Topic: What to do with my asparagus seedlings

[chriscross1966]

I've got 75 asparagus seedlings currently sat in 15/tray modules one plant per module. THe lpants are about 10" tall . What do I do now. I have enough pots/soilmanure to put them into 8-10" pots for the rest of the summer but what would be the best treatment for them after that? The bed for them won't be ready until late autumn at the earliest as it needs clearing of anythign that has survived under the weedmulch and builders bags this year, mostly bindweed, couch and thistles I expect although I do seem to have some sort of perennial weed that has spear-shaped leaves arranged around the stem and a red/pink root the thickness of a pencil that goes on down forever.... I imagine that by the time I have the bed ready the asparagus will be asleep for the winter, would it be a good idea to plant out then or keep the pots somewhere and plant out in the spring? THey are somethign like UMC72 (or something like that)

chrisc

[GodfreyRob]

I'd put them in your larger pots and not plant them out until next spring. A long as the pots are big enough (and it sounds like they are) the plants will have enough room for this year.

Weeds in an asparagus bed are a real pain.  By waiting until spring you can really get the max number of weeds out of the bed before the asparagus goes in.

[PurpleHeather]

I grew loads from seeds some years ago and I kept them in the pots over winter and planted them out like the instructions for shop bought ones before they came up again in spring. (I take it you know that the foliage dies off over winter).

They are doing fine but it is a slow frustrating process because they take a few years to get to the 'eating' size and weeding is a nightmare.

I suggest using tree bark between them once they start to re-appear to prevent weeds.

[chriscross1966]

I've been given a load of wood chippings where my parents had a treestump ground out... suitable?chrisc

[jennym]

You can plant them out, but water them well. I found it best to mark each one in the bed with a cane, because then, if you need to weed during winter, you can be careful where the canes are placed. They really do disappear in winter, and young ones can be quite wispy when they first come up in spring.
I tend to mulch with well rotted muck or kitchen compost, or even cheapo bagged stuff. Not sure about the wood chippings though? wouldn't they maybe rob the soil of nitrogen? Asparagus needs a lot of nitrogen to grow well.