[Snap Dragon]

My cheapo Wilko asparagus seems to have settled in and sent up some spindly little shoots.

Some of the plants have produced little flowers.... does this mean they are female and that I should replace them?

Thanks for any advice 

[JayG]

Not necessarily! Both male and female plants produce flower-like structures; the trick is to know which is which (or to learn how to shrug your shoulders and say "Wotever"!)

Things have got much more complicated in recent years as breeders attempt to produce more efficient strains (usually male.)

I can't really help other than to point you in the right direction (it's informative but not wildly exciting!):

http://www.paradise-garden.co.uk/vegetables/asparagus/asparagus.html


Patience is needed which ever you finish up with; in my experience they all take several years to reach their peak.

[Trillium]

It's not really anything to worry about. If anything, I don't mind having the female plants as they drop their seeds and new plants start with far better results than any I could start myself. This is often timely as on occasion, for whatever reason, I seem to lose a plant, so the new starts are welcome.

[Salmo]

If they produce berries they are female. I would not worry too much. The new all female varieties are supposed to be more productive.

Obviously if you were a commercial grower with 10 acres of asparagus lots of seedlings might be a problem as weeds.

Trillium mentions replacing lost plants. Does anyone know if you can split asparagus plants?

[JayG]

If they produce berries they are female. I would not worry too much. The new all female varieties are supposed to be more productive.

Obviously if you were a commercial grower with 10 acres of asparagus lots of seedlings might be a problem as weeds.

Trillium mentions replacing lost plants. Does anyone know if you can split asparagus plants?

Yes, although when I tried it the moved part of the crown didn't survive; the part left in situ recovered!

Article here which might be helpful (be careful if you Google this subject as there are a lot of articles about dividing asparagus fern which is a different plant!)

[Trillium]

Sadly, the asparagus crown is just that, and really isn't meant to be split, which is why you get seeds or even tiny offshoots on some varieties. If your asparagus is producing well, I'd leave it alone and just buy some new crowns of a variety that appeals more to you.

[Snap Dragon]

Thanks for the replies...

I never knew that bothe the male and female plants flowered.

I had a good look when I was at the lottie tonight and most of the flowers seem to have gone now and there are no berries to be seen.

The main thing is they are green and healthy looking.