asparagus

[CrealCritter]

FYI... I did experience some fern dieback. From the second planting only. Although the test planting plants are doing great. If I had to guess the reason for fern back, is transplant shock, I didn't harden them off or I might have let them dry out a little too much, IDK... But the roots are obviously happy because they are sending up new ferns to replace the ones that died back.

Asparagus is such a strange plant... I have to think about what is going on in the soil that I can't see. That's what needs to stay happy. The ferns are just a reflection of what's going on underground.

Fern dieback

Replacement ferns close up, they are so thin and tiny, not asparagus yet

If I were to do this over again. I would fill the kiddie pool with 1/2 barn scraping, 1/2 peat moss mix well and add a healthy dusting of barn lime. I would fill the pool with water and let it soak a day or so then pop my drainage holes around the bottom. I would direct sow seeds, broadcast right on top of the soil mix, then cover with a couple inches of peat moss around the end of March and set it out in a semi sunny spot. And then baby sit them, supply their water needs. They take a long time to fern, about 4 to 6 weeks or so.

Jesus is Lord and Christ

 

[CrealCritter]

Just a bit of an update and probably my last until I set the crowns out this fall after the ferns die off.

The fern dieback came back strong with the crowns sending up new ferns. The tallest ferns are about 8" tall now. The only advise I could give, is to keep well weeded and ensure the pool remains to be well watered. It's a swimming pool screwed to a pallet after all, so its a bit different than a raised bed. There's plastic seperating the the barn scrapings from natural soil.

Jesus is Lord and Christ

 

[Trying2keepitReal]

Looking good!

 

[CrealCritter]

I think the asparagus seedlings grabbed hold. Getting taller and sending up lots of new ferns.

Jesus is Lord and Christ

 

[farmerjan]

WOW they are doing good. Any pics of the ones you planted in their permanent bed?

 

[Britesea]

Those look so nice! I do see a couple of seedlings volunteer in my asparagus bed crop up each year. Maybe eventually they will fill out the bed. I started with 6 plants, and I think I now have about twice that of producers.

 

[CrealCritter]

WOW they are doing good. Any pics of the ones you planted in their permanent bed?

I'll be setting these out this fall after the ferns die back.

Jesus is Lord and Christ

 

[Lilbitsnpieces]

What an amazing journey! I've been lurking..Took over my mom's care so really hard finding ME time..Didn't see what you used for the die back..I always have good luck with cardboard and newspaper..if it's recycled ink. Easy to get and free..I lay it thick! In fact I've used papers I have bundled as "walls" even.some are now almost 10 yrs old and Still intact! Cardboard I lay and water it..to keep in place I use something that's "advantageous" to what I'm planting..so for my new asparagus bed I used sand.. for a carrot bed I used leaves..left in their paper garden bags..then when ready just turned them in.

 

[CrealCritter]

Asparagus has most definitely grabbed hold. The kiddie pool is easy watering just gently pour 5 gallon bucket at the rim level of the pool. It drains slow and covers the entire barn scraping about an inch. Some of the ferns are around 18 inches tall now. The roots just keep sending them up, so the top of the kiddie pool is completely covered in ferns. It's hard to even pull a weed in there now.

Jesus is Lord and Christ

 

[CrealCritter]

What an amazing journey! I've been lurking..Took over my mom's care so really hard finding ME time..Didn't see what you used for the die back..I always have good luck with cardboard and newspaper..if it's recycled ink. Easy to get and free..I lay it thick! In fact I've used papers I have bundled as "walls" even.some are now almost 10 yrs old and Still intact! Cardboard I lay and water it..to keep in place I use something that's "advantageous" to what I'm planting..so for my new asparagus bed I used sand.. for a carrot bed I used leaves..left in their paper garden bags..then when ready just turned them in.

I really didn't do anything special when the ferns died back. I just kept on watering them when the looked like they needed water.

Jesus is Lord and Christ