Wondering If The Asparagus Plants Are Supposed To Grow Like This

Joined
Jul 5, 2019
Messages
89
Reaction score
31
Location
Detroit
Hardiness Zone
6a
Country
United States
Hi All,
I hope this note finds everyone healthy & enjoying today!

In our garden, we have two 3-year old Mary Washington asparagus plants. For (Detroit weather) winter, I left them covered with leaves. Upon uncovering, we found seven very nice looking spears. As of today, there are only the few seen in the photos.

Well... I thought they were spears.
The alleged spears seem to have run amok. In the attached photos, the tall one is about 5 feet tall. (It is the one from the right plant, leaning left in the second picture.)
Note that as of yesterday, the "spears" now have branches, as seen in the photos.

Why I'm writing is to ask if these plants are supposed to look like this and if I should be pruning or leaving things as God made them.

Thanks For Sharing Your Knowledge!
Paul
PS: I apologize that the photos are not very good. I try to take good shots, but apparently there is no Ansel Adams in my genetic makeup.
 

Attachments

  • D) View From West copy.JPG
    D) View From West copy.JPG
    97.3 KB · Views: 138
  • E) Splat View copy.JPG
    E) Splat View copy.JPG
    104.3 KB · Views: 132
Joined
Feb 2, 2014
Messages
11,476
Reaction score
5,580
Location
La Porte Texas
Hardiness Zone
8b
Country
United States
That's what asparagus spears do. They turn into a tall fern looking thing. Leave them alone. They are feeding the roots (crown) so next year they can send up more shoots. How often do you fertilize them?
 
Joined
Apr 19, 2018
Messages
371
Reaction score
192
Hardiness Zone
zone 6b
Country
United States
chuck what is best fertilizer for Asparagus? I have been using liquid fish stuff. smells like shit but seems to work for any vegetable
 
Joined
Feb 2, 2014
Messages
11,476
Reaction score
5,580
Location
La Porte Texas
Hardiness Zone
8b
Country
United States
chuck what is best fertilizer for Asparagus? I have been using liquid fish stuff. smells like shit but seems to work for any vegetable
Using liquids is OK but you have to do it about every 2 weeks and also heavy rains sort of dilutes it. When I had my asparagus bed I fertilized twice a year, fall and spring. I used a poultry-based pelleted fertilizer, 4-2-3 IIRC, but any good organic fertilizer is fine. When using liquids I have found that using the same thing for an extended period of time affects production, but when different liquids are used production is raised. I did an experiment one time with peppers in containers using nothing but liquids, HastaGro, and a liquid hydrated fish emulsion. The HastaGro outperformed the fish but when both were used production was better than either of the two separately. It was explained to me why this happened but suffice it to say it had to do with scientific stuff of which I understood about half. This year I am not gardening in my big garden because of health reasons but I am container gardening. I use both HastaGro and fish emulsion plus I also use a pelleted fertilizer. So far everything is doing fantastic
 
Joined
Apr 19, 2018
Messages
371
Reaction score
192
Hardiness Zone
zone 6b
Country
United States
I am on year 5 of asparagus bed. I did have 16 dinners of asparagus this year which was amazing, but forced my self to let other asparagus continue to grow. I do put chicken poop in early march before asparagus start to grow. then start a regiment of liquid fish every 3 weeks and then in fall I do chicken poop again. seems to work for me but if you know of a better way, I will do. I do straight chicken poop. I trade with a local that grows chickens. is buying a pelleted fertilizer better?
 
Joined
Apr 19, 2018
Messages
371
Reaction score
192
Hardiness Zone
zone 6b
Country
United States
Hi All,
I hope this note finds everyone healthy & enjoying today!

In our garden, we have two 3-year old Mary Washington asparagus plants. For (Detroit weather) winter, I left them covered with leaves. Upon uncovering, we found seven very nice looking spears. As of today, there are only the few seen in the photos.

Well... I thought they were spears.
The alleged spears seem to have run amok. In the attached photos, the tall one is about 5 feet tall. (It is the one from the right plant, leaning left in the second picture.)
Note that as of yesterday, the "spears" now have branches, as seen in the photos.

Why I'm writing is to ask if these plants are supposed to look like this and if I should be pruning or leaving things as God made them.

Thanks For Sharing Your Knowledge!
Paul
PS: I apologize that the photos are not very good. I try to take good shots, but apparently there is no Ansel Adams in my genetic makeup.

sorry is this 3 years as in bought 2 year old crowns last year? if so just let them continue to strengthen and eat a few next spring.
 
Joined
Feb 2, 2014
Messages
11,476
Reaction score
5,580
Location
La Porte Texas
Hardiness Zone
8b
Country
United States
I am on year 5 of asparagus bed. I did have 16 dinners of asparagus this year which was amazing, but forced my self to let other asparagus continue to grow. I do put chicken poop in early march before asparagus start to grow. then start a regiment of liquid fish every 3 weeks and then in fall I do chicken poop again. seems to work for me but if you know of a better way, I will do. I do straight chicken poop. I trade with a local that grows chickens. is buying a pelleted fertilizer better?
What you are doing sounds great. There isn't much difference between pelleted and natural
 
Joined
Jul 5, 2019
Messages
89
Reaction score
31
Location
Detroit
Hardiness Zone
6a
Country
United States
From Skinyea: "sorry is this 3 years as in bought 2 year old crowns last year? if so just let them continue to strengthen and eat a few next spring."
We bought them 2 years ago as 1 year old plants. This is their 3rd year of life.

We haven't fertilized them this year.
In past years, we used Miracle Grow Nature's Care Organic & Natural Vegetable & Fruit granules. N-P-K 3, 4, 2
We applied it May 10, June 10 & September 8 last year.

Thanks Everyone for taking time to reply and for the fertilizer information. It's is very interesting.
Enjoy Today!
Paul
 
Joined
Feb 2, 2014
Messages
11,476
Reaction score
5,580
Location
La Porte Texas
Hardiness Zone
8b
Country
United States
From Skinyea: "sorry is this 3 years as in bought 2 year old crowns last year? if so just let them continue to strengthen and eat a few next spring."
We bought them 2 years ago as 1 year old plants. This is their 3rd year of life.

We haven't fertilized them this year.
In past years, we used Miracle Grow Nature's Care Organic & Natural Vegetable & Fruit granules. N-P-K 3, 4, 2
We applied it May 10, June 10 & September 8 last year.

Thanks Everyone for taking time to reply and for the fertilizer information. It's is very interesting.
Enjoy Today!
Paul
You really want your asparagus ferns to grow and grow fast and thickly. If I were you I would cover the bed with compost and fertilize now. Then again in the fall. Do this every year and pretty soon you will have to enlarge the bed. Mine started out as a 4' x4' and was still getting bigger at about 12' x 20' when I sold the place.
 
Joined
Apr 19, 2018
Messages
371
Reaction score
192
Hardiness Zone
zone 6b
Country
United States
chuck knows way more than I do. I would follow his advice. I would tell you that asparagus are heavy feeders. it is almost impossible to over fertilize. I would not use miracle grow unless I got it for free. and then it would be a maybe.
 
Joined
Jul 5, 2019
Messages
89
Reaction score
31
Location
Detroit
Hardiness Zone
6a
Country
United States
"Do this every year and pretty soon you will have to enlarge the bed."
Thanks for the encouraging words, Chuck!

Spending money on a fertilizer that is not proper or may damage the plants is something I'd like to avoid, so I'm curious to learn what it is about Miracle Grow that isn't acceptable and what brand of fertilizer do you prefer, Skinyea.
Thanks!
 
Joined
Feb 2, 2014
Messages
11,476
Reaction score
5,580
Location
La Porte Texas
Hardiness Zone
8b
Country
United States
"Do this every year and pretty soon you will have to enlarge the bed."
Thanks for the encouraging words, Chuck!

Spending money on a fertilizer that is not proper or may damage the plants is something I'd like to avoid, so I'm curious to learn what it is about Miracle Grow that isn't acceptable and what brand of fertilizer do you prefer, Skinyea.
Thanks!
Maybe I can answer this. Miracle Grow has only lately started manufacturing organic fertilizer. MG has a bad reputation among knowledgabe gardeners for having less than satisfactory products. Even to this day, their advertisements on TV are deceptive so many of us gardeners are very leery of anything MG has to offer. However, to be fair, I have not used their new organic product so I cannot say yea or nay about it. It is OMRI rated so it must be organic but until I hear and see with my own two eyes that it is a good fertiizer I am staying away from it. I recommend Fox Farm, Espoma, Natures Care, Happy Frog, Medina.
I don't buy fertilizer online. I buy Medina at the True Value Hardware store. A 40# bag is $18. Asparagus is a heavy feeder and it must be maintained with proper feeding or it will slowly dwindle away
 
Joined
Apr 19, 2018
Messages
371
Reaction score
192
Hardiness Zone
zone 6b
Country
United States
"Do this every year and pretty soon you will have to enlarge the bed."
Thanks for the encouraging words, Chuck!

Spending money on a fertilizer that is not proper or may damage the plants is something I'd like to avoid, so I'm curious to learn what it is about Miracle Grow that isn't acceptable and what brand of fertilizer do you prefer, Skinyea.
Thanks!

I used Miracle grow 1 year. I just didnt get great results. nothing died but nothing really did well. I did my research and found that most serious gardeners tend to stay away from the product.
That next year I became friends with a guy who raises chickens, I trade him extra veggies for chicken poop. I put the poop down in the beds really heavy in the spring and then again in the fall. works great

as far as other fertilizers- happy frog and medina work best for me.

I am a rookie at this, but it seems to me that if you fertilize asparagus really well in the spring and then continuous all growing season,and have discipline on how much you eat the 1st 4 or 5 years everything works out
 
Joined
Jul 5, 2019
Messages
89
Reaction score
31
Location
Detroit
Hardiness Zone
6a
Country
United States
Thanks for the suggestions & for reminding me of importance of fertilizer.

Last year was the first time I used the Miracle Grow. I used it on peppers, tomatoes, beans, peas & squash. Like Skinyea mentioned, I didn't get great results. I've used Epsoma and had good results on peppers and tomatoes. Last year, it was suddenly more than double the price of the previous year. Time to study & shop around!
 
Joined
Jul 5, 2019
Messages
89
Reaction score
31
Location
Detroit
Hardiness Zone
6a
Country
United States
Update:
From the names & types that Chuck & everyone mentioned here, I was able to fine Espoma Plant Tone locally.
About 3 days after application, the ferns are growing higher and getting greener. There are many, many small flowers appearing. Amazing!
Thanks Again All For Helping!
Paul
 

Ask a Question

Want to reply to this thread or ask your own question?

You'll need to choose a username for the site, which only take a couple of moments. After that, you can post your question and our members will help you out.

Ask a Question

Similar Threads


Members online

Forum statistics

Threads
26,590
Messages
256,660
Members
13,263
Latest member
ProNailComplex

Latest Threads

Top