Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat
Growing => Grow Your Own => Topic started by: PurplePixie on February 20, 2012, 18:18
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I've got a quick question about planting asparagus in patio planter bags.
On sites that sell them in kits with crowns and bags they have them with the deep potato type bags. I've got quite a few of these but also a few that arent as deep and range between 1 and 2 and a half foot deep .... how deep do these need to be planted and would I be better using a deeper potato bag?
Or as these will be in place for a while would I be better buying a 'uuuge pot to them in and if this would be better, how big? .... I've got 3 crowns.
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I assume you can't plant them out in the soil?
I haven't grown asparagus but would have thought that bags and pots will constrict the roots over time - they grow about 1m per plant I think. I wouldn't go for shallow bags as they will dry out easily even if they are deep enough for the roots.
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It's all concrete here Yorkie. Everything I grow is either in a pot, planter or in the greenhouse ;)
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well if they are selling them with the bags i should imagine they would be fine in them (well for a few seasons anyway).
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It's worth a try if you want to spend the money I suppose but asparagus in a bag is a bit like rhubarb in a tub.
Deep roots needing LOADS of water but good drainage.
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Thanks guys :D
I'll put it where it's easier to water ;)
Just looked at Joy Larkcoms book and that says you can plant the crowns up to 12inches deep for thicker spears, I don't want them too thick but I'll go for the deepest bags I've got!
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To give you an idea of the size of asparagus roots, have a look at this link and scroll down a bit:
http://www.asparagusgardener.com
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To give you an idea of the size of asparagus roots,....
:ohmy: .... maybe I'd be better using one of them builders bulk bag things? :D
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I had an asparagus bed of 48 crowns for about ten years until the plants were spent. When I dug up the bed it was like huge octopus tentacles growing deep into the ground. This is how asparagus rejuvenates itself every year and makes it so yummy. It's a long term commitment and I doubt whether you're going to have any long term success with them in a bucket or a bag. If you consider the effort and the payback you might as well buy a few spears from Sainsbury when you need them. When my asparagus bed was in full flow you've got no idea the pleasure that you get for a few weeks of the year but it takes up alot of land and the asparagus beetle will find you and he's a real pain. Beautiful insect that I bet you've never seen before but it will totally decimate your crop. It will find you and they don't sell derris dust any more which is the only effective way of killing off asparagus beetle. For all the effort/expense of growing a few crowns of asparagus in a bag/bucket you'd get more pleasure growing daffodils instead
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Thanks Sonic,
Theres only me in the house that eats it, I've got the planter bags anyway and the crowns didnt cost much so even if I only get a few spears back I've not lost anything ... I'll give it a bash and it'll keep me out of mischief for a 'lil while ;)