[stompy]

Im moving plots over the next couple of weekends and one of the plants im taking is my 10 asparagus plants.
Im going to re plant them in a new bed, but what are the chances of success?
The plants are 4 years old and this is their 5th year.
Has anyone done this before and if so how did you do?

Thanks
Andy

[JayG]

Instead of re-posting my picture of asparagus roots making their way round a sunken mint pot en-route to Australia I'll just post this summary of a somewhat technical report about the root structure of a 6-year old asparagus plant.

  "Summary.--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. With the growth of the rhizome, the roots greatly increase in number. Many radiate into the surface soil 4 to 6 feet even in compact silt loam. Others grow outward and downward and then pursue a vertically downward course. Finally, numerous roots grow almost vertically downward. Thus a very large soil volume is occupied to a working depth of 4.5 feet. Some roots are 9 to 10.5 feet long. Branching is, however, most abundant, and undoubtedly absorption is very active in the surface foot of soil."

Source: http://www.soilandhealth.org/01aglibrary/010137veg.roots/010137ch6.html


Good luck if you decide to go ahead but at least you now know what you're up against! 

[Kristen]

I've seen this asked before and the advice given that I liked was to plant half as new crowns, and half as transplants, then you have a bit of the best-of-both ...

On the other hand you are going to have a wait a couple of years for the transplanted crowns to regain strength to produce a good crop - so perhaps planting new crowns takes no longer? and has less risk?

And ... on my third hand! ... if you are just moving plots maybe you could arrange with the new plot holder that, in return for leaving him a nice mature Asparagus bed, you share the crop for the next two years whilst you establish your own new bed?

[stompy]

The problem with sharing the crop is that i've moved about 10 miles away and my new plot is only half a mile away, so it wouldn't make sense to go all that way for the asparagus.
You've made me think about it a little more though Jayg, i didn't think the roots would be that big to be honest.
I might dig one up and see what i find, and if their too big that it will affect the plant severely for a couple of years i'll just have to start again.
I grew my last ones from seed first time so i might do that again.

Thanks
Andy

[JayG]

You've made me think about it a little more though Jayg, i didn't think the roots would be that big to be honest.
I might dig one up and see what i find, and if their too big that it will affect the plant severely for a couple of years i'll just have to start again.
I grew my last ones from seed first time so i might do that again.
Thanks
Andy

I'd go with your own suggestion in the first instance just to find out whether it's physically possible to remove one without too much damage (there's bound to be some!)

If you think it could work I'd then go with Kristen's idea of hedging your bets by planting some bought crowns as well. Sowing from seed surely just means you've got to wait yet another year before you get anything?

[stompy]

I know, it's just a shame as we only got a couple of years of cropping from them and now we'll have to wait again 
Oh well it could be worse, i could have gotten my new plot in August. 

[Kristen]

Sowing from seed surely just means you've got to wait yet another year before you get anything?

I grew from seed because I didn't have a bed properly ready in the Spring - so I used the "extra year" to properly prepare a bed.

But if the bed is ready then there is still time to buy some decently quality crowns this Spring - they are only a little over a pound each - and no doubt you can take a chance on ones that have been living in a garden centre in a plastic bag for months [/sceptical-me] at a cheaper price.

The problem with sharing the crop is that i've moved about 10 miles away

Ah I had assumed "moving plots" was just to a plot nearer the water tap

[crh75]

I transplanted a load of asparagus plants when I got my plot.  Most survived but it did take a few years to get back to full production.

[stompy]

No Kristen, it's on a completely different site.
Bit of a shame really as i got on with most the other plot holders really well and my dad had the plot next to mine so i had no holiday watering problems either  

I don't want to buy gardencentre crowns as im a bit tight (i like the idea of getting an anual suply of a rather expensive veg for an initial outlay of about £1)  
It's not that i can't afford it it's just that i like the idea of knowing where they came from (a seed packet) and that me and my family grew them from the start.

[Kristen]

It's not that i can't afford it it's just that i like the idea of knowing where they came from (a seed packet) and that me and my family grew them from the start.

Excellent! I shall look forward to telling folk, drooling over the 60 plants in my Asparagus bed, that they "cost me a quid" (which will be stretching the truth as it took several packets of F1 seed, each costing more than a quid, but they won't know that )

[stompy]

60 plants, you do like your asparagus don't you 

Im goin to try something when my plants have established (in another 3 years) 
Im going to harvest half the plants one year for longer than you are suposed to and then rest the plants for the next year and harvest the second half whilst resting the others.
Don't know if any of you have tried this but im going to see if i can extend the harvesting period for another month or two?

Andy

[JayG]

Im goin to try something when my plants have established (in another 3 years) 
Im going to harvest half the plants one year for longer than you are suposed to and then rest the plants for the next year and harvest the second half whilst resting the others.
Don't know if any of you have tried this but im going to see if i can extend the harvesting period for another month or two?

Andy

There is more than one way of letting your impatience show; my concern about your idea is that you have no way of knowing if that very last spear you just couldn't resist cutting was the last the knackered plant had the strength to produce that year (then you're in trouble!)   

[stompy]

I thought that the reason that we stop harvesting when we do is so the plant can recover enough to produce the next year.
My thoughts on it are that the plant will have a few months from lets say half way through August to grow and then a whole year un touched and fed well until it is harvested again.
Iwould have thought that it would take more than a couple of extra months harvesting to knacker it?

[JayG]

I thought that the reason that we stop harvesting when we do is so the plant can recover enough to produce the next year.
My thoughts on it are that the plant will have a few months from lets say half way through August to grow and then a whole year un touched and fed well until it is harvested again.
Iwould have thought that it would take more than a couple of extra months harvesting to knacker it?

Well, it's a plan, and you've got at least 3 years to think about it!!! 

[stompy]

Ha Ha Ha,
I'll have forgotten about it by then.
Can you remind me in 3 years please