[kingnigel]

hi all
i have planted some first year asparagus,
what i would like to know is, when the shoots come up do they look like very thin asparagus spears and also how tall are they when they open up and start to look like a fern.
thanks kn

[darkbrowneggs]

Yes - they look like very thin asparagus at first, and then open up starting around 15", and first year make around 3ft ish.  When mature they can reach around 5-6 ft if well looked after, but you will need to put supports and strings to stop the wind rocking them

When the fronds turn yellow/brown cut down to just below the surface and top dress with well rotted compost.
If (unlike me) you can keep the slugs off them you can cut lightly in the next season, but as a rule of thumb (or rather finger) don't cut anything thinner than your finger

Watch out for asparagus beetle early in the season, and pick off and squash any you see before they get a hold.  If you have missed them the plants will be covered with cobwebby looking stuff at the ends with nasty black caterpillars which destroy the ends of the fronds weakening the plants.

All the best
Sue

[Plantoid]

I sprayed my adult asparagus ferns with soapy water made from a weak  Fairy solution. it stopped the beetles  PDQ .

we didnt harvest any spears the first year after planting out our home grown three year old crowns and planted them out in a special raised bed 2 foot high by 12 foot long by 4 foot  wide bed  made of mortared bricks on a concrete wall foundation  infilled with a Number 3  John Innes type  medium the we  made ourselves .

This is to let the  roots  set themselves and develop the fine hairs on the root for effective feeding  . The next yeat we had faboulous  spears and also harvested  some fern for flower decorations & button holes  for our wedding .

[kingnigel]

hi thanks for the replies.
we had what looked like asparagus stems, but they opened up to look like ferns when they were only 2 or 3 inches tall so now i am thinking that they might be weeds.
i will wait a bit longer to see if any thing else comes.
kn

[dizzy1pig]

if they look like ferns, then they are asparagus....
just like the fern you buy for in the house...
they should be left as this is how they bulk up DO NOT cut

[kingnigel]

hi dizzy1pig
even though they are only 2 to 3 inches tall.
kn

[dizzy1pig]

i grew mine from seed and thats exactly what they are like..
have patience.. approx 3 years worth.

[Plantoid]

hi dizzy1pig
even though they are only 2 to 3 inches tall.
kn

Yep exactly like those little ferns..  usually if grown from seed you let them stay put for thre years so they develop the root system then transplant them and harvest the next year but don't take everything.

If you already have them as three year old crowns  keep them watered &weeded to get the roots going  deep down and enjoy the first few spears next year.

A reasonably looked after bed will last  around 20 years

[kingnigel]

thanks for that
it looks like only 1 stem is growing from each plant is that normal
kn

[Plantoid]

thanks for that
it looks like only 1 stem is growing from each plant is that normal
kn

 Yes to start with , the plant sends out underground  growths that come up through the soil as the spears once the plant is established .

 google " Aasparagus plant  " and see if you can locate piccies by clicking the images  button  some where to the  high left of your screen.

 In the images I found a decent piccy at the bottom right of the page showing a crown with a spade at the side from askorganic.co.uk
I'll see If I can easily photobucket it for you .


 A three year old crown


Setting a row of crowns


 this size approx 20 days on from planting about 5 inches high



 Established crowns after the harvest season which usually is the month of May  leave it to grow and develop the plant


Thre are all sorts of advice  sites on line for your to peruse it further.

 Oh.. one last thing ... I'd recommend that you cut up a nine inch plant pot or two ( as many as needed )  to make a open ended ring pot some 2 inches in heigjht  and place this around the asparagus crowns so you know where you have planted them until a couple of years have passed and you have diligently kept the  bed weed free ..it saves  you pulling out the plants thinking they are weeds.