Pastor Dave's Highlights

[Pastor Dave]

I may plant another row. That would give me abt 50 plants.

 

[Pastor Dave]

On my way home from work around 11:00pm I saw a huge orange cat in the city. It was just off a main road in front of some houses by the curb. No, it was a dog. No, it was a red fox! Since it wasn't at my house messing with anything it was absolutely beautiful! I was surprised to see it. But, I was driving past and only saw it a moment.

 

[RollingAcres]

I love seeing foxes as well but not any where near my house.

 

[farmerjan]

@Pastor Dave ; you might want to get some purple asparagus and plant. It is pretty, different, and tastes as good as the other. Usually we don't pick from plantings for the first 2 years. Let the roots grow bigger and stronger. Then when you do pick, for the first year or 2 just pick the bigger, nicer spears. Let the skinny ones grow and go to seed. Yes, they all go to seed. The hybrids are no different. They will get those fern-like tops and then have little "berries" on them. That is what the birds like to eat, and sit on fences and poop the seeds out. That is why so often you will find wild asparagus growing along fence rows. The birds spread the seeds. And of course, you quit picking and let them all go to seed so that the plants feed the roots and strengthen them for the winter. In the fall when they get pretty dry and yellowish looking, you can just cut them down. I mulched mine so that there were very few weeds to deal with. Thick straw mulch so the spears can easily come up through.
I want a patch again.....at my own place.....

 

[Pastor Dave]

Then when you do pick, for the first year or 2 just pick the bigger, nicer spears. Let the skinny ones grow and go to seed. Yes, they all go to seed. The hybrids are no different. They will get those fern-like tops and then have little "berries" on them. That is what the birds like to eat, and sit on fences and poop the seeds out. That is why so often you will find wild asparagus growing along fence rows. The birds spread the seeds...

My question is, doesn't being hybrid make them sterile? Mine are ferny looking and getting those seeds you described. But I was told there weren't any "male" parts or plants to fertilize the seeds. Idk. I didn't think they woukd make new plants, just grow into bigger ones.
Thanks for taking time to educate me :)

 

[farmerjan]

@Pastor Dave ; I think I need to clarify what I wrote before. All asparagus gets the fernlike tops when they go past "prime eating" . There normally is a small percentage of female plants in most hybrids which will get the seeds. Hybrids are PREDOMINANTLY MALE so that you get larger stalks, and get them sooner. There are a few hybrids now that have been developed that are ALL MALE and will not have any seeds. They propagate from the crowns I believe. I would have to do some reading up on it.
But, if you got a Jersey giant or a Jersey king type hybrid, they will be MOSTLY all male plants with a few females in the mix. I shouldn't have said they will ALL have seeds, rather, they all will have the fern like tops as they go "past maturity" rather than saying as they go "to seed".
If you are seeing seeds, then you can be assured that the reddish berries will produce a new plant if planted. Of course, not all will be fertile, but for the most part they will. What type of hybrid did you get? The general rule of thumb is that there are less than 15% female plants in the "hybrid" crowns sent. I am not sure it is worth the extra money as I don't mind the smaller and more tender stalks. The old standby is Martha Washington and it is not a "hybrid".
It will be curious to see how many of the plants develop seeds (berries) on the "fern-like tops. I need to go back and do some refresher to make sure what I am telling you is right....now I am curious if there is something I have forgotten.

 

[Bruce]

DW prefers the thin stalks. We really need to create a new bed and increase the number of plants. That and get my butt out there and weed out the grass every few weeks.

 

[Pastor Dave]

I'll get some new pics of them. They are turning ferny and have little round yellowish green things growing at the tops of some.

 

[Bruce]

Sounds like seeds to me.

 

[Pastor Dave]

I think 2 of them have these