Thanks for the video and for being so direct about the upfront work required. I tried growing asparagus a few times in the past, but just planting them in the ground as I would a tomato plant, and getting no results. I thought it was because of the consistency of my soil, which looks just like your's. This year I am trying it your way. I only started eating asparagus about 20 years ago when I lived in a region of Germany where the asparagus harvest season is major event. All the restaurants service it as the main course, not a side dish. One particular hotel had a special where everything from the cocktails to the dessert was made from asparagus. There was a week long asparagus that culminated in crowning an asparagus queen. But there we mostly ate white aspagus, which was sold at the stores with corresponding grade levels.
Allen, thank you so much for this fascinating comment. About 15 years ago, a friend gifted me with some German White Asparagus which she had had imported from Germany for one of her clients. They are the biggest asparagus in my garden. I hope you are successful this planting, because there truly is nothing like fresh cut asparagus from the garden. Again, thank you for the comment.
Thankyou for this video..I have planted mine in large pots and they did well last year..I have moles that ate the ones from the 1st time I tried..I had to use tomato cage ..they grew tall & beautiful..be blessed & safe✝️🙏
Thank you this video was very clear concise and informative delivered in an very easy to understand and follow format very nicely done keep up the great work this topic is so important these days
Phubblewubb, you should intersperse some new roots with your old.. Since you might not know the variety of your old roots, I would suggest some Purple Passion or other purple cultivar. The sprouts have a little purple at the tips, but they are not totally purple. We have them on our website at harvesting-history.com
Thanks for the information. I learned a lot. I started a bed of asparagus this year and am excited to get it established for harvesting in a couple years.
You are soooooo informative thank you so much for this info I will continue to watch you.. thank you sooo much I'm also going to order from u instead of online
Donlu Dela Brew, several people have commented and they seem to be getting larger each year. That grouping is 10+ years old. Please visit our website, www.harvesting-history.com/ for more info and lots of products.
Nadrian, thank you for both comments.. There is little that we can do about the volume because of our location, but the asparagus video was pretty bad.
Thank you so much for sharing your wisdom and knowledge. You seem very passionate about sharing what you know and I am so excited to plant my asparagus this year. We bought 5 crowns from our local greenhouse. I had no idea that Jersey Knight (giant) got so big! I didn't know that asparagus got that big. I hope it tastes good. PS. I'm gonna dig my trench by hand. It only needs to be 5 feet long so it will probably only take 10 minutes. Glutton for punishment indead! Haha
Textkestrel, thank you for the comment and for taking the time to watch our video. However, your trench needs to be 8 feet long, 18 inches deep and 15 inches wide for your 5 asparagus roots. I once dug a trench by hand and I congratulate you on your dedication, but it is going to take longer than 10 minutes. It will be worth it though.
bbrjch, Thank you for your comment and for subscribing. I hope you continue to enjoy our videos. We invite you to visit our Harvesting History website and/or sign up for our newsletters where you will find more information about your horticultural heritage and how to grow and nourish your seeds and plants.
Wow, that's some crazy facts! Thanks for sharing all that info. Great job. Just fascinating. I've got more respect for asparagus now, lol. Going to your site for the hook up!
Thanks madam, for a very nice video! I just ordered 20 Jersey varieties and am going to plant them as soon as they arrive. Isn't 15-18" too deep? It means the spears have to grow that much from the crown before reaching the surface and then 8-10" before ready for harvesting. When harvesting, you leave the lower part of the spears below the surface behind which will just die out. Isn't it a waste? We are not supposed to dig when harvesting since it may damage other spears.
Depends on the Hardiness Zone and the hours of sunlight. If you live in Hardiness Zone 7 or higher and the sun is on the plants between 9:00 AM and 3:00 PM, then yes.
Wesley, you are very welcome. Please visit our website, www.harvesting-history.com/ or sign up for our newsletter on the homepage of our website for more horticultural history and growing information.
i planted jersey giant and 8 years later up 30 shoots per crown sticking out of the ground looking at you at one time ,, it's a wonderful sight. ,,but like she said you must wait and wait
I wish I would have seen your video first , all the other videos say to make a trench 8 inchs deep and 8 to 12 inchs wide , and they said nothing about mounding the sprouts every two weeks as they grow ... thank you much for your video , but I already planted my asparagus .... just wish I would have seen your video first .
Nice discussion, feel like I can do asparagus now but curious to see a video on harvesting the seed or letting it go to seed. And also how the stores harvest the 1 year and 2 year roots gardeners purchase to get there asparagus growing 🤔
Sam, Harvesting the seed is easy. The seed is contained in bright red, pea-sized balls which appear in late summer or early fall. It is best to let the balls fall off and then dry a little before removing the seeds and planting them. Asparagus roots are grown commercially in some areas of the Midwest. They are usually produced on small farms and dug up using farm equipment. Hope this helps a little.
Thank you for your comment. If you are interested in more info about gardening and our horticultural history, please sign up for our newsletter. The sign-up is located at the bottom at the bottom of this page; harvesting-history.com
Nice and informative video. I think I'll make an asparagus bed and see how it turns out. Just bought a house and plan on staying awhile. Can I plant both strains in the same bed or will one take over the other?
Downtime, It is a great idea to plant the different strains in one bed. I do not know why this is true, but I do know that it is true that asparagus seem to do better when different strains are included in one bed. Great question.
Excellent video. Thank you so much! I have some questions: 1. We planted our asparagus some years ago but they don't seem to spread out to the areas between the original trenches. Do they need that space between to support the crowns in each trench? Or would I be okay to add new trenches between the originals to get some more crowns started. 2. There are some pretty nice asparagus plants growing wild near us that have probably been producing there for decades. If I were to dig some up and replant them, would you expect them to start up again like new roots? Or if they are that old, are they already nearing the end of their productive lives? Thanks for your kindness in providing all this wonderful advice!
Used Anew, Thank you for the heartwarming compliment. It was very much appreciated. With Question #1, it depends on how much room there is between your trenches.. Crown to crown should be no less than 2 feet. Asparagus rarely "spread out" unless their seeds germinate in the surrounding soil. If you have the room between trenches, then go ahead. Question #2, I would be reticent to dig up the wild asparagus. The roots are going to be old and may not be sturdy. Asparagus, in general, last 30 years. The 'wild asparagus' originated from the seeds contained in the red berries the plants produce in the late summer or fall. It would certainly be interesting to dig up 1-2 roots and see how they do. Hope this helps.
@@harvestinghistoryllc3161 Thanks again. That was a quick response! Our asparagus bed shares space witH quackgrass and other weeds that have gotten out of hand. We typically harvest, then use the trimmer to keep the intruders under control, but can’t help thinking the competition may be reducing our yield. Short of attempting to pull every competitor, is there a time of year and an environmentally friendly option for killing the competition without damage to the asparagus?
Used Anew, the time of year is any time, but after the sprouts have emerged is probably best. "Hands and knees" are the best implements for controlling those weeds. What works best for me if it is possible for you is to soak your trenches for 12 hours, usually overnight, and then weed in the morning. Weeding takes on a whole different aspect when you do it this way. I always use my Hori-Hori, Japanese Gardening Knife, to get as much of the roots as possible, but the real winner is soaking those beds overnight.
@@harvestinghistoryllc3161 Always looking for a simpler solution than the work of doing all that weeding, but alas, I suspected that would be the case before I asked. Soaking the ground overnight is something I wouldn't have thought of though, so thank you once again for your informative answer. Take care!
Greetings from Puerto Rico, I just got to see your video today because I was looking for information about how to plant asparagus. I have two questions, first, what kind of mycorrhizal fungi are you using? Second, what would happen if I plant 20 crowns in an 8' by 32" bed? I ask because I just bought 20 crowns and the space I have is 8 feet long by 33 inches wide.
Dana, you should plant the roots no closer than 18 inches crown to crown. The crown is that tiny mass at the center of the spider-like roots. It is where the roots and the spears grown from. Hope this helps.
You're a good teacher. Thank you. Would you have any insight as to how pH sensitive asparagus may be? My soil is naturally rather acidic so a root planted at 18 in, even if amended at planting time will probably become acidic after a few years.
tc, sorry for the delayed response. Asparagus is not too sensitive to the pH in the soil. If you are concerned, mulch each fall with compost or fresh manure. That will help moderate the pH.
Jacob, it's the crown, the cluster at the center of the roots, that you need to be concerned about. If the crown was on top of the roots then you have nothing to worry about. If the crown was on the bottom of the roots, (facing downward) then here is what will happen. The sprouts will emerge from the crown (headed downward), bend around the crown and head for the surface. Some may not be successful and you may get fewer sprouts. Hopefully over the course of the summer and fall the crown, with the help of the mature asparagus fronds pulling on it, will be able to reposition itself diagonally and then things will be fine.
Very informative thank you! Do you know how long the dried roots will last out of the ground? I have a rented home currently but I don’t want to plant until I’m in a long term place, I’m wondering if they will last a few years before planting?
You never mentioned watering. I am interested in planting asparagus where there is no irrigation available, perhaps in shaded areas. But, it they won't survive without supplemental watering, I won't bother planting. Thoughts?
Ken, asparagus are fairly drought resistant. If you dig your trenches deep enough (at least 15-18 inches) you should have no trouble. It is your remark about shade that concerns me. With the exception of Hardiness Zones 8-10 asparagus require full sun in order to flourish.
Can you plant asparagus next to onions or potatoes? I just planted my asparagus beds BUT I was planning on putting my onions (not in the rows) but next to the bed. Also my potatoes next to the onions!
How late can I plant asparagus? My old bed finally died after 20+ years but here it is the end of May and it’s been so wet here I haven’t been able to plant anything! I live in zone 6.
Hunter, you can plant asparagus as late as mid-July. The critical factor is the condition of your roots. I hope you have roots now, because you will not find them for sale at this time of year. You did the right thing by not planting the roots in constantly wet soil. If you roots have not begun to get moldy, you are fine. I would take them out of the packaging they are in and plant them in a small pot, shallow if possible or half filled with soil otherwise. If they are slightly moldy, cut the mold off, let the roots dry for a day and plant them in the pots. One root per pot. When the soil dries out, get them planted ASAP.
I got a set of 3 from Wal-Mart 2 years ago. I tried to plant them today but found the roots were brittle and broke when I tried to see spread them over the ridge. I put soil over them anyway. Am I wasting my time?
I would be surprised if those two year old roots, still in the temporary packaging, would still be viable. They probably dried up and were dead. But at least now you have a planting bed ready for a fresh set of crowns. That you will plant right away. ;)
Jersey Giant or Jersey knight varieties produce fat spears. Mary Washington produces thin spears. Really old crowns (older than 25 years) may produce thinner spears because they are reaching the end of their lives and are weaker.
What do I do with shoot that grows from each plant while I’m waiting for the plant to mature for two plus years? Right now they look like small bushes.
Sandra Hall leave them be. They are gaining energy from the fronds. Cut them back in the winter. Then put compost on the bed to feed the roots and in spring add more before they start growing. Just repeat this cycle and you will be eating lots of asparagus.
I have the property but don't have the money or a lot of time. My property is pretty fertile so I figured I would just dig a hole for each one. I then put soil in each hole with each root. The babies are 2 months old and about 7 inches high. So I guess at this point I do not know what to do. Because I did not dig the hole deep enough to keep adding soil.
How deep was your hole? If it was 6-12 inches deep, you can either build a raised bed around them and fill the bed each fall with manure or if you don't have the money for that, just heap manure on your bed each fall. Make the manure mulch at least 4-6 inches deep. You will be OK.
Derick, I hope you are kidding, but if you aren't, you need to dig them up. Sometimes, they find their way to the surface when planted upside down, but not often.
Can you eat those side shoots? Also, how do you propagate asparagus? I know there are seeded varietys and seedless. But can you split a an established crown in two?
You can eat those side shoots, but they do not have much flavor and are woody in texture even though they are very thin. There are 2 ways to propagate asparagus: you can split the crowns as you suggest and in the fall asparagus will produce little red fruit balls. You can plant these balls and they will produce asparagus plants. They need to be planted shallow, like 2 inches and the eventually planted deeper.
Yes, Binyamin, the Mary Washington Asparagus are pencil thin. The Jersey Giant/Jersey Knight are thicker but not woody and the Purple asparagus are between the Mary Washington and Jersey asaparagus in thickness. The purple asparagus are slightly sweeter than other asparagus.
Binyamin, I don't know of a business that sells Jersey Giant Asparagus seeds. Jersey Giant asparagus are usually sold as roots which are available in the early spring, January-May. Harvesting History is located in North Carolina. I live with my husband near Cobleskill, NY.
@@harvestinghistoryllc3161 Yeah. I dug them up and replanted them. My wife was laughing non-stop for a while. First time planted something came in root form. LoL.
Aviator, you are a winner. You made your wife laugh and you learned something, but the biggest thing of all is that you took the initiative to learn how to plant asparagus roots. Yay for you!
More Than a Conqueror, the wonderful thing about Nature is that it has the amazing ability to adapt. "Spidering" the roots is an example of "Best Practices", but it is not the only way to plant asparagus. The riots will strengthen the crown even if they are squished together. What you should do is dig up your plants in the fall and spider them and plant them deeper. Give them this spring and summer to flourish and then correct the situation in the fall. They and you will do well.
Crazydave, some of us are lazy, like me or old, like me. Unless you have unbelievable soil it is going to take longer than a day to dig this 15 foot long by 18 inches wide by 18-24 inches deep trench. I enjoyed every dollar I spent on the backhoe and when it was done I didn't need a single advil. Thanks for your comment.
I love the way she assumed that I have better use of my time.
Thank you so much Barb, just bought some today at Walmart and did not know what I was doing. Your video was very informative and helpful.
Brenda, Glad we could be helpful. hank you for the kind comment.
Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge... I thought is was very informative. Pretty excited about starting my patch here in Washington State. 😊
Washington State is a great place to grow asparagus. I wish you much success.
Incredible! I've never seen a finer specimen, thank you so much for sharing your knowledge with us!
Mark, thank you and thank you for taking your time to view our Harvesting History video.
You're a great teacher!
Thank you, Bash. You must be a great listener!
Thanks for the video and for being so direct about the upfront work required. I tried growing asparagus a few times in the past, but just planting them in the ground as I would a tomato plant, and getting no results. I thought it was because of the consistency of my soil, which looks just like your's. This year I am trying it your way. I only started eating asparagus about 20 years ago when I lived in a region of Germany where the asparagus harvest season is major event. All the restaurants service it as the main course, not a side dish. One particular hotel had a special where everything from the cocktails to the dessert was made from asparagus. There was a week long asparagus that culminated in crowning an asparagus queen. But there we mostly ate white aspagus, which was sold at the stores with corresponding grade levels.
Allen, thank you so much for this fascinating comment. About 15 years ago, a friend gifted me with some German White Asparagus which she had had imported from Germany for one of her clients. They are the biggest asparagus in my garden. I hope you are successful this planting, because there truly is nothing like fresh cut asparagus from the garden. Again, thank you for the comment.
I've added asparagus queen to my bucket list.
I'm now a fan of Barb! This is fantastic!
Holy cow! Those sprouts are magnificent! 😍
Thank you.
Thankyou for this video..I have planted mine in large pots and they did well last year..I have moles that ate the ones from the 1st time I tried..I had to use tomato cage ..they grew tall & beautiful..be blessed & safe✝️🙏
Laura, thank you for your comment. You, too, be Blessed and Safe.
Thank you this video was very clear concise and informative delivered in an very easy to understand and follow format very nicely done keep up the great work this topic is so important these days
Thank you for your kind comment.
I have 2 very old asparagus beds, they are both beginning to fail. Thank you for this information, I shall carefully dig out the roots and re plant.
Phubblewubb, you should intersperse some new roots with your old.. Since you might not know the variety of your old roots, I would suggest some Purple Passion or other purple cultivar. The sprouts have a little purple at the tips, but they are not totally purple. We have them on our website at harvesting-history.com
Thanks for the information. I learned a lot. I started a bed of asparagus this year and am excited to get it established for harvesting in a couple years.
You are soooooo informative thank you so much for this info I will continue to watch you.. thank you sooo much I'm also going to order from u instead of online
Thanks so much for your experience and well teaching
Thank you Loan Nguyen for your kind comment. I wish you much success in your garden.
I just planted my first 10 roots but will have to go and dig it up because i put it in wrong, Thanks for the video and explaining how to do it.
Thank you so much! I now know how to plant my asparagus roots.
You are adorable and lovely! Thank you for providing this content.
Thank you, Mare. Not sure about the adorable and lovely, but I do love gardening and my gardeners.
Anybody else tripping on how huge does asparagus are? You can make a whole meal out of one !!
Donlu Dela Brew, several people have commented and they seem to be getting larger each year. That grouping is 10+ years old. Please visit our website, www.harvesting-history.com/ for more info and lots of products.
Thank you, great information. Volume got better as your presentation went along.
Nadrian, thank you for both comments.. There is little that we can do about the volume because of our location, but the asparagus video was pretty bad.
The volume was great on the close shots. Fabulous video-don't say otherwise!
Thanks Mrs.Barb. My Asparagus roots have been in my raised bed UPSIDE DOWN for 5 days now.
Quon, are you going to dig them up?
@@harvestinghistoryllc3161Dug them out immediately after watching this video 38 minutes ago.
Great! Now be patient. It often takes weeks before they sprout.
Loved this video!😄
Thank you so much for your comment.
Great explanation! thank you very much.
Great planting video, and very accurate. You are supposed to plant them a foot down, and NOT on a hill level with the ground . Two thumbs up !
Thank you so much for sharing your wisdom and knowledge. You seem very passionate about sharing what you know and I am so excited to plant my asparagus this year. We bought 5 crowns from our local greenhouse. I had no idea that Jersey Knight (giant) got so big! I didn't know that asparagus got that big. I hope it tastes good.
PS. I'm gonna dig my trench by hand. It only needs to be 5 feet long so it will probably only take 10 minutes. Glutton for punishment indead! Haha
Textkestrel, thank you for the comment and for taking the time to watch our video. However, your trench needs to be 8 feet long, 18 inches deep and 15 inches wide for your 5 asparagus roots. I once dug a trench by hand and I congratulate you on your dedication, but it is going to take longer than 10 minutes. It will be worth it though.
Great video instructions. Thank you,!
Thank you. We appreciate the supportive comments.
Good i planted yesterday. Easy to dig out and turn around :D
Enjoy them next year and for many years thereafter.
Awesome video! Thanks for sharing!!
WOW1 Bob, thank you and thank you for taking your time to watch our video.
I have learned a lot from you. Thank you!
Wow! Thank you for such a lovely comment.
That compost is epic!
Josh Thank you. Please visit our website when you have the chance, www.harvesting-history.com/
Just subscribed. You are very informative and funny!
bbrjch, Thank you for your comment and for subscribing. I hope you continue to enjoy our videos. We invite you to visit our Harvesting History website and/or sign up for our newsletters where you will find more information about your horticultural heritage and how to grow and nourish your seeds and plants.
Wow, that's some crazy facts! Thanks for sharing all that info. Great job. Just fascinating. I've got more respect for asparagus now, lol. Going to your site for the hook up!
Thanks madam, for a very nice video! I just ordered 20 Jersey varieties and am going to plant them as soon as they arrive. Isn't 15-18" too deep? It means the spears have to grow that much from the crown before reaching the surface and then 8-10" before ready for harvesting. When harvesting, you leave the lower part of the spears below the surface behind which will just die out. Isn't it a waste? We are not supposed to dig when harvesting since it may damage other spears.
thanks a bunch! your garlic looks great!
A very well presented discussion.
Wrightme, thank you .
Thank you for the excellent video!! Can you grow them in part- sun area.
Depends on the Hardiness Zone and the hours of sunlight. If you live in Hardiness Zone 7 or higher and the sun is on the plants between 9:00 AM and 3:00 PM, then yes.
텃밭에 마늘도 보이고요 아스파라거스가 충실하네요
자라기 좋은 환경인가 봅니다.
품종이 워싱턴이네요
Thank you for your video it was very informative.
Wesley, you are very welcome. Please visit our website, www.harvesting-history.com/ or sign up for our newsletter on the homepage of our website for more horticultural history and growing information.
Thanks your video was very very helpful
i planted jersey giant and 8 years later up 30 shoots per crown sticking out of the ground looking at you at one time ,, it's a wonderful sight. ,,but like she said you must wait and wait
Paul, thank you for this comment...and congratulations on wonderful asparagus patch.
@@harvestinghistoryllc3161 and one admonition "do not over harvest" ,,it will reduce your harvest next year ,,,,,,,great video
Thank you, Paul
You were able to fill in the blank on some missing info I had about asparagus thanks!
You are welcome, Jameson. Please visit our website, www.harvesting-history.com/
to learn more.
I just bought some roots last week so thank you so much for the information!
Plant 15 to 18 inches deep? Is this right? I bought asparagus from Johnnys seeds and the instructions said plant 5 to 8 inches deep
I like you Attitude a Realist..
Thank you. After more than 6 decades of having a yearly garden you develop a 'realist's' attitude.
@@harvestinghistoryllc3161 those that lives it learns and eventually Knowns a portion of what we Know .Thanks for the Garden insight...
I want to know if I plant my aspharus the right way great video
I wish I would have seen your video first , all the other videos say to make a trench 8 inchs deep and 8 to 12 inchs wide , and they said nothing about mounding the sprouts every two weeks as they grow ... thank you much for your video , but I already planted my asparagus .... just wish I would have seen your video first .
She’s hilarious. Very informative.
Thank you.
Nice discussion, feel like I can do asparagus now but curious to see a video on harvesting the seed or letting it go to seed. And also how the stores harvest the 1 year and 2 year roots gardeners purchase to get there asparagus growing 🤔
Sam, Harvesting the seed is easy. The seed is contained in bright red, pea-sized balls which appear in late summer or early fall. It is best to let the balls fall off and then dry a little before removing the seeds and planting them. Asparagus roots are grown commercially in some areas of the Midwest. They are usually produced on small farms and dug up using farm equipment. Hope this helps a little.
Thank you madam for sharing the valueble information pls let me where can I get the Asparagus Juicy joy roots / seeds. I stay in India.
Very helpful.
Thank you for your comment.
If you are interested in more info about gardening and our horticultural history, please sign up for our newsletter. The sign-up is located at the bottom at the bottom of this page; harvesting-history.com
Love this video, what a nice woman she is!
Nice and informative video. I think I'll make an asparagus bed and see how it turns out. Just bought a house and plan on staying awhile. Can I plant both strains in the same bed or will one take over the other?
Downtime, It is a great idea to plant the different strains in one bed. I do not know why this is true, but I do know that it is true that asparagus seem to do better when different strains are included in one bed. Great question.
Excellent video. Thank you so much! I have some questions: 1. We planted our asparagus some years ago but they don't seem to spread out to the areas between the original trenches. Do they need that space between to support the crowns in each trench? Or would I be okay to add new trenches between the originals to get some more crowns started. 2. There are some pretty nice asparagus plants growing wild near us that have probably been producing there for decades. If I were to dig some up and replant them, would you expect them to start up again like new roots? Or if they are that old, are they already nearing the end of their productive lives? Thanks for your kindness in providing all this wonderful advice!
Used Anew, Thank you for the heartwarming compliment. It was very much appreciated. With Question #1, it depends on how much room there is between your trenches.. Crown to crown should be no less than 2 feet. Asparagus rarely "spread out" unless their seeds germinate in the surrounding soil. If you have the room between trenches, then go ahead. Question #2, I would be reticent to dig up the wild asparagus. The roots are going to be old and may not be sturdy. Asparagus, in general, last 30 years. The 'wild asparagus' originated from the seeds contained in the red berries the plants produce in the late summer or fall. It would certainly be interesting to dig up 1-2 roots and see how they do. Hope this helps.
@@harvestinghistoryllc3161 Thanks again. That was a quick response! Our asparagus bed shares space witH quackgrass and other weeds that have gotten out of hand. We typically harvest, then use the trimmer to keep the intruders under control, but can’t help thinking the competition may be reducing our yield. Short of attempting to pull every competitor, is there a time of year and an environmentally friendly option for killing the competition without damage to the asparagus?
Used Anew, the time of year is any time, but after the sprouts have emerged is probably best. "Hands and knees" are the best implements for controlling those weeds. What works best for me if it is possible for you is to soak your trenches for 12 hours, usually overnight, and then weed in the morning. Weeding takes on a whole different aspect when you do it this way. I always use my Hori-Hori, Japanese Gardening Knife, to get as much of the roots as possible, but the real winner is soaking those beds overnight.
@@harvestinghistoryllc3161 Always looking for a simpler solution than the work of doing all that weeding, but alas, I suspected that would be the case before I asked. Soaking the ground overnight is something I wouldn't have thought of though, so thank you once again for your informative answer. Take care!
You, too, Used Anew
wow, that's imazing. i want to buy some seed jersey knight
Greetings from Puerto Rico, I just got to see your video today because I was looking for information about how to plant asparagus. I have two questions, first, what kind of mycorrhizal fungi are you using? Second, what would happen if I plant 20 crowns in an 8' by 32" bed? I ask because I just bought 20 crowns and the space I have is 8 feet long by 33 inches wide.
My Bae oots look like yours and I Was sure they were dead. But if that looks right to you I guess I'll go ahead and plant them
you should put a link to your website here or in the description.
What if I didn't back fill right away & it started to Bush out? Should I trim & start back filling or just back fill? Please & thank you
Sorry for the horrible late reply. Just back fill.
Thank you
I might have missed it, but how do you space the roots apart from each other?
Dana, you should plant the roots no closer than 18 inches crown to crown. The crown is that tiny mass at the center of the spider-like roots. It is where the roots and the spears grown from. Hope this helps.
Thank you!
Monica, you are welcome!
Con chào cô.măng tây nhà cô đẹp và ngon quá ạ
You're a good teacher. Thank you. Would you have any insight as to how pH sensitive asparagus may be? My soil is naturally rather acidic so a root planted at 18 in, even if amended at planting time will probably become acidic after a few years.
tc, sorry for the delayed response. Asparagus is not too sensitive to the pH in the soil. If you are concerned, mulch each fall with compost or fresh manure. That will help moderate the pH.
@@harvestinghistoryllc3161 thank you for the suggestion.
How do d you amend the soil before planting the asparagus?
I never knew it took that long to grow
Uh oh, I planted a bunch with the roots mostly down, am I in big trouble and need to risk digging up and replanting?
Jacob, it's the crown, the cluster at the center of the roots, that you need to be concerned about. If the crown was on top of the roots then you have nothing to worry about. If the crown was on the bottom of the roots, (facing downward) then here is what will happen. The sprouts will emerge from the crown (headed downward), bend around the crown and head for the surface. Some may not be successful and you may get fewer sprouts. Hopefully over the course of the summer and fall the crown, with the help of the mature asparagus fronds pulling on it, will be able to reposition itself diagonally and then things will be fine.
@@harvestinghistoryllc3161 thank you, I I am going to leave them be, I actually saw a little shoot already come up! thank you,.
How do I arrange to order. The site does not pull up when I go to it. Thank you.
Other people say NOT to bury the crown. Why so deep?
after I cover it the first time, do I water it at all?
Dabunny Rabbit, water only if it does not rain once a week.
Very informative thank you! Do you know how long the dried roots will last out of the ground? I have a rented home currently but I don’t want to plant until I’m in a long term place, I’m wondering if they will last a few years before planting?
Kamilla, they will not last a few years. If you can, plant them in 12 inch containers or cloth bags until you can plant them permanently.
You never mentioned watering. I am interested in planting asparagus where there is no irrigation available, perhaps in shaded areas. But, it they won't survive without supplemental watering, I won't bother planting. Thoughts?
Ken, asparagus are fairly drought resistant. If you dig your trenches deep enough (at least 15-18 inches) you should have no trouble. It is your remark about shade that concerns me. With the exception of Hardiness Zones 8-10 asparagus require full sun in order to flourish.
Can you plant asparagus next to onions or potatoes?
I just planted my asparagus beds BUT I was planning on putting my onions (not in the rows) but next to the bed. Also my potatoes next to the onions!
Jessica, you cannot plant onions or potatoes near asparagus.
How late can I plant asparagus? My old bed finally died after 20+ years but here it is the end of May and it’s been so wet here I haven’t been able to plant anything! I live in zone 6.
Hunter, you can plant asparagus as late as mid-July. The critical factor is the condition of your roots. I hope you have roots now, because you will not find them for sale at this time of year. You did the right thing by not planting the roots in constantly wet soil. If you roots have not begun to get moldy, you are fine. I would take them out of the packaging they are in and plant them in a small pot, shallow if possible or half filled with soil otherwise. If they are slightly moldy, cut the mold off, let the roots dry for a day and plant them in the pots. One root per pot. When the soil dries out, get them planted ASAP.
I got a set of 3 from Wal-Mart 2 years ago. I tried to plant them today but found the roots were brittle and broke when I tried to see spread them over the ridge.
I put soil over them anyway. Am I wasting my time?
Bidet, did they ever come up once you planted them?
I would be surprised if those two year old roots, still in the temporary packaging, would still be viable. They probably dried up and were dead. But at least now you have a planting bed ready for a fresh set of crowns. That you will plant right away. ;)
How do you get your spears so WIDE?? Also, do you think that really old crowns will make thinner spears as they're getting in a way, crowded?
Jersey Giant or Jersey knight varieties produce fat spears. Mary Washington produces thin spears. Really old crowns (older than 25 years) may produce thinner spears because they are reaching the end of their lives and are weaker.
What do I do with shoot that grows from each plant while I’m waiting for the plant to mature for two plus years? Right now they look like small bushes.
Sandra Hall leave them be. They are gaining energy from the fronds. Cut them back in the winter. Then put compost on the bed to feed the roots and in spring add more before they start growing. Just repeat this cycle and you will be eating lots of asparagus.
When will you have plants for sale? Is this a seasonal order?
Nappychef35, We will have roots available in January, 2021. For us, asparagus roots are a seasonal product.
Harvesting History LLC thank you. I will set my calendar for January.
Omg I planted them wrong! I gotta go back out there and flip them lol
Wish I'd watched this first
Michelle, If you mean that you planted them upside down, leave them alone. They will find their way to the surface.
@@harvestinghistoryllc3161 oh I had no idea and I worried I had messed them up. Thank you!
@@michelledelkel You are very welcome.
Are side shoots edible if you cut them before they bush out?
Excellent question. I don't know, but try it.
My asparagus reseeded it self will it eventually produce new spears
Yes, in about 3-5 years.
I have the property but don't have the money or a lot of time. My property is pretty fertile so I figured I would just dig a hole for each one. I then put soil in each hole with each root. The babies are 2 months old and about 7 inches high. So I guess at this point I do not know what to do. Because I did not dig the hole deep enough to keep adding soil.
How deep was your hole? If it was 6-12 inches deep, you can either build a raised bed around them and fill the bed each fall with manure or if you don't have the money for that, just heap manure on your bed each fall. Make the manure mulch at least 4-6 inches deep. You will be OK.
@@harvestinghistoryllc3161 my sister has horses so I can get that,, I also gave compost, and wood chips., Thank you!
Great!
Oh god I planted my asparagus upside down
Derick, I hope you are kidding, but if you aren't, you need to dig them up. Sometimes, they find their way to the surface when planted upside down, but not often.
I did that too but a few still sprouted
Can you eat those side shoots? Also, how do you propagate asparagus? I know there are seeded varietys and seedless. But can you split a an established crown in two?
You can eat those side shoots, but they do not have much flavor and are woody in texture even though they are very thin. There are 2 ways to propagate asparagus: you can split the crowns as you suggest and in the fall asparagus will produce little red fruit balls. You can plant these balls and they will produce asparagus plants. They need to be planted shallow, like 2 inches and the eventually planted deeper.
Lol. I just planted like 45 of them.
Roughwater, Congrats to you. You will be in asparagus heaven in 2 short years.
@@harvestinghistoryllc3161 and RoughWater,
Lots of blessing from heaven upon your asparagus bed !.
Alberta, Canada.
Well crap, I buried mine upside down. Wish I would have found this video first..
I've planted 10 asparagus and only one has come up in over a month
Since it has been 2 months since you sent this comment, I hope more roots have sprouted.
Wish I could have finished watching but I couldn't hear you.
Jake brake!
So it takes a lot to plant smh I think I planted mine wrong
Oh, no! You plant the root too much deep!
About 2 inches of cover of the earth on top of the crowns is adequate, I think.
Sorry, we disagree. The life of an asparagus bed is 30 years. You need to plant roots deep to protect them and nourish them in the future.
is marry washington thin ?
Yes, Binyamin, the Mary Washington Asparagus are pencil thin. The Jersey Giant/Jersey Knight are thicker but not woody and the Purple asparagus are between the Mary Washington and Jersey asaparagus in thickness. The purple asparagus are slightly sweeter than other asparagus.
@@harvestinghistoryllc3161 how can i find new jersey giant seeds and where are you in usa ?
Binyamin, I don't know of a business that sells Jersey Giant Asparagus seeds. Jersey Giant asparagus are usually sold as roots which are available in the early spring, January-May. Harvesting History is located in North Carolina. I live with my husband near Cobleskill, NY.
@@harvestinghistoryllc3161 it is very nice but how can i find in turkey i don t know this :)
Sorry, Binyamin, I can't help you with Turkey.
I planted cuttings of asparagus lol
its not easy being green.
Jack, no it isn't, but it has its rewarding moments!
Colossal
Sh!!!!!!!!!!t, I planted them upside down the other day. LoL.
If you did, then you can either dig them up or you can hope the shoots find their way to the surface. Sometimes they do and sometimes they don't.
@@harvestinghistoryllc3161 Yeah. I dug them up and replanted them. My wife was laughing non-stop for a while. First time planted something came in root form. LoL.
Aviator, you are a winner. You made your wife laugh and you learned something, but the biggest thing of all is that you took the initiative to learn how to plant asparagus roots. Yay for you!
Volume too low.
Then turn it up.🤔
Im sure I planted mine wrong.
Why do you say this?
@@harvestinghistoryllc3161
You planted yours like a spider I put the whole thing down about 3 in
I'll keep trying
More Than a Conqueror, the wonderful thing about Nature is that it has the amazing ability to adapt. "Spidering" the roots is an example of "Best Practices", but it is not the only way to plant asparagus. The riots will strengthen the crown even if they are squished together. What you should do is dig up your plants in the fall and spider them and plant them deeper. Give them this spring and summer to flourish and then correct the situation in the fall. They and you will do well.
So I did plant mine wrong smbh. Lol
i buried mine completely not in stages... thought I might have killed them but they are finally coming up but it took awhile
Rent a backhoe for a 15" trench??😂😂😂😂😂
Crazydave, some of us are lazy, like me or old, like me. Unless you have unbelievable soil it is going to take longer than a day to dig this 15 foot long by 18 inches wide by 18-24 inches deep trench. I enjoyed every dollar I spent on the backhoe and when it was done I didn't need a single advil. Thanks for your comment.
@@harvestinghistoryllc3161 8hrs & done😉 53 & I can still move that pick & shovel like a champ🤣🤣 Im off to smoke a bowl & soak in a hot bath now.
What a waste of time. Long winded, reptations, diverting to garlic and one minute of actual planting.