The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Growing => Vegetables => Topic started by: Sudanpan on November 26, 2015, 06:37:40 pm

Title: My polytunnel asparagus has started sending up spears again....
Post by: Sudanpan on November 26, 2015, 06:37:40 pm

So - what should I do with the spears? Cut them off or allow them to grow?
Thanks in advance  :thumbsup:

Title: Re: My polytunnel asparagus has started sending up spears again....
Post by: cloddopper on November 27, 2015, 11:00:09 pm

I was reading fairly recently ( The times week end editions perhaps ) that  these spears can be viable ones.
Evidently it all depended of when you set the crown in the ground and how /when the first harvest were taken off .
 It is being practiced by commercial growers here in the UK with tunnel grown stuff .
 I can't remember if if knackers the plant though or if they beft a percentage of the spears to grow on ten cut the ferns as normal & give a final high potash compost covering a few weeks after cutting the ferns .

  You may find some of the big seed houses are sell two crops a year asparagus crowns ..could be worth a look at a few for more info .

Title: Re: My polytunnel asparagus has started sending up spears again....
Post by: Carse Goodlifers on November 28, 2015, 09:17:26 am

I would be inclined to leave them alone and not pick them.
If the temperatures drop (even within the tunnel) then the crowns will take back all the energy from the spears.