Thanks, Janet. I might go out and take a picture for you to look at.

The confusing thing is that our parcel is 10 acres (think of all that room for daylilies!) of a 100-acre spread that hasn't been farmed in many, many years. The owner/widow died about five years ago, so I can't imagine anyone would have planted this asparagus since then. It's really in the middle of nowhere.

What happens if you have a patch that goes untended and unharvested for some time? Or is there such a thing as wild asparagus?

One last question -- should I cut it back now, or let it go?

Thanks! Chris

I'd say that if the asparagus was mowed off in the middle of the year it'd grow back shorter. I'd also be willing to bet that over a period of time doing that each year the stalks would get spindly. If your plants are in a row it was definately planted at some point in time. If it's hodge podge here and there it's seedlings.

Asparagus will come up wherever a bird drops a seed. My father has some in a fence row that I know has been there 30 years.

I'm cutting mine back now just because I had the labor available this week. You could wait until several freezes have killed the top growth and do it then or if you just can't get to it until spring I'd make it one of my first garden chores because it's one of the first vegetables that you'll see coming on.

No one plants asparagus just because it looks like a fun thing to grow. Digging the trench takes effort and waiting for your first harvest and not taking too much takes patience. A little care though sure will make some good future eating.

Janet

You know, I bet it did get mowed over during the summer. We bought the land through an auction, and I'm pretty sure they mowed the fields so people could walk the properties prior to the sale.

Most of the asparagus does appear to grow in a long row, but I've noticed random plants all over. Must be those littering birds!

Think I'll cut it back now before it gets too cold. I always wanted an asparagus patch, but never had the patience to wait a few years for the harvest.

Thanks a million, Janet.

Janet definitely knows what she's talking about :)

I planted & grew asaparagus quite a few years ago. The patch always did very well while under my care for many years. I used to sprinkle salt on the patch every year - heard that it helped keep the weeds down & the asparagus liked it. It sure didn't seem to hurt it!!!
Anyway, after divorcing, the ex did not take care of it too well and mowed it down all the time, so the patch basically no longer exists. There's still some spindley stuff that comes up, but nothing worth cutting.

Boy was that some good eating, though :~)
Funny thing, but everytime I would cut it, my Beagle would walk along with me & eat the scraps (the tough ends I would snip off as I cut). Who would think that a dog would like raw asparagus!!! But then Beagles like many veggies - she also liked green beans, cucumbers & sweet corn straight from the garden. She picked her own sweet corn - she'd walk down the row & smell each ear until she found the one she wanted. Then she'd take it into the yard and holding it with her front paws, she'd shuck it with her teeth. Then she'd start eating & she could clean that cob off better than any person - wouldn't leave one single kernel :)

Back to the subject, I'd say your asparagus just needs a little TLC.

Tammy

Don't know that I would recommend sprinkling salt regularly on the patch. Although it certainly does work as armies of the past used to salt the fields of the conquered to starve them out, I'd be scared that the build up of the salts would come back to haunt me at some point in the future. I am going to try a layer of mulch this year. Our trash dump down here grinds up tree trimmings etc. and gives the mulch away free. I put some on my blackberries and it sure helped with the weeds and watering this year. I'm going to try a few inches on the asparagus and see if I can keep the foxtail, hogweeds and smartweed down this year.

Janet