[Yana]

Im starting an Asparagus bed and (coincidently) have been sent an email from Marshalls advertising 15 Asparagus crowns for £14.95. 5 each of Pacific 2000, Arland and Millenium. P&P is £4.95 how ever many 'packs' of 15 crowns purchased. Is this a good deal?

[Lardman]

I can't comment on Marshall but I bought mine from here http://www.asparagus-in-kent.co.uk/ after some positive reviews on the board. Although the choice is limited I was very happy with what arrived compared to what was available in the shops locally.  It certainly seems to grow well.

If you have lots of space to fill why not get some crowns for a quick harvest and buy some seed for greater choice of variety.

[Yana]

Good idea. What is the success rate of germination and then eventually having spear-producing plants?

[Lardman]

Germination rates are good if I remember rightly.. Im pretty sure we have a few members who have sown saved seeds from other plotters ferns. (sound like a DD kinda thing  )

http://www.allaboutliverpool.com/allaboutallotments_Vegetables_asparagus.html

Will show you more. It adds a year or so to the cycle, so Id still get crowns to ease the wait.

[Yana]

Great link Lardman, thanks. Very informative and will deffo give the seeds a go. Will also get a few crowns to ease the wait (as you say). 

[gavinjconway]

Last year I grew 2 packets of seed and although they take a few weeks (up to 10) to germinate I got a fantastic germination... probably 99%!! Mine took 4 weeks to com through.

I sowed on 29 January - 2 per module, potted them on in May and then planted them out on 20 August after my spuds came out. I basically saved myself a year by doing them early, potting them on to 3" pots and then planting out.. They had produced a load of good roots and small ferns by the end of the Summer. Well worth the hassle of sowing and potting up and saved a fortune... 2 packs of seed from Ebay for £2.. I have planted out 108 plants - all started as doubles and by the end of Summer had loads of new ferns growing.  I gave away loads to friends and other plotters on the site.

Your crowns at £1 each per crown is a really cheap deal.

[Salmo]

The big disadvantage of growing asparagus from seed is that they will be both male and female plants and the females will always produce seed. The seed will come up as weeds all over your plot.

If you have gathered seed from asparagus plants that have a profusion of berries the problem will be worse as you will be selecting from plants that seed a lot.

Many modern varieties of asparagus are bred as sterile hybrids. These produce no berries and put all their energies into shoot production.

[savbo]

that is certainly a bit cheaper than the ones I bought from Kings - i think £24 for 12? - but I have to say they were big strong crowns, I had a few spears the first year and 2nd and 3rd years have just got better and better.

sav

[Yana]

That's sometimes a problem Sav when they are special offer. Not sure what you will get.

[The Golden Heap]

I have always been pleased with marshalls, I received that offer to, worth a punt me thinks

[gavinjconway]

The big disadvantage of growing asparagus from seed is that they will be both male and female plants and the females will always produce seed. The seed will come up as weeds all over your plot.

If you have gathered seed from asparagus plants that have a profusion of berries the problem will be worse as you will be selecting from plants that seed a lot.

Many modern varieties of asparagus are bred as sterile hybrids. These produce no berries and put all their energies into shoot production.

We had all sorts in Zimbabwe and always had loads of spears.. Anyways there's no problem in removing the berries at the green stage..

[Ema]

I wasn't planning to grow asparagus as I'm not planning on living where I am forever they seem to just take so long to get established and are costly.

I like the idea of sowing seeds though can you pick out the female plants after the first year?

[JayG]

I like the idea of sowing seeds though can you pick out the female plants after the first year?

I would say no - my one female plant took a couple of years to reveal her identity, and that was from a bought crown (she's still there by the way, presumably enjoying all the male company, although she hasn't let on what she thinks of the sterile hybrids!) 

[Yana]

Bitten the bullet and ordered crowns from Asparagus of Kent. Hope they live up to your recommendation Lardman.
Will also pick up a packet of seeds and give that a go too.

[Lardman]

I refuse to take the blame for any of it.. It wasn't me, I didn't do it !    Unless of course the outcome is favourable in which case - yes It was all my idea.

Here's what mine looked like in the first year.

http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=81376.0

and heres a few pics from last year

http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=93937.0