Do asparagus plants have a life expectancy?

[Jinnny]

About 10 to 15 years ago I planted 2-year old asparagus crowns.

I cannot remember what variety they were.

The first year we ate none. The second year we ate a little.

After that we have eaten lots of delicious, large asparagus spears.

But for the last 2 years, we have had few edible spears.

We get a few nice, large spears, but mostly we get thin, spindly spears the size of a pencil or smaller that we let grow into 5-foot high bushy plants.

I am wondering if maybe it is time to dig it up and replant.

Or is it a lack of fertilizer or over crowding or what?

Thanks.

[Westi]

Hi & welcome Jinny! Love your profile pic!

Mine are 15yrs old & I have read the life span is about 20yrs, but diminishing crops for the last few years of it's productive life. I decided to prep a new bed next door to take over so it will be young & in full production when I have to deal with the current bed. My first ones were also crowns & popped up without any issues, but for the last 2 years I have bought crowns for the new bed but with rubbish results (about 90% fail), but planted the same way as the original bed. I have now bought asparagus plants, already 1yr old & grown from seed & still same principal of not taking 1st year & a few 2nd. I can report all these plants have been successful & I didn't have to dig anything more than a hole to put the plants in & will obviously mulch them well with something that will give the soil a boost over winter.

In fact I bought a few more to replace 3 of the old bed's as well that were pants this year & gave nothing of worth. So I'm going to have 2 asparagus beds for the future, that is fine as I like asparagus & I think they pay for the lottie if you factor in the costs in the supermarkets! (Except if I factor in the cost of the crown failures)!

[sally wright]

Dear Jinny,
it may well be time to consider replanting a new bed of crowns and now is the time to order them. I would go for an all male hybrid as they will give larger harvests.

That said what are you going to do until the new ones are ready to harvest? If you have some liquid feed and the tops are still green on the plants you have now I would consider putting on two or three applications of that over the next few weeks. In the spring of 2020 I would not harvest any spears to allow the crowns a rest and continue feeding during the summer and see if that helps for 2021. Not a lot else to do really as splitting them will cause a gap in harvesting as well. Either way you will have to buy spears next year; but you will appreciate your own so much more in 2021!

Regards Sally Wright.

[Stephen]

BTTT:
I have ordered some new crowns and will establish a new bed.

The books suggest putting some sand in the hillocks which you create when preparing the bed. Obviously, this needs to be free from salt, what do I need to specify when speaking to the builders' merchant?

Any tips and helpful suggestions are welcome. The plot is on a slope and is clay over chalk. I do have lots of manure which will be incorporated.

[oldherbaceous]

Stephen, the type of sand you need is called screeding sand...not plastering sand or bricklaying sand...I think it is mostly dug out of quarries, so can't see it would be a problem regarding the salt....well I have never heard of it being a problem before.

[sally wright]

Dear Stephen,
asparagus comes from coastal areas and will tolerate more salt than most plants; indeed some sources recommend sprinkling a little over the plants to improve growth and flavour. Some of the redder coloured sands may have too much iron which is not good for asparagus as it acidifies things; but other than that any sand will do.
Regards Sally Wright.

[Stephen]

Thank you both. It may also have some exposure to the elements before the crowns arrive!