Aparagus in the south

[floridahillnursery]

Hello everyone, I planted some Asparagus two springs ago (this will be its third year) in a raised bed and it doesnt have as much vigor as I expect it would. Last year it pushed up 20 measly spears, don't get me wrong the spears were girthy but not in quantities. I find myself to be a patient gardener but disslike being ousted by asparagus. GROWING CONDITIONS ARE RAISED BEDS, MUSHROOM COMPOST, TIMED DRIP LINE IRRIGATION, ORGANIC FERTILIZERS, 20- two year crowns in a 4'x10' bed planted 10" deep. The cultivar is a Jersey of some sort. I am in zone 9b am I too far south for Asparagus...

[Francis Barnswallow]

I planted asparagus 2 years ago in my raised garden. I get very thin stalks. I was told that Florida is not known for growing asparagus because of the heat.

It's still growing though so I let it live.

[floridahillnursery]

I'm in the same boat, If it wasnt for my love of fresh Asparagus I would yank it for the premium space it squats. I've had thoughts of planting it in the shade what do you think...

I love the motto you have listed ROFL

[GardenRN]

Asparagus does like sandier soils though. Read up on specific soil conditions for asparagus, maybe you soil could use a few additives. If you don't find anything let me know, I'll try to copy some good tips out of a book I have.

10" deep sounds really deep for asparagus. Did you dig a trench and just bury it? Or did you back-fill slowly throughout the first season? If you buried them 10" deep right off the bat, some may have died. Mine are only buried 5" deep and even at that depth I gradually back-filled the trench after an initial 2" deep covering.

Wood ash is a good soil amendment for asparagus, in a more sandy soil. (think "easy to push through" soil)

Mine has been doing quite well for a couple years now, I'd be happy to compare more notes with you to see if we can get your A. bed sorted out if you need the help.

[rainbowgardener]

It isn't the summer heat that would bother it, it is the lack of winter chill. Asparagus needs a period of cold dormancy. I looked around, but couldn't find anywhere the lists specifically the number of chilling degree days, but everyone agrees it needs the winter chill. Florida is one of the few places in the US that asparagus is not grown, because of this.

Sorry, but then you have so many other things you can grow that I can't....

[floridahillnursery]

Hello Rainbow Gardener, You confirmed my worst fears but I think your right. I had hoped that wasnt the case. Being that its so close to spring I think I'll let it come up one more time just to be 100% sure and if its a no go I'll pull it. Thanks for the help everyone.

The up side of the story is I now have a free bed to plant. So many plants so little time!!

[jal_ut]

When it comes up cut every spear when it is 10 inches tall. You can cut it for 6-8 weeks, but then you have to let it grow up the rest of the season. If you don't cut every spear it will quit sending up new shoots. It just wants to get some leaf out there in the sunshine, so when you cut it all off it will send more shoots. If you decide to keep it, fertilize it well after the harvest period. Don't cut the ferns until late fall. It needs to make good growth this season to put up enough stores in the roots to give you good spears next year. It gets better every year for 2 or 3 years then kind of levels off. You could plant a few things around it in the same bed. Lettuce, spinach, radish might do OK.

When I plant asparagus, I dig a trench about ten inches deep, then make a little hill in the bottom of the trench so I can sit the crown on top of the hill and run the roots down the sides and spread them out . I just cover the crown about two inches, then at the end of the growing season fill the rest of the trench in. The actual crown is probably only six inches deep after filling the trench in. Seems to work well here, but we have real winter. It gets its chilling period.

I have also grown asparagus from seed and never transplanted it. The crowns are close to the surface when this is done. It does well too. Go figure.

My gosh, yesterday in the store asparagus was $4 a pound. I am happy if I can grow some.

I guess if planting from seed, one could dig a trench about 4-5 inches deep and plant in the trench and not fill the trench in until next season?

[floridahillnursery]

Hello Jal_ut, I'll try that this spring. Should I cut it back now or wait until right before spring to cut it. Some of it is brown and some of it is kind of green. (We had a light freeze in December). Sould I hit it with Nitrogen right before my spring harvest? Alright now I'm excited. Last year I picked a few spears to make asparagus soup it was just enough to taste like three asparagus tip toed through some broth........ in single file....

[jal_ut]

Yes, cut it all off now. Fertilize after you stop harvesting. You should get more this year than last year. Good luck.

[floridahillnursery]

Thanks everyone, I will post back when I see some results.+or-

[FruitAddict]

When planting asparagus from seed how long does it take before you see sprouts? I bought a few pots of already growing asparagus (on clearance last summer) that I left in the pots last year and those are coming up now and thought I would plant the seeds between where I plant the potted ones so I have an entire row of asparagus.

also when planting the potted ones should I do anything special with the rootballs or just leave it alone when I plant?

[jal_ut]

"Asparagus is a perennial plant with a very extensive root system, which arises from a thick rootstock which grows from year to year. The primary root is only a few inches long and is short lived. It is soon replaced by the thick, long, storage roots which are clothed with short, absorbing laterals. The root system, under favorable conditions, may extend to a depth of 3 feet or more during the first season of growth. "

This statement would make it seem that growing asparagus in a pot for any more than getting the seed germinated is a NO, NO.

Quote from [url=https://www.soilandhealth.org/01aglibrary/010137veg.roots/010137ch6.html]This Page[/url] Its worth a look.

I would not do anything with the root ball, but plant it so the crown is 5 inches below the surface of the soil.

[klevelyn]

Good advice. I just took the plunge and planted 14 asparagus crowns this month. I am waiting for them to sprout and begin to back fill. Do I let them grow all year and then cut the spears next spring to promote root growth? Or wait another year?

[applestar]

Thanks jal! I know about that reference but I sometimes overlook it. Reading about asparagus growth habits helped immensely in thinking about what to do with my new asparagus seedlings.

[FruitAddict]

Yes I agree JAL - very helpful - I saved that as a link in my favorites under the "Garden" folder now so next time I have such a goofey questions I'll try there first (if I remember).

The information on that site makes me think I should maybe dig up the seeds I planted and do it differently - space them out a bit more.

Again thanks for all the great info you always share with us.

[RickRS]

It isn't the summer heat that would bother it, it is the lack of winter chill. Asparagus needs a period of cold dormancy.

Bingo!

I'm in NW Florida, which is colder in the winter than Orlando. We're more Alabama than Florida, weather-wise. And it's still too mild a winter for asparagus to grow well. And I've tried.

From the U of Florida Agriculture Extension:

"Good asparagus spear production is dependent upon a dormant period. Dormancy is usually brought about by cold weather or drought, and since Florida has neither, growth is more or less continuous, resulting in weak spindly spears. Asparagus beds in north and central Florida often yield good quality spears for 4 to 5 years before regressing."

Full article at https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/mv013