Junior Member

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    oh I see.. thanks Geoff..:) I learned something from your info..
     
  4. bilnrobn

    bilnrobn Junior Member

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    We have Jackie French's "Organic Gardening in Australia", (our gardening bible!), and she doesn't seem to recommend growing from seed. She says exactly what Geoff has said..... you can grow from seed but will need to wait three years for a feed. (We grew from crowns and they seem to have taken three years anyway.) :(

    Bill
     

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