asparagus

[Lilbitsnpieces]

My apoligies im very tech challeged After potatoes are planted Is when i flood the trench, usually with water from duck ponds..this waters and fertilizes newly planted spuds. Ducks are usually turned into that garden the followin day.

I agree with you, not that i NEVER rotate, but when i do its for a specific reason. EX. beans to set nitrogen where i planted onions the year before. Im about zone 5? but plant as if zone 3, good thing to as last few years we have had 20 below TEMPS in winter months.
#2 #4 i cut ferns (after they are dead) and pile them in middle with dead tomatoe plants..this is into our fall, usually sept/oct so plants are dried and its usually cold. I burn them in place. If its going to rain i cover the material with a tarp so it stays dry and burns quickly..if it hasnt rained i water around the plants to contain the burn. Some ash is sprinkled around the bed, while most left in middle. Then the Peelings from apple and pear harvest are dumped on top of ash in middle or in trench, NEVER on the aparagus plants, to help feed over winter. Then leaves Collected are used to cover complete bed. This bed is then "finished" and "prepared" for winter.
#3 After years of doing this my soil is dare i say close to perfect? In spring i Do not remove leaves i simply plant in them..so potatoes are laid on top of the leaves then covered with enough dirt to "bury" the eyes of that particular one. Usually about a pint of soil does the job. One could cover whole trench with dirt but I found that a waste of time, effort and soil. Then more leaves to cover. I water, to fill trench, and give taters a good drink, again usually with pond water as they need drained and cleaned anyway.. Ducks are turned into garden next day..This step usually around GOOD FRIDAY..so it can be a couple months before tomatoes are planted..i do not put tomatoes in the ground until mothers day..
I have some in civered beds and houses but not in this circular bed.

If i want to incorporate new aparagus plants..i usually do it in the fall. After i place some ash in trench, and the raw peelings of harvest I cover it with soil then place asparagus crowns. keepin the crown above soil line. I back fill trench with more soil. Plants are "staggered" from older ones. Then well water and again all covered with leaves..The following spring another trench is dug completely around bed and potatoes planted inthis new trench..

 

[Lilbitsnpieces]

If i want to incorporate new aparagus plants..i usually do it in the fall. After i place some ash in trench, and the raw peelings of harvest I cover it with soil then place asparagus crowns. keepin the crown above soil line. I back fill trench with more soil. Plants are "staggered" from older ones. Then well water and again all covered with leaves..The following spring another trench is dug completely around bed and potatoes planted inthis new trench..

Thus the circular bed continues to become a bigger circle as one adds more asparagus, while center remains same size..unles one decides to remove the older aparagus plants which increases inner circle diameter. I will try to photogragh and upload..at very least i will create a diagram of this...Hope I was clear enough in my explanations

 

[Lilbitsnpieces]

Thus the circular bed continues to become a bigger circle as one adds more asparagus, while center remains same size..unles one decides to remove the older aparagus plants which increases inner circle diameter. I will try to photogragh and upload..at very least i will create a diagram of this...Hope I was clear enough in my explanations

Here is a photo i found of a bed last year AFTER winter.. leaves in trench are covering seed potatoes (.can you see the circle around the perimeter? ) White pole is outer edge of INNER circle. Bare ground to the right of pole is the egde of actual asparagus plants...The 2 catmint plants to the left of photo is the "entrance" to the inner garden area..it is lined with the pavers.
If one enlarges the photo one can see that the "raw" peelings ect. that have broken down over winter, with exception of looks like an avacado peel and Asparagus is coming up..must have took this before a harvest if spears.

 

[Lazy Gardener]

Thanks for the pics. The inner circle is also filled with asparagus crowns? Or is that basically a perpetual compost pile?

I'm finding that I absolutely love having ducks. They are quite busy, working the whole yard. They love coming into the garden with me, but... I'm locking them out now that I've started planting.

 

[Lilbitsnpieces]

Thanks for the pics. The inner circle is also filled with asparagus crowns? Or is that basically a perpetual compost pile?

I'm finding that I absolutely love having ducks. They are quite busy, working the whole yard. They love coming into the garden with me, but... I'm locking them out now that I've started planting.

Only over winter..the i ner circle is where i plant the tomatoes. My original bed has a 5ft inner circle. Then 2nd ring is asparagus 11/2 to 2 ft. 3rd ring is the trench, where one would plant potatoes..If you ever ad more crowns..they would be placed in the 3rd ring then a 4th ring would become the new trench for potatoes..
I also LOVE my ducks..they root and aerate not dig up like my chickens. Mine always lay their eggs in their house. They go in at night when i say nite nite time..and go to gardens by themselves by which way i first direct them..i also train all mine to go in a kennel placed near them by saying nite nite time..makes any transportin SO EASY..

 

[Lazy Gardener]

Only over winter..the i ner circle is where i plant the tomatoes. My original bed has a 5ft inner circle. Then 2nd ring is asparagus 11/2 to 2 ft. 3rd ring is the trench, where one would plant potatoes..If you ever ad more crowns..they would be placed in the 3rd ring then a 4th ring would become the new trench for potatoes..
I also LOVE my ducks..they root and aerate not dig up like my chickens. Mine always lay their eggs in their house. They go in at night when i say nite nite time..and go to gardens by themselves by which way i first direct them..i also train all mine to go in a kennel placed near them by saying nite nite time..makes any transportin SO EASY..

I find ducks are absolutely much easier to "get them where they need to be". They are more sociable, more apt to come when called, especially if they see me with a garden fork or spade in my hand. They are easily herded. I have ducks and chickens trained to go into their enclosures with the words, "go to bed." If I need to emphasize beyond my wide spread hands, I find that a fiberglass fence post repeatedly tapped on the ground is highly effective. Ducks will go in as a group. BUT... chickens... after the first group goes in, while I'm trying to get the stragglers in, the early ones in... pour back out. Kind of like herding grasshoppers. A handful of scratch grain keeps the early birds entertained while the stragglers show up.

 

[Lilbitsnpieces]

I find ducks are absolutely much easier to "get them where they need to be". They are more sociable, more apt to come when called, especially if they see me with a garden fork or spade in my hand. They are easily herded. I have ducks and chickens trained to go into their enclosures with the words, "go to bed." If I need to emphasize beyond my wide spread hands, I find that a fiberglass fence post repeatedly tapped on the ground is highly effective. Ducks will go in as a group. BUT... chickens... after the first group goes in, while I'm trying to get the stragglers in, the early ones in... pour back out. Kind of like herding grasshoppers. A handful of scratch grain keeps the early birds entertained while the stragglers show up.

Kinda like grasshoppers indeed! great analogy Could not have explained it better myself!. My chickens, i train to a chirrping sound. (around 330 to 430) Then give meal worms, crickets or larve. They will come and feed where ever i want them..Started that as a protein snack before darkness sets in winter and noticed how quickly they would head my way..made putting them away MUCH easier. Most times they are near their housing at that time now. I will still try to get a diagram posted..Enjoy your day!

 

[Lazy Gardener]

Having chickens thus trained makes it easier to allow free range if you don't have a LGD. So many predators here, that free range is a rare event for chickens. It's only a matter of time before local fox or hawks make a run on my ducks. Also, IF I do free range either species, I like to put them in before we go anywhere, b/c that's when the preds tend to make their moves. This morning, ducks were out for an hour before I had to leave. It took me less than 5 minutes to call them up from the lower lawn, and put them in their yard. Wish I had a LGD. My dog is a wuss. Anyway,... hubby hates having chicken poo and craters all over the yard. So... I work with the system I've developed: try to keep the critters in the back yard, and the chickens LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the front yard and flower bed.

 

[Lilbitsnpieces]

Having chickens thus trained makes it easier to allow free range if you don't have a LGD. So many predators here, that free range is a rare event for chickens. It's only a matter of time before local fox or hawks make a run on my ducks. Also, IF I do free range either species, I like to put them in before we go anywhere, b/c that's when the preds tend to make their moves. This morning, ducks were out for an hour before I had to leave. It took me less than 5 minutes to call them up from the lower lawn, and put them in their yard. Wish I had a LGD. My dog is a wuss. Anyway,... hubby hates having chicken poo and craters all over the yard. So... I work with the system I've developed: try to keep the critters in the back yard, and the chickens LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the front yard and flower bed.

Same..our mindsets seem to be similar..i do have an Austrailian cattle dog..good at getting the ladies back where they need to be..sometimes a little to eager when they cross their boundriesI have more problems with coons, skunks and owls. So mine roam most days but lock up every night.

 

[Lilbitsnpieces]

I have added new plants this spring and mine are doing fine. Might get one or two more days before i let go to fern out of my patches..