[rw3272]

Does anyone have any sucess growing asparagus on an exposed site?  Ours is pretty windy despite lots of hedges etc (sweetcorn flattened last week, brassica cage blown away etc).  I would love to put in some asparagus but it would be quite an outlay for them to never crop well.  I have a slightly more sheltered spot behind a damson tree in mind (partial shade in the afternoon, ,sun rest of the day).  Any thoughts much appreciated.

Rachael

[PennyS]

I've found since starting the lotty that it can be quite windy on there.  I put a double row of asparagus in this spring...
Behind them, ie protecting them, is a row of Globe Artichokes which I hope will give a bit of shelter as they grow.
Behind the artichokes is my rabbit proof fence.  I think I will get some debris netting and run it along the chicken wire to give a bit more of a wind break.

Between that lot, hopefully the asparagus will be OK!

Have to say that we have had some fierce winds since I planted the asparagus and it looks OK to me.

Don't know if that lot helps you but good luck!

 

[Brambles]

I found that my first year of asparagus was difficult during the windy weather..so I put supports up early July for the ferns, making sure that the uprights did not go through the crowns of the asparagus.
Since then, the asparagus has been self supporting with very thick stems... have to say that the actual spears get better and better too 

[JayG]

Strong cane each end of the row (more if it's a very long row), string either side of the ferns about 2' off the ground; sorted! 

[pairofacres]

Should be fine. We're out in the Fens and it regularly blows a gale across our plot, which is just up the road from a wind farm. My asparagus has been fine without any protection.

[solway cropper]

This is my first year with an asparagus bed in windy west Cumbria and since I tied the ferns to canes the plants have sent up loads more shoots. Before that they were looking pretty miserable.

[rw3272]

Thats all very reassuring!  Solway Cropper, we are west cumbria too so know all about that wind

I can start plotting now and building up that perfect bed.

Many thanks
Rachael

[Goosegirl]

We live on totally flat farmland about 1/2 mile from the sea so it fair blows here. What I did last year was to plant my asparagus in a raised bed. This is in an enclosure of palletts which are in an "E" shape without the middle leg. The entry point faces east, my greenhouse is on the south, my shed is on the north, the other side made of palletts faces west.  While the palletts are not tall enough to protect the ferns totally, I fixed some clematis netting horizontally over my new spears which was supported by thick canes at each end and in the middle on both sides (six canes in total). I tied the netting to the canes with a granny knot with that rubber stuff so I could untie and raise it as the spears grew then I could weed the bed. I ended up raising it about 18" high then left it at that. It has supported my ferns great this year with all the winds we have had. Next year is our first cropping so fingers crossed! Does my description make sense???