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  • From: Bobbett <bobbett AT windstream.net>
  • To: Market Farming <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Market-farming] Starting an organic asparagus patch
  • Date: Thu, 10 Sep 2009 12:41:14 -0400

jay sleichter wrote:
I have a question about starting an organic asparagus patch. The methods don't have to be organic, I am not certified, but I try to minimize spraying.  How do you do it so you won't have the weeds?  We have a problem with crab grass and bind weed.
We have bind weed too.  We just make sure to get in there and pull it before it becomes a problem.  We've definitely lessened the amt of bind weed around here in the past five yrs.
We battle weeds all the time.  We mow it off and hand pull but that isn't enough. I would like to grow more so we can have it for early sales in May. 
I think mulching is the key.  You still might have to do some hand weeding immediately next to the spears, but mulching heavily does the trick for us.  We used sorghum mulch this yr, but in times past it was mostly leaves and grass clippings applied heavily.    This yr we put a lot of newspaper underneath to hold off the weeds for even a longer period of time.
My question, what is the best way to get these beds established?  Planting seed or crowns?  If I plant seed will I be 3 years before I have sellable asparagus?  If I plant crowns, will I have sellable asparagus in two years?
We put in 2yo crowns in 2004.  We were able to pick for a few wks in 2005 and then normal productiong in 2006.
Seeds will add two years to that scenario.
Bobbett, KY zone 6
http://www.localharvest.org/farms/M19189



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