I did mine about the same way. I made a 75 ft x 10 ft raised bed for my first one. 2 rows full length. I decided it wasn’t enough so I made another below my chicken pen for the fertilizer aspect from runoff. Now I have enough for the entire county but I can’t eat enough of it. Won’t be long now!
TurboDiesel Is there any certain types of wood shavings that are the best? And also any types to avoid? How long do you let your piles sit? I usually keep a pile i just throw stuff on but haven’t added any wood chips or shavings. I need my edumacation on der woood! Lol ~Lissa
I just started my compost heap last year. so I'm no pro. I got the idea when i cleaned my spouting and got a trailer load of wet gooey leaves and decided if i already had weeds growing that it must be good compost. Composting 101
Wow Brandon Scott !! Do you live near Indiana, by any chance??? Lol... I’d love to get some starts from someone with an established row like yours! Thanks for the tips! (no pun intended bahaa) ~Lissa!
Black walnut is one to avoid. Including the leaves and nuts. Oak leaves are very leathery and dont seem to breakdown well. Avoid pine, especially the needles. No meats, chesses , oils or grease. Any fresh fruit/veggies, leaves, stalks, roots and skins/peels are good, except citrus
Northern Kentucky just across the river from Rising Sun Indiana. I bought 2 year old roots from Burpee I believe. They were big and hearty and that let me harvest after the second year. Lotsa good videos about planting them on YouTube, just need good drainage and plant them plenty deep. I watched every video possible and came up with an idea of what I needed to do. Then I got a printout on the web from Ohio State University about how to raise asparagus. Good read. See if you can find it, I will look also.
Thank you!! I’m definitely gonna do what you did and learn all i can before i dig! Lol.. oh, one more thing... Is it better to start in the fall or spring? I’m sure I’ll read about it but I’m excited NOW and can’t wait! ~Lissa ( it’s happy banana time!!!!)
Really don’t think it matters but I did it in spring. Mr Douglas from Green Acres would only have it this way.
Spring is usually better because of the rain and attentive care, looking for growth. Fall works too but root growth and the rhizome health isn't exactly obvious.
One thing we do in very late fall when they’ve turned yellow and berries have dropped is cut them down but cutting about a quarter inch below the surface with an old steak knife. About Thanksgiving. That was a tip from my MIL and we’ve always done that. It’s a small patch on the south side of the house of about 3x10 and we’ve never wanted for more.
I don't think it matters too much when asparagus ferns are cut, just so long that it is after they turn yellow, and all photosynthesis feeding the crown is finished. In nature we have wild asparagus growing in ditches and it is never cut, yet produces year after year. The reasons I leave them up is that they provide some visual interest in an otherwise stark winter garden-scape, and they provide cover for the birds in our yard. Plus as they bend down from snow cover they provide insulation for the crown from severely cold temperatures that can occur in our area during winter months.
Thank you ALL for all the valuable input! Advice from people who actually grow the stuff is always an exceptional addition to anything I read in books! I appreciate it ~Lissa
I've never had any seeds sprout. Dunno if that's just the kind we have or critters eat all the seeds/berries or the young seedlings.
That’s an awesome point! I also leave ‘weeds’ and flowers, even some vegetable types to over winter for feed and shelter for the birds and the bunnies. I aslo feed a number of feral cats and find bird prints in the snow all around the cat food dish Lolll! ~Lissa
I just read through the whole thing. Very helpful!!! Thanks again for the link. Now I feel So Smart and got my edumacation fer the day! Party time!!! ~Lissa
This video just popped up and i like it so thought I'd share it with the group in case somebody else can use it. I don't know that I will go through all the work to build them but they look like they'd work really well... and last a lifetime
