Asparagus
Cat1988
Posts: 8
in Fruit & veg
Hi,
I purchased some asparagus bulb so I could grow my own asparagus but on the back it advises to use loam soil, I was just wondering if using this is absolutely necessary I use Verve multipurpose compost for my pots and grow beds because the house I rent doesn't have any soil in the back garden, it's just stones so we made my own beds.
Thanks,
Cat
0
Posts
Asparagus are normally grown in a bed of soil specially prepared. They prefer a sandier soil than clay. I wouldn't attempt to grow them in a pot except for ornamental purposes.
Yes, asparagus needs very well prepared ground. As much well-rotted, aged manure and compost as possible for a light, well-drained soil. You do all the prep beforehand because, once the crowns are in place, you can't do much without damaging things. Asparagus beds are long-term affairs, you'd expect 20 years out of them.
Planting the crowns also needs a trench at least a foot wide and up to 12" deep depending on the soil's draining qualities.
'Loam' is just a description of good soil. You can buy topsoil in sacks, but Verve is just compost isn't it?
And another thing, you don't harvest asparagus until the third year after planting the crowns - it really is a long term investment. I hope that was clear when you bought the crowns.
Thank you all for your responses. It actually wasn't made clear at the time of purchase it doesn't even mention it on the package!! wow, annoying! I guess I won't be doing that now as in about a year or so I'll be moving to NL, so I don't see much point, they were not expensive but maybe I should have read about doing it before purchasing. I feel pretty gutted now
.