Asparagus

[ron]

I put 1 year asparagus crowns in at the end of march and have not yet seen any spears comming out. Should I be worried yet?

[pigletwillie]

Hi Ron, mine went out 1st week in April and I have just a few showing. Dont panic, they are probably girding their loins for the big push and getting rooted.

[Jennifer]

I wouldn't worry yet Ron. I have an established bed and have been picking asparagus every night for the last week. Next door to it is another bed where I planted some seedlings a couple of years ago. Only one survived last year and this year nothing has shown above ground yet. I got worried at the weekend and started poking in the soil to see what I could find and there was at least one spear just a little under the soil surface so I covered it up again. The different plants in the first bed are all emerging at different times and some of those are only just coming through now.
Just wait and I'm sure they'll be through before very long.
Jennifer

[arthur e]

Ron. sowed ( compo!) Connovers Colossus seed last year and the seedlings were dispersed some in the garden some in the tunnel, The ones in the garden do not show anything yet ,But the ones in the tunnel are shooting away ,one of them is now 5 foot 7inches high, I dont know if I have done something right or wrong. I havent taken any for the kitchen as the info say,s not to take any in the first couple of years.

[mandylew]

This has happened to me too, I was wondering whether i had put them too deep@ about 6".Connovers colossal I grew from seed 3 yrs ago we are eating now, so i was sure I had done something wrong?

[ron]

I put also put mine, Connovers colossal, in about 6" deep, but that was what I had been advised to do. Still no signs yet.

[ron]

I now have two very thin, very green, tips showing through. I hope this isn't all I'll get from 20 crowns!!

[Tigger]

My first attempt at setting out an asparagus bed was a total failure, but the second time resulted in success and now we're awash with the lovely stuff.

They're definitely not the easiest thing to get going, but worth trying a second time.

You could try buying a few first year crowns in fern and transplanting them, just to get as head start, whilst the seeds get established.