I would like to get a bed ready for asparagus. I read up un this years ago but have forgotten what I read. And dont have a library here. I live in west TX. I have good fertile sandy soil. I know of people who grow asparagus here, but am not aquainted with them. My point is that it will grow here. I can water the bed, do not need to rely on the rain. I will start small but hope to grow acers of asparagus someday. Would apreciate any advise, thanks Lisa

-- Lisa Hopple (hopplehomestead@safezone.net), October 02, 2000

Answers

I heard that mulching with partially rinsed seaweed would help control weeds, because asparagus can tolerate salinity levels that stunt or kill other plants. Anybody back me up?

-- Soni (thomkilroy@hotmail.com), October 03, 2000.

Hi Lisa, I've got an asparagus bed, but since my land is so rocky, here is how I did my bed. I built a 4 foot by 16 foot bed out of landscape timbers. I got some river bottom dirt mixed with mushroom compost and spread a little of it on the bottom of the bed. Then I took a shovel full of dirt and made a mound where I wanted the asparagus. Place the plant, (really a root), on top of the mound. The roots will fall down around the mound. If you need the mound to be taller, add some more dirt. After i did this to all the plants, I probably ended up putting in around 20 plants. They should be about 2 feet apart or so. I then covered them with a couple feet of dirt in between the mounds and ended up with about a foot covering the top of the mound. It's been planted for a few years and they've grown great. I've lately seen some web sites that say there's an easier way to plant asparagus, that you don't have to plant so deep, but I guess I did mine the hard way!

I got 2 year old roots and the first year I didn't harvest any. Gave them time to get really established. The next year I harvested some, but left the other stalks to establish into ferns. The next year you should have plenty. I leave the bed alone all winter. The ferns are really beautiful. Then I compost it in early spring around here and cut off the remaining ferns. Zone 7.

Also, put the asparagus where it will be forever. I had to move mine when we built a shed, and I swear the roots go to China! I've never seen such a root system in my life, nor have I ever worked so hard to move some dang plants! I've heard they plant asparagus to control erosion and I sure believe it.

-- Annie (mistletoe@earthlink.net), October 03, 2000.

Asparagus is VERY salt tolerant. You can keep weeds down by spreading salt over the entire bed. Realize, of course, that you won't be able to plant anything else in that space for many years, but then the asparagus is good for at least 20 years, and then you can plant some new ones. Go to a reputable seedsman, and follow their directions. I guess you can screw up your asparagus bed, but you'll have to work at that! GL!

-- Brad (Homefixer@SacoRiver.net), October 06, 2000.

Word from the wise! If you have problems with deer in your area do not put salt on your asparagus!! I did this and two years later the deer are still digging it up. It's just one great big giant salt lick!

-- sallyp (sally@cvalley.net), October 07, 2000.

Thanks every one, I guess I dont have an excuse not to get started, Can yall come over here and make the raised beds for me? Just jokeing I am makeing raised beds out of pallets. I get them free from a construction friend.

-- Lisa (hopplehomestead@safezone.net), October 09, 2000.