Kitchen Garden Forum

Hi - my nearly 2 year old asparagus bed suffers geatly from a strong wind on my allotment. The stems just bend over. I have tried using canes,but they are no match for the numerous stems. I am considering putting up a windbreak. Has anyone else had a similar problem? I was expecting asparagus to be self supporing.
many thanks arwin

Have you not cut it down as is usual in Autumn?

I got told off for cutting mine down too early but I've now found a source of sea weed dressing on top of my usual manure, so expect the ultimate crop in June.

I was told to cut them down when they changed colour in the autumn.

Yes, you need to cut it right down to the ground now anyway. When mine grows tall in the summer I put a series of canes around the bed and wind a couple of rows of string around them to support the stems.
If it's two years old you can cut some in the spring. Yum yum!

That's what I do too Jenny (string and canes, I mean). If they get very tall, I also bend over the tops and weave them in and out of each other (you'll have to use your imagination here) to make them more stable.

Maybe I'll have mastered the posting of photos by this summer!

What a good idea! (Weaving the stems, I mean.)

Ooh! Tigger, that's a very innovative idea. Like it a lot.