Panhandle Plantings
Asparagus Tips – Care and Feeding
by Holmes County Master Gardener, Val Ford
The size of Florida asparagus is quite the conundrum. First and foremost, you must realize that once a spear breaks the ground, whatever diameter that spear is at that moment, is the diameter it’s going to be no matter how long you leave it there or how tall it grows, ultimately ferning. Second, the only way for asparagus spears to emerge “larger than life” is with proper nutrition. Thin, spindly spears result because of lack of fertilization, crowns being too heavily harvested and/or the poor physical condition of the soil. In Florida, it’s probably a combination of the three conditions – so let’s take them one by one and see if we can’t rectify some of the disappointments before they occur.
Lack of Fertilization Asparagus is a VERY heavy feeder, especially with nitrogen (N). Nitrogen leaches out of soil faster than any other nutrient. With a combination of sandy soil and water-soluble nitrogen fertilizer, asparagus doesn’t have a chance. If water-soluble fertilizer is used on a sandy-soil asparagus patch, it might be prudent to get into a routine of more frequent, shorter irrigations rather than fewer, heavier drenchings. You could also pass over that thought and continue directly to soil conditioning – but let’s be systematic about this.
Crowns too heavily harvested Here’s a biggie! It’s virtually universally recommended that asparagus spears not be harvested until a crown is three years old. The reason for this is that the crowns are the energy storage area for spear production -- and this takes approximately three years to mature in good fertile soil. Most of us aren’t patient enough. We see the spears begin to appear in late April of the first year and immediately determine that we can begin picking. Nope – those spears should be allowed to “fern.” It’s the ferns that are acting as solar collectors, photosynthesizing and feeding the crowns. The more ferns, the more energy production, the more storage, the better the production – and so the cycle continues. If you MUST pick the first and/or second year – even if you’ve planted three-year-old crowns – do so VERY sparingly and for a VERY SHORT period of time, i.e. ONCE! Your mantra here should be “Delayed Gratification.”
Now – let’s assume you’re in your fourth year and you’re ready to eat asparagus until you’re sick of it! You have a choice of two methods of harvesting. The first is the more traditional method -- harvest all the spears produced for approximately two months (April and May) and then allow the patch to fern until frost. Whoa!!!! This means no asparagus for June, July, August and into September! But what you’ve done is rob the crowns of any nutrition for the two months you’ve been harvesting, requiring them to use the carbohydrates stored in the crowns as the only source of energy for spear production. Now you have to allow them to “feed and store” in preparation for winter and next years’ spear production. Never fear – there is an alternative …
The second means of spear harvest is less traditional, but extends your season from two to four or five months and doesn’t stress the crowns. When spears begin to break ground, allow two or three PER CROWN to immediately go to fern – and then pick the remaining spears as they appear. When you notice the ferns beginning to deteriorate – allow a new spear to fern to take its place. This method maintains the cycle of photosynthesis, energy storage and production, allowing for an extended harvesting period. If you have prolific production and can’t keep up with it (yes – it is possible) it doesn’t hurt to allow more than a couple of ferns to remain on a crown for the entire summer. An added benefit to this method – it marks the pattern of crown planting in the patch so you won’t be constantly walking on top of the crowns, compacting the soil.
Poor physical soil condition Whether you have sand or clay, there’s only one answer – organic matter, organic matter and MORE ORGANIC MATTER. Not only does organic matter increase water retention, thus nutrient retention, but is also provides a more appropriate pH level that, in turn,optimizes nutrient take-up. Before planting, prepare the bed with leaves, compost and/or manures. Each winter, once you’ve cut back the ferns to soil level, top dress the entire patch with a one- to three-inch layer of organic mulch. And don’t forget the worms!!!!!! They’ll do more to incorporate all that top-dressing into the soil than you could do in a lifetime – and be more efficient at it to boot.
Asparagus prefers cooler climates (it’s a native of Great Britain, Russia and Poland), as does organic matter. Both deteriorate rapidly in Florida’s heat and humidity. You can minimize the impact by “forcing dormancy” (cutting back the ferns to soil level) no later than December 1 and top-dressing as discussed above.
Finally – when harvesting your spears, DO NOT use an asparagus knife and cut them off below the soil line! We don’t plant our crowns at the depths used “up north” and risk the possibility of damaging the crowns with this method. Instead, break off the spear as close to ground level as possible. You’ll get the feel of it with a little bit of experience.
Val Ford is a Holmes County Master Gardener. If you have a gardening question or problem, contact your local Extension Office or e-mail Val at FLSnowflake7592@aol.com
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