Asparagus, From Crowns to Cropping takes you through the whole process. No dig apart from making a hole large enough for the spreading roots of your crowns.
The big differences between my easier approach and what you see recommended usually, is :
1 You don't need to deep dig at the beginning,
2 There is no need for ridges, just grow them in normal beds. This reduces weeding and makes them easy to look after, year after year. I know from experience - asparagus plants are long lived and need little time input after the first year.
00:00 Introductory music
00:04 Which variety to choose - I recommend modern hybrids
00:46 Info on planting asparagus where there are weeds
02:31 Timing of planting
02:53 Growing asparagus from seed
03:12 What is an asparagus crown?
03:55 Showing an asparagus spear
04:38 Showing the bed I will be planting on, already with peas for shoots, and some perennial weeds - I demonstrate how to remove them with a trowel
06:20 Planting the asparagus
09:13 More on weeds especially the difficult couch grass and bindweed
09:52 Planting asparagus (time lapse), and a list of planting steps
10:52 Even more on dealing with weeds! (perennials)
12:59 The benefits of using a (copper) spade for planting
13:37 Explaining how I used soil, cardboard and compost in the bed
14:19 Compost quality
15:49 Timing of asparagus growth each season, and the period of cropping
17:09 8 weeks later - growth of asparagus (and some weeds!)
17:57 Using supports for asparagus ferns
18:41 Showing my 9 year old asparagus bed, planted Dec 2012
19:11 Harvesting asparagus from this bed
21:41 Asparagus beetle.
Filmed by Edward Dowding at Homeacres May, June and October 2021.
Zone 8 climate, southern UK.
Check out this video, filmed in 2018 and showing the 6th year of my first asparagus bed:
• Asparagus - no dig, pl...
Module 6 of my Skills for Growing course teaches more on perennials and can be purchased from my website shop: charlesdowding.co.uk/product/...
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