To find books, courses, seeds, gardening supplies, and more, check out The Shop at Greenupside! Do not use any fertilizer containing an herbicide (i.e. Establishing a healthy bed of asparagus requires considerable work but, once established, youll enjoy asparagus in early spring for a very long time. This is because female plants expend tremendous energy producing seeds and small, weedy seedlings that compete with established asparagus plants. Unless you have asparagus beds with lots of varieties its unusual to be able to taste more than one or two different varieties head to head. After planting, there should still be plenty of soil along the sides of the furrows, which will be used later in the season to continue back-filling the furrows as the ferns grow. Flaming (propane weeding): Flame weeders, also called propane weeders, emit heat and flames from propane-powered torches. Planning the row spacing, row orientationand number of crowns needed. Waiting to prepare until the planting year only works if the grower already knows that the field is well suited for asparagus and if nurseries still have crowns of the desired varieties available. Once the spears are sturdy and several inches tall, several more inches of soil can be back-filled into the furrow. It is widely grown, from Northern Europe to the Pacific Northwest, with 8000 acres in western Michigan alone. It originated in Europe, North Africa, and West Asia and has been consumed for more than 2,000 years. Purple Passion: A purple, open-pollinated variety. Delicate fresh flavor. 5 1 It is hardy in Zones 3 to 9 (as cold as -40 degrees Fahrenheit or -40 degrees Celsius). In the absence of a soil test report, the typical garden fertilizer rate for asparagus is to apply 1 to 1.5 pounds of a 10% nitrogen, 10% phosphorus, and 10% potassium fertilizer (10-10-10) per 100 square feet before planting. Jersey Series This all-male series of hybrid asparagus varieties include Jersey Giant, a hardy plant that performs well in chilly climates. 12 . Crowns should be ordered 3-6 months before planting to ensure that preferred varieties are available. An inch of water will wet a sandy soil to a depth of ten inches, and wet a heavy clay soil to six inches. The ancient Greek doctor, Hippocrates, used the plant to treat diarrhea and pains of the urethra while another Greek doctor, Dioscorides, recommended it to treat kidney problems, sciatica, and jaundice. We are certainly interested in learning more about how these hybrid varieties compare when grown across Minnesota, specifically USDA zones 3 and 4. Select a delivery dateclose to when you anticipate planting, as the crowns must be refrigerated until planting. Not positive though. 95 ($1.72/Count) Get it Fri, Jun 24 - Tue, Jun 28. . Eros F1 hybrid - The large purple green spears originate from Italy. Usually, you harvest asparagus during late spring, in May and into June. Hybrid varieties are mostly all-male plants, so planting hybridsminimizes the issue of re-seeding. Then again, they are slightly later to emerge. You can start asparagus from seed or from one-year-old roots, called crowns.. It is In addition to having a higher yield the male plants have no seeds to drop and seeds produce seedlings that will affect the size and yield of spears produced by the planted crowns. Regents of the University of Minnesota. Bearing in mind that all of them were delicious and far exceeded the flavour of shop bought these were the comments on each. The most common insect pests on asparagus in Minnesota are the common and spotted asparagus beetles. Make sure you get the right one! Access to irrigation, particularly in the planting year (especially important for sandy soils). Several high performing hybrid asparagus varieties are still available for growers to order. Thielim F1 hybrid - Early to crop and with a good yield this hybrid is a recent introduction that is less susceptible to Botrytis. which has medium diameter spears. Eros F1 hybrid - The large purple green spears originate from Italy. Some hybrid asparagus varieties have been bred to provide male only asparagus plants. I was not prepared for their first appearance in yr 2 so they pretty much had teir way with me. The Jersey series: Jersey Giant, Jersey Knight, Jersey Supreme. The Frenchmen also cultivated asparagus in their greenhouses to ensure its year-round supply since its King Louis XIVs favorite type of food. learn more about Mary Washington asparagus from Eden Brothers. In spring, spears will start to emerge from the soil. Model #NURSERY. Open-pollinated varieties of asparagus contain both male and female plants. Required fields are marked *. Crowns grow vertically and horizontally. SKU. A great way to get the earliest cash crop in town or to extend your garden season. While all the Jersey varieties as well as Mellenium and even Purple Passion routinely surpass the old varieties of Martha and Mary Washington they still require good soil, proper spacing, sufficient and timely nutrient and water support, and careful pest control. However, gardeners wishing to try starting asparagus from seed may follow these recommendations: Choose an area of the garden as a nursery bed. New to Amazon. Asparagus is a unique crop. RELATED SEARCHES. It is a sturdy plant that produces large crops and it is a very tasty vegetable that can be harvested early. good in poorer soils and is an all male variety of asparagus. In heavy clay soils, make the furrows more shallow (6-8 inches) and deeper (10-12 inches) for very sandy soil. Small, narrow spears will start to emerge from the soil within 2-3 weeks of planting, depending on precipitation, temperature and amount of soil cover. We recommendplanting asparagus on a slight slope is recommended especially when heavier soils are present. (800) 777-2658. Jersey Knight Asparagus Plant Asparagus 'Jersey Knight'. It has a strong flavour and is resistant to fusarium - crown rot and is mild and nutty and the sugar content is 20% higher than many others. You can unsubscribe at any time. Others are all-male, meaning they wont produce berries but they will produce more spears than female plants! Martha Washington Add recommended fertilizer based on the soil test results. Planting at the right depth is important. Nitrogen should be added after planting, once the crowns begin growing. It is resistant to rust and fusarium wilt and it does best in growing zones 3-8. Jersey Giant Jersey Supreme Open-pollinated varieties for Minnesota Mary Washington Martha Washington Purple Passion Choosing a planting site for asparagus Since asparagus is a long-lived perennial crop, proper site selection is important. The University of Minnesota is an equal opportunity educator and employer. It is also a great choice if your soil is sandy. Again from New Zealand this variety was There are several different hybrid "Jersey" asparagus varieties, Jersey Knight, Jersey Supreme, Jersey Giant, Jersey Prince, may be more. When ordering crowns online, select a delivery date close to when you hope to plant, and refrigerate the crowns until planting. Plants suffering from crown rot have poor growth. Their feeding can also cause asparagus shoots to bend over making them look like a shepherds crook. Mulch the nursery bed with four to six inches of straw in late October to keep it warm during winter. According to Ben Werling, Michigan State University vegetable Extension Educator, Millennium is better adapted to cold climates than Sign up for our newsletter. If you can spot the yellow growth somewhere in the fall, you can go back in the spring and look for spears that will likely be growing by then. Pacific 2000 - Unusually there are two Because of this and a few other factors, white asparagus can be quite expensive up to double the amount you pay for other types of asparagus and it is actually considered a delicacy in Europe. The best you can hope for is some tolerance for the common fungus issues of rust and fusarium that exist in all soils and as with most fungus diseases, weather is the enemy we have to contend with there, not the variety. It usually grows between seven and nine inches long and is very meaty and tasty. learn more about Jersey Giant asparagus from Gurneys. I hope you found this article helpful. will grow in poor salty or alkaline soil. The spears emerge from underground buds at the base of the root system. These varieties can be damaged at -30 F if there is not enough snow cover. It usually grows between seven and nine inches long and is very meaty and tasty. This also has potential implications for asparagus beetle; ferns that go dormant earlier in the fall may be cut earlier, reducing the risk of asparagus beetle overwintering. Some Minnesota growers use custom equipment to dig furrows, while most others use a single-bottom plow or a potato hilling disk. Use Current Location. There are female plants and male plants. - If you live in the north of England this may be the variety for you. They can be used in the early spring before spears have started emerging, or after all spears have been harvested in late June and no ferns are present. An asparagus plants ferns (above ground) have a width of 2 to 3 feet (61 to 91 centimeters). find your local hardiness zone with this map. Asparagus ferns (which are mature spears that have produced foliage) can reach a width of 3 feet (90 centimeters) above ground. Full Sun 6 Hours Direct Sun Plant Bulbs. The flavour In the following years, harvest asparagus up to July 1. We were a bit underwhelmed by Pacific Purple. Zones 3 - 7 Normal Full Sun 3-4' x 1-2' The Jersey Knight asparagus is a very productive and great tasting plant. Put them in a plastic bag in the crisper drawer. Asparagus plants have deep root systems. On the planting day, begin by digging furrows (trenches) for the crowns. The recommended bud spacing is 12 inches. varieties of pacific 2000 one for spring and one for autumn planting. It goes dormant earlier in the fall and wakes up more slowly in the spring, reducing the risk of late fall and early spring frost damage. Do you grow Jersey Giant asparagus? Whats The Difference Between Male And Female Asparagus Plants, Asparagus Harvesting - How And When To Pick Asparagus, What Is Asparagus Rust: Tips On Treating Rust In Asparagus Plants, Best Trees For Carbon Sequestration And Climate Change, Common Flowering Quince Diseases And Pests, These Weeds That Spread By Seed Can Sprout After Years, Rose Varieties: What Are Some Different Types Of Roses, Choaenephora Wet Rot Control: Tips On Controlling Choaenephora Fruit Rot, Is Growing Butternuts Possible: Information About White Walnut Trees, Tomato Plant Insect Pests: Tips For Treating Pests On Tomatoes, Home & Garden Marketplace: Advertiser Info. Hand-removal can also be used to eliminate any weeds that escape through cover crops and mulches. Jersey Knight, (F1) Asparagus Roots The Jersey Knight asparagus is a very productive and great tasting plant. Normally, only female asparagus plants produce these red berries or seed pods. According to Werling and Carl Cantaluppi (retired asparagus researcher, North Carolina Extension), other varieties to consider in addition to Millennium include: All varieties listed above are hybrids. Find more gardening information on Gardening Know How: Keep up to date with all that's happening in and around the garden. The stalks themselves grow to approximately ten inches long and they are very meaty and yummy. You can learn more about how asparagus spreads in my article here. Purple Passion Asparagus (Purple asparagus), How to Master Spice and Herb Gardening at Home. January 06, 2021 In summary: The producer of asparagus crowns for asparagus varieties Jersey Giant, Jersey Knight, and Jersey Supreme has stopped propagating these varieties. Consider soil drainage, sunlight, soil texture, irrigation and soil pH when choosing a planting site. a "Weed and Feed"-type product), as it may kill your vegetable plants. might want to look out for combination offers where you buy typically 5 adaptable liking either clay or sandy soils. Choose its spot in the garden carefully. Asparagus Varieties in Preparation for Tasting, We've been reviewing crown and seed suppliers to help you buy online here. Best In Zones 2 - 9 Description: 1 year . Jersey Supreme is a newer, disease-resistant variety that produces spears earlier than Giant or Knight. Supreme is an excellent choice for light, sandy soil. Spears that are not harvested will keep growing and turn into ferns. I can say I appreciate the information on the Mellenium variety. They usually mature in late spring in most climates and they do best if you live in zones 4-6. I actually like Millenium over the Jerseys. Following correct planting methods for asparagus is important for this long-lived perennial crop. I'm in Zone 6, temperate or cold? Plant Size. Next, cover the crowns with 2-3 inches of the soil that was removed from the furrow previously. This happens when soil temperatures get to about 50 degrees Fahrenheit (10 degrees Celsius). This type of asparagus was developed in 1978 and is one of the most popular types of asparagus, if not the most common. . What I want is high yield, robust growth and resistant to diseases. But that will dry the soil, making it clumpy and harder to work with. Purple Passion Following the steps outlined in planting a new asparagus crop will help ensure that your investment pays off. Since asparagus is a long-lived perennial crop, proper site selection is important. It grows vigorously It is also both a male and a female plant. Appreciated for its uniform size and delicious flavor, Mary Washington has been a favorite of American gardeners for more than a century. If you want to read some of my most popular posts, check out the Best of GreenUpSide page here. Asparagus rust causes yellow and rusty orange spots to form on asparagus stems after harvest. The goal of the breeding program was to create a male variety of asparagus that produced more . For example, if you have 10 crowns, dig a 10-foot long trench. Ideal for cooking. colour is lost if cooked so if you are going to cook it steaming is Excellent disease resistance. The red berries you see on your asparagus plant are pods that contain several seeds. Allow the spears to become ferns and build the strength of the crowns. Millennium has been grown in Minnesota for a number of years with success. For example, Rutgers University released the "Jersey line" of male hybrids (e.g., Jersey Giant, Jersey Supreme, Jersey King and Jersey Knight). pollinated variety. 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