Asparagus - advice sought

[Susiebelle]

My asparagus bed is 12 months old, I gave it a good mulch of well rotted manure early in year and every time I pass the beds I weed them - what I am wanting to do is  Top Dress or is it Mulch? with grit to help keep weed free but if I do this what happens next year when it needs the manure mulch?

[Susiebelle]

[caroline7758]

Guess you'd have to scrape the grit off to put the manure on. Asparagus is so difficult to weed between, I'm thinking about putting weed suppressing fabric round mine next year. Or Bob Flowerdew recommends burning off the weeds while the plants are dormant.

[asbean]

You're doing a good job pulling the weeds as you pass, if the bed is weedfree normally, it's just a matter of puling a couple every now and then.  It's not a good idea to leave the weeds till they need hoeing or scrabbling around with a trowel, as you don't want to damage the roots etc which is underneath (and my goodness, they have a root system!)

I'm not so sure about the grit, there's no need to suppress weeds that are going to be whipped up as soon as they emerge, also asparagus likes sandy soil - the grit seems to be a bit heavy.  Instinctively I wouldn't use it.  We give ours a good layer of rotted manure each autumn when we've cut down the ferns.

[David R]

also you cut the spear a couple of inches below ground level, and i think grit would either get mixed in with the soil or inpede. grass clippings might be better  ;)

[Susiebelle]

I never thought of grass cuttings what a great idea :) - specially as I have a friendly contract gardener who provides me with oodles of 'em ;D
Thanks this weeks supply has just been dropped so I'm off to the Lottie to mulch by asparagus beds