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Market Gardener

this year's asparagus

13 years ago

Any asparagus growers out there? Am I the only one whose asparagus is languishing. It emerged about three weeks later than normal and simply is not coming up or growing. Normally it's growing a few inches a day this time of year. I have 700 plants that were gorgeous when winter came. Now I don't think half have come up, and those that have aren't growing. I know it's been cold, wet, and cloudy, but I wonder if it's something else. Maybe I'm just impatient, but I am becoming concerned.

Brook

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Comments (6)

myfamilysfarm
13 years ago
Ours that we planted last year or the year before isn't coming up either. We thought that it died, and have disced some of that area just recently. Hopefully we didn't disc too soon. Others at the market that I attended the last 2 weeks are having trouble also.

Marla
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boulderbelt
13 years ago
Ours is coming up in fits and starts and was a good 2 weeks later than last year. we are getting around 4 pounds a day from 600 plants. st this time last year we were getting around 12 pounds a day from 300 mature plants and 300 3rd year plants.

I blame the cold and the wet and I hope all the plants that have not emerged yet are just being poky and have not drowned in all the rain we have been getting.
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First to Cougiecat; Hold on there! Assume nothing yet, especially that these recommendations for all-male varieties are lies. It ain't so! All the male Jersey varieties produce tiny bell-shaped flowers. This doesn't mean they're female and will produce the dreaded berries. This season, just observe. I'll bet you'll see no females, or very few. BTW, honey bees love those little flowers. :-) To thomis and josie, I have to ask...where did you buy your "Jersey all-male" crowns? From Jersey Asparagus Farms directly, or from a retailer who claimed they were an all male Jersey crown? I suspect the latter. I have no absolutely no relationship with JAF's, but I happen to know they have very strict controls in place and the emergence of female plants in the ratios you claim would never happen with crowns supplied directly from them. If you speak with them, they'll readily admit that an errant bee will cause them an average of 2% error, but never, ever, in the ratios you have experienced. Now, to bobboberan: I loved your post! Keep up keeping up with the 'gus bed! You'll be enjoying yours before long. I picked enough to share with 2 families yesterday, again to share with my daughter's family today, and lots for my sweetie and me to have for the next day or two. And, BTW, these are all-male Jersey Knights...not a female among them!! :-) Regards and best luck to all, Hal
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I never really thought about it and don't recall it ever coming up. I would mostly just eyeball them for healthiness and decide based on that. Are the roots pliable, not brittle and dry? Are they free of mold and not slimy? Then they are probably good to plant.
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I've heard that it's best to start with 1 yo crowns. The reasons are outlined in the link I found below. Here's an excerpt; "Starting asparagus plantings with one-year-old crowns is still the easiest and most popular method used by Eastern and Midwestern U.S. growers. Research has shown that using one-year-old crowns is more economical and higher yielding than using two- and three-year-old crowns. Two-year-old crowns appear to suffer greater transplant shock. Weak crowns have been shown to yield less than plants established from vigorous crowns. Often, two-year-old crowns are weak crowns grown an additional year to obtain additional size." You know, you'll be surprised at how quickly that time will pass and you'll soon be eating the most wonderful asparagus that you can imagine. Besides....2 yo old crowns cost quite a bit more. So just by a few extra crowns and harvest those after the 1st year. If you have the temporary space to spare, it wouldn't take much. Just do it;) Btw, Henry Fields and Johnny's both carry 2 yo crowns. Here is a link that might be useful: Ohio State University Extension
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Comments (7)
Ok thanks a bunch. I am in north east Ohio so it will be getting cold soon. Although it's 75 and sunny today :) perfect day to harvest the last of banana peppers and jalapeños to pickle. I may just leave them for a couple more weeks if the aphids won't permanently damage them. It will Give the lady beetles something to munch on and give the beetles time to mature before I cut the asparagus and compost. I will just go around and spray some of the aphids off. As as for the Kale for some reason it smelled bad like cooked spinach. So that was another reason it was pulled. I have another patch of Kale that is doing well. Thanks again everyone.
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brookw_gw
Original Author
13 years ago
Thanks, I think I knew that all along but reenforcement is at the least comforting. I'm also a little hesitant to give a full harvest to already stressed plants. I think I will fill the orders I have now and call it a year. I just wish the weeds were as stressed and stunted as my crops. They seem to be thriving. Got another inch yesterday. The poor folks at the extreme southern end of our state are really suffering. More and more towns are being evacuated as we speak.
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spogarden
13 years ago
Mine is also late. It has been wet and cold and we are still having frost at night so it is just as well. I see a few poking up but many are still not showing themselves. I am hoping for a nice dinner or two with them soon. I just planted 250 more crowns and will have a hard time waiting the next 2 years.
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boulderbelt
13 years ago
Brook, how's the 'gus doing? in the past 2 days my patch went from a couple of pounds a day to 15 pounds a day. I still have many spots with no growth but more and more spears pop up so I am not worried yet that the spring flooding killed some crowns
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brookw_gw
Original Author
13 years ago
Lucy, I confess I was really worried, having visions of having to replant and start the wait all over again. Thankfully, it is now doing fine. I'd say 75% is up and starting to grow really fast. Due to gas prices, which shot up another 16 cents yesterday, we were trying to pick every other day. That now is impossible. I've grown asparagus for 30 years and never remember it behaving as it did this year.
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