[JayG]

Managed to find a picture taken 5 years ago of the roots of one of my asparagus plants which had been forced to take a detour round my mint pot, which I had removed for its annual replanting.

The nearest edge of the pot was about a foot away from the centre of the asparagus crown, and 5 years on the crown has expanded to produce spears right next to it. Good job asparagus don't send up suckers like raspberries do - everyone would be desperate for advice on how to get rid of them! 

[Kristen]

Just in case anyone has noticed that I stated that asparagus has roots spreading wide and deep, but Kristen has stated that they are shallow rooted

My comment was misleading, sorry. I was only meaning to imply that they had shallow roots with-regard-to weeding/hoeing and planting of catch-crops.  I wasn't intending to imply that they didn't, also, have deep roots, as when I wrote my comment I was only thinking "catch-crops" so you are indeed quite right that they are both shallow and deep-rooted   Best to avoid any chance that they might need moving in future!

[Kristen]

I wasn't expecting anything much seeing as how they only went in in the April.

I would expect?? that April is normal planting time - growers cold-store crowns before shipping, and ship them relatively late for planting.  I don't know why that is, but I am assuming there is a reason and that it helps transplants.

I don't think?? I've ever seen a first-season bed of Asparagus planted from crowns that looks anything more than "wisps" of ferns, whereas my from-pot-grown plants romped away.  But I've only grown from-seed & planted from-pots so I have no knowledge of crowns, I'd be interested to hear if folk have planted crowns and got a decent amount of foliage in Year One