| Can you plant aspargus plants in the late summer or early fall in Wisconsin, or would it be better to wait until spring? |
| You shouldn't have problems growing asparagus. Try the variety 'Jersey Giant' for a lot of disease resistance and high yields. When to plant is dependent upon how warm your area is. I think the best time for you would be early spring, about 4 wks. before the last average frost date. (You can get this date from your local extension office or weather bureau). To prepare the bed, first choose a spot with good drainage and plenty of sun. Dig trenches about 15 inches deep and 4 or 5 feet apart. Asparagus prefers a sandy loam soil so you will probably need to modify your soil bit (you probably already have the sand part!). Add a layer (approx. 6" deep) of well-rotted manure or compost in the bottom of the ditch. You can also add some bone meal -- a good source of phosphorus to encourage root growth. Add back some of the soil you removed, mixing it in with the compost/bonemeal. Form a little mound along the length of the trench. Set out the crowns on the top of this mound, spreading the roots carefully and spacing about 2 feet apart. Bury the roots with about 6 inches of soil, packing it gently around the crowns. Gently water thenewly-planted crowns. As the shoots emerge, keep adding more soil around them, until the trenches are filled to ground level. Ten plants per person should give you plenty of asparagus. |
