[Hampshire Hog]

I have two asparagus beds one at home(planted last year) and one at allotment(planted this year). Should I be catch cropping on the bare soil?

Many thanks

[WG.]

Your asparagus is a year ahead of mine so others may offer better advice.  My suggestion would be to grow something for ground cover - perhaps tares which will also fix nitrogen?  Just be sure to prevent it from competing with the asparagus.

[Hampshire Hog]

Many Thanks WG

[WG.]

Dwarf beans might also work next year if you want something edible.

Munty is your main-man for asparagus (he grows a quarter acre of it) but there will be plenty of other members who grow it too.

[Trillium]

Personally I don't catch crop anything in my asparagus as the roots are a bit too close to the surface. Don't want to ruin my asparagus crops with accidently cut roots. If I'm short of space I can always steal some from the flower beds. Also, I tend to get asparagus beetles and it's easier to see and blast the little beggars if I can see them more easily rather than buried in other foliage.

[shaun]

your right trill i wouldnt bother realy,you might get away with an odd lettuce planted on the sides but not right over the crowns,the main thing is to keep it weed free by hand.

[WG.]

Well HH, there is your advice from people with more experience than I.

For what it is worth, I certainly plan to put in a few dwarf beans between the rows until the asparagus is a bit bigger.  My rows are 3ft apart and I ain't gonna miss the chance to grow something in all that empty space.  I've gone off the tares idea because they do spread out.

Apart from anything else, I know I will pay more attention to weeding it if I have reason to go over it more often.

[Hampshire Hog]

Thanks for all the good advice I will get weeding now!!

Regards to you all from Hampshire