Kitchen Garden Forum

Earlier this year I planted 3 asparagus crowns in large containers, one little one appeared in one container (top Centre of pic). I was wondering if it would be ok to plant something in the same container over winter for example cabbage or broccoli?
Jan

Hi Jan!

Leave this one little guy grow & produce wispy leaves/fronds which should get quite tall by the end of the year. When these yellow then cut them down & top up the soil with some mulch. Don't grow anything else in there as even though the crown is dormant it wakes up pretty early & does not like interference on it's journey up next year. BTW do you grow just at home or have a plot?

I have to be honest & advise that over the 20yrs+ of growing the crowns build up & out on themselves, so they don't do that well in containers after a few years. I had to raise & edge my outdoor plot beds last year as my plants are nearing 18yrs & crown planted deep initially but the last couple of years I was only getting skinny asparagus as the crown grew it's way up. (The site asparagus guru on my site told me this). I can report it has worked, a few skinny this year, but definitely an improved harvest.

Thanks Westi. I have a small back garden crammed with containers. I like to try things out. Just planted a elder and cobnut in containers, the nursery said they can be grown in containers so giving it a go.
Jan

The problem with growing fruit/nut "trees" or large fruit bushes in containers is the continual risk of them becoming potbound so your plant investments are always bound to be short term and you risk not getting"much bang fo your buck"
Its lovely to experiment and look forward to the results but I wonder sometimes if the nursery sellers arnt setting people up for disappointment with some of the plants they try to sell (having experimented unsuccessfully myself with various things over the years! Still that,s the thing about gardening. There,s always room for experimenting and unexpected success.

But i suspect Westi is right about letting your asparagus grow alone. It can be a hungry plant and likes its space, even though to a gardener a bare space seems a wasted area, especially when growing space is limited! We're nearly all guilty of trying to cram in as much as possible!