Asparagus growth -- comparison

[Cindi]

I am really big on doing growth comparisons on plants.  There are two pictures of one of my asparagus patches.  One can now hardly see through the fronds of the plants.  Amazing, and like Ken was saying, the bees and beneficials are gathering pollen like crazy (yes, yellow) from these beauties.  Have a wonderful day, great life.  Cindi

May 24, 07


July 14, 07

[deantn]

Just a question, how old are those asparagus plants?
Really nice looking patch of them.
Have some that are three years old and doing fine after half of them were transplanted because of construction work being done around here.
   The transplanted ones are doing better than where the first ones were planted but all are doing fine, we enjoyed the most succulent and tender plants this spring and now letting them grow for next year.

[Cindi]

deantn.  This patch has been in the same location for about 15 years or so.  Certainly an established one.  It has never spread any further outwards into the garden, but I find asparagus plants coming up all over the place some distance away from the mother plants.  We feast on asparagus for about 6 weeks in the spring and I freeze many for the winter meals.  All in all, it has taken a long time, but for the past 8 years have given us wonderful yields.  The first few years (of course after not eating narry a one for the first three years) gave us many good meals, but the older the patch grows, the more that can be picked.  Glad you enjoy your spring treats from your garden.  Have a wonderful day,  Cindi

[KONASDAD]

I discovered I have a number of asparagus and didn't know it. I didn't weed them b/c the bees are all over it. They are huge compared to these plants shown. They are over six feet tall and about the same in circumferance. I look forward to trimming them in winter and enjoying fresh asparagus this spring for the first time.

[Cindi]

Konasdad.  Good for you that the asparagus are growing so well and that you didn't weed them.  Gotta love that springtime treat that surfaces from the very depths of the earth.  The size of the asparagus fronds are deceiving.  In the second picture the asparagus looks still not very tall, but when I stand beside it, I cannot reach the top, it is well over 6 feet too.  That is how tall the plants get.  I cut them down just before frost kill.  Around here that is about the beginning of October.  Sometimes I get rather anxious about how big they are and how they block my view of my back property, I cut them down early.  Last year I did this, it was about September 15.  There was no further flowers on them for the bees (of course), and I wanted to do an experiment to see if cutting them down a couple of weeks earlier than I normally do would make a difference to the next year's crop.  Nope.  Not one single bit of difference.

I believe that the amount of foliage that gathers the nutrients from the beautiful sun above had done enough of its work.  Cutting them down 3 weeks early made no hither or dither that I can see.  I will cut them down early again this year.

It gets so moist in our climate by the middle of September, that the heavy weight of the dew (and or rain), generally knocks these monsters down.  It is nasty to work in really wet asparagus branches.  I would rather cut them down before the heavy rains start, where the sunshine from the day still has the warmth to dry them out and they can be handled with ease. 

I do not compost the asparagus fronds.  I either burn them or take them to our local dump to be disposed of there.  They carry the larvae of the asparagus beetle, and these beeetles love to live in the asparagus compost.  I have worked very hard over the years to keep these two species of beetles under reasonable control and I know for a fact it is because I don't compost the leaves.  Well, well, I can go on.  Have a wonderful day, great life.  Cindi

[deantn]

Glad to know about the beetles around the asparagus prawns.
Mine don't get cut until spring of next year, just before we think they might pop out of the ground.
Never had any trouble out of any kind of bugs on the plants as of yet but after this years garden going to the "crows" at first then to the raccoons later wouldn't be surprised to see bugs on everything next year. Oh well they have to eat also but why mine? :-P

[Cindi]

deantn.  Some advice, take it or leave it.  You should clean up your asparagus before the wintertime sets in.  Once frost kill, (do you have frost kill?), the fronds no longer are of any use to the underground crowns.  The plants are dormant in wintertime, I'm sure that you know that too, though.  Leaving the fronds on the ground is inviting pests to overwinter in the decomposing material.  It is good practice to try and keep one step ahead of garden pests, and they are many.  Have a wonderful day, Cindi

[deantn]

Thanks I will cut them sometime in October, we usually get our first frost at the end of October.
Always seemed easier to pull them after they dried up during the winter. Never knew about the beetles that are on them so learned something new today. What a concept learning about gardening from a bee forum, never mind where from but that I learned something new.
Thanks again Cindi :)

[Cindi]

deantn.  I am not sure if you have the asparagus beetle in your locale.  But we have them, and they are nasty, it is good practice to clean up gardens in the fall, like I said, due to "bugs" of many sorts that love to overwinter in the warm decomposing stuff, if left where they originally live.   :)Have a wonderful day, greatest of life.  Cindi