Wednesday 28 November 2012

Feeding the Asparagus

This is what my Asparagus looked like in August:


The ferns are about 8 feet tall and bending over under their own weight. (The brick is an aid to stability!).

This is what it looks like now. I leave a few inches of each stalk sticking up, so that I can see where the crowns are.


If the Asparagus is to build up its strength for another good crop next year, it needs some attention during the Winter. After I have cut down the fern (usually late October or early November), I cultivate the soil around the plants, removing any moss and weeds, and then I add a generous sprinkling of Growmore general-purpose plant food:


I have used Growmore in my garden for years and years. In fact I probably used it when I first started gardening, back in the 1980s, having learned about it from my Dad, who always used it too. Being a balanced fertiliser it is generally useful throughout the garden, for flowers, vegetables and fruit. You can get it in liquid form, but I always buy the granular one. The granular type is my favourite because you can apply it quickly and easily in whatever quantity you need, without having to dilute a measured volume of it in water or anything. The light-coloured granules are easy to see, so you can tell where you have applied it - which is not possible with the liquid one. I apply the Growmore by hand, and then work it into the soil with a hand-fork. At this time of year there is certainly no need to water it in!


Later - probably during the Christmas holiday, if the weather allows - I will add a good layer of home-made compost to the Asparagus bed. This will complete the preparations and then all I have to do is wait... (until April or May). If I feed the Asparagus now, it will feed me next year!

10 comments:

  1. Is the whole bed devoted to asparagus, Mark? If so, do you think it's worth it, I mean giving over one whole bed for asparagus. I don't know whether or not to go down that route myself and get some crowns.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Jo; Yes, one complete bed is devoted to Asparagus. You don't get a huge crop from a small bed like this (I only have 9 plants) and the season is quite short (6 - 8 weeks a year), but the produce is so good that I think that growing it is justifiable.

      Delete
  2. I moved my bed of asparagus down to the garden but the cats torn up the bed so bad that I don't know if they will recover. If not, I will start again but at least they will be safe in the garden (if I can get the fence fixed )

    ReplyDelete
  3. I have one bed of Asparagus too. I love the taste. Yes, the season is short but it is worth while.

    ReplyDelete
  4. OHHHHH!! Asparagus!!! Incredible!!! Congratulations!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Feed the asparagus and later it will feed you. We tend to use fish, blood and bone or chicken manure pellets which would certainly be popular with your fox!

    ReplyDelete
  6. When I first saw the photo before reading the words I thought you must be having a mild winter! LOL
    I adore asparagus and agree that I'd want to give it space too.

    I also noticed your Yorkshire Puds in the sidebar and now I'm drooling.
    I think we'll have to have them on the menu soon.

    Have a wonderful weekend whatever you have planned.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Wow what a difference between now and then! When my veg patch gets a little bigger I want to try asparagus and I know who I'll come to for advice!

    ReplyDelete
  8. I love how you show actual recipes of the food you grow! Lovely asparagus!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Still searching for room for it heae - I dont' feel I can justify it. Yet. Yours certainly looks lovely!

    ReplyDelete

Thank you for taking time to leave me a comment! Please note that Comment Moderation is enabled for older posts.