[Tattyanne456]

I was told to apply a liberal dose of salt to my asparagus bed in the spring. I did this at the weekend, but it occured to me, "why am I doing this?"  Anyone know? Is it to deter slugs etc?  I dont think so, so why else would it be beneficial? Tatty

[lucywil]

not something i have heard of, but maybe it was an attempt to keep weed down, dont think it will do the soil much good though.  I am going to pick my first asparagus this morning

[paintedlady]

  that's a new one on me - I've never done it and still get a great crop of asparagus every year    Slugs & snails only seem to be a problem when the spears are emerging so are tender and at risk, but once the ferns are up, the only problem I've had recently has been an infestation of asparagus beetle that had migrated from the neighbour's plot.

[Pompey Spud]

Asparagus originates from coastal habitats and salt helps to keep weeds down as they don't like it obviously.

Lots of commercial farmers use salt on their beds for this purpose and it apparently promotes stronger growth.

[Trikidiki]

Asparagus is a coastal plant naturaly so will be used to some salt.

It is suggested that seaweed is a good mulch for asparagus and that it is not necessary to wash it as asparagus benfits from the salt. Though I've never heard of adding neat salt to the beds.

It may act as a weed suppressant as well. At Heligan when they rediscovered the garden they found the paths were still relatively weed free after decades. The paths had been built up by adding sand from the nearby beaches and the salt stopped seeds from germinating on the paths or killed the seedlings as soon as they germinated

[Salmo]

Salt is the traditional way to control weeds in asparagus.

[harry]

The bloke who had my allotment e-mailed me to put sea salt on the asparagus he had left me.

[Trillium]

True, salt is an old weeding method, but a much safer one is hand weeding them out, which is what I do. Right after a heavy rain is best as the soil will easily loosen out the root.