Any thoughts on how deep are asparagus roots??

Our allotments have now been given notice of having to move next year for housing!
Further to my message last year I’m still thinking of moving my mature asparagus bed.
I know it’s not ideal but I think it may work. The question I’m wondering is how deep will the roots be after 10 years?? Clearly this will impact how I approach moving the plants. Any advice appreciated. Thanks HH

From experience, I’d say a good couple of feet. I did move a three year old bed once and the roots just went on forever so you have to cut them off. They took years to come to anything afterwards and I wouldn’t bother again given the effort involved moving them, I’d just get new plants if I was in a rush, otherwise sow seeds.

When I moved mine, I tried to keep lots of soil on the roots which made the job very heavy especial on clay and limited the length of root I could take . If you are on a lighter soil it might be possible to lift more root without taking the soil with it and then carefully spread out the roots at the new location. It will still be a large job with lots of digging though.

I’d consider the time of year the supplier deliver them & transplant them then, they must wash the soil of at least shake well as they arrive without any attached, but then you need to wait the 3 years before harvesting…but there’s will be ‘new’. How old are your plants as the lifespan is 20-25 years, if they’re getting on for that I’d start a new bed with new plants, but in the meantime I’d dig up what you can of these ‘old’ ones, transplant, allow them next year to re root themselves and start harvesting 2025 with a view to letting them exhaust themselves the following year or one after….by which time your newly purchased ones will be in full production.