Asparagus?

[jaideeguy]

I've been wanting to get my own [for personal use] asparagus beds established and my seeds just came in. Have some University of California #72 and a few 'Jersey Knights' [expensive, but are supposed to be male only]

I know it will take a couple of years until I can harvest, so now is the time to start, but they can produce for up to 50 yrs [outliving me].

Just wondering if there are other asparagus growers here that can share tips???

[joeycano]

I went to the Home Show at Impact in Bangkok this weekend. While there, I seen a vendor selling white asparagus. Actually, it appeared that they were selling overgrown asparagus plants at the seeding stage. They also had Asparagus in pots ripe for cutting. I did not read this thread or I would have obtained information for you.

I did grab a handout from Kasetsart University's garden center who sells a lot of baby Thai fruit trees. They might have been the ones selling the Asparagus. If you are interested, I can stop by there to see if they have grown asparagus plants for sale as my wife has been wanting to go there to buy a Jack Fruit Tree.

[rice555]

Hello jaideeguy, I've never grown them nor are they on my plate much. The first article is from the BKK Post. I haven't reread the article, but if I remember right, the lady spends sun up to sun down on 2 rai OG asparagus is a lot of time.

rice555

Organic goods in high demand abroad.

Organic asparagus from Thailand is now in high demand on the world market. Several farmers in Sa Kaeo

province have capitalised on the trend, turning their land into organic asparagus farms.

The environmentally-friendly farming requires much more attention than chemical farming, they said.

Phongsak Thamrongratanasilp, chairman of the Sa Kaeo Organic Farming Network, said a number of farmers in the province were attracted to the contract farming system for supplying asparagus for export seven years ago. Through the contract farming system, prices of asparagus supplied by the farmers are guaranteed.

But Mr Phongsak said it is not the price issue alone that attracts farmers to the system. Phaichayon Uathaweekul, chief executive officer of Swift Co, which exports asparagus, said she believed his company's relationship with contracted farmers could help mitigate poverty in the farmers' communities in the long run.

She said a study comparing operation costs for growing non-organic and organic asparagus showed that the cost of organic asparagus farming is much lower than the operation costs of other farming techniques. Such low operation costs give farmers a higher profit margin when the produce is exported.

According to Mr Phongsak, asparagus supplies in the world market have not yet satisfied the global demand and Thailand has an advantage over western countries in terms of weather.

Farmers in western countries can only grow asparagus in summer, which lasts about three to four months. However, farmers in tropical Thailand can grow the crop all year round, he said. The cost of labour and materials necessary for asparagus farming in Thailand is also incomparable to those in developed western countries, he added.

However, a challenge in exporting farm produce is meeting the standards set by each importing country. "Because we are exporting to many countries, we have to meet the criteria set by each of our importing countries," he said. Farmers who grow asparagus for export must make sure that sources of water and materials used in their farms are chemical-free.

The farming areas should also be a certain distance away from non-organic farms, so there is no chemical contamination. After all, farmers' attentiveness to their farming areas is the paramount factor in successful organic asparagus farming, said Mr Phongsak.

Asparagus farmer Chen Tongkratok, 37, said she is required to closely observe every single asparagus on her two-rai farm every day. "We have to keep removing pests from our farm by hand if we want our asparagus produce to be grade A," she said.

Every day, most farmers spend from dawn to late in the afternoon on their farmland, she said. All farmers have to be on the lookout against pests because they do not use pesticides on their farms.

Nevertheless, pests are not a big problem for her family farm as they can use repellents made of herbs such as lemon grass or the neem tree, Ms Chen said. Ms Phaichayon said her company wants to see the farmers expand the variety of vegetables they grow, and not limit themselves to asparagus.

The company also wants to supply organic vegetables to domestic markets in the future, "so that Thais will have a chance to eat organic vegetables that meet export standards", she said. The company is planning to increase the number of its contracted farmers to cover larger farming areas, she added.

Asparagus is a tasty vegetable that is also a medicinal herb.

It contains significant amounts of vitamins C and A, and has efficacy as a diuretic, blood cleanser, and reproductive hormone stimulant. In some cultures, asparagus is viewed as an aphrodisiac.

Asparagus is native to the Mediterranean and was considered a valuable food by the ancient Greeks. Asparagus is a member of the lily family. It’s related to onions and leeks.

As a grower, you’ll find asparagus to be a hardy perennial requiring close attention during the growing season. It’s one of the first vegetables that become ready for harvest in the spring.

If you properly plan the asparagus section of your garden, you can have decades of asparagus year after year. Be sure not to locate the asparagus patch in low-lying areas that are subject to frost or poor drainage. Asparagus likes full sun and needs porous, well-aerated soil for its dense and extensive root network. Proper preparation for growing anything always involves soil testing. Work small amounts of manure and compost into the soil before planting. Also work into the soil some products by the Advanced Nutrients company: Seafood Buffet, SensiCal Grow, Barricade, and Heavy Harvest Summer. These products will fortify the plants, increase root growth, strengthen plant immune systems, and provide easily available nutrients for immediate growth.

For the first three years after planting, use the same products listed above. Starting in the fourth year, delay the application of these products until June or July, immediately after the last harvest of the season. This allows the plants to store nutrients during dormancy, which will create earlier growth and more bountiful harvests when spring comes to provide warmer weather.

Asparagus can be grown from seed, or by planting crowns that have been purchased or that have been separated from your own existing plants. If you grow from seeds, you will wait a year before your plants are established enough to give you a first harvest. The ideal germination temperature is from 70 to 78 F. It takes 10-12 days before seeds sprout. Many gardeners sow seeds in a production bed and allow them to grow for a year before transplanting. Plant seeds 1/2 inch deep and 2 inches apart in the row. Start them in the spring when the soil temperatures have reached at least 66 F. Young plants create compact buds in the center (crown), with numerous dangling, pencil-sized roots.

The following spring before growth begins, transplant the young plants to their permanent bed. Growing from seeds ensures that you are starting with freshly dug crowns that have not lost vigor by being commercially dug, stored and shipped. Growing from seeds is a bit harder than growing from crowns, and delays harvest a year, but it’s a fantastic way to get a wide variety of asparagus that cannot be bought commercially at grocery stores. Standard asparagus varieties like Mary Washington, Martha Washington and Waltham Washington are available; but a number of new varieties that are either predominantly or all male recently have been introduced to common usage- asparagus plants are dioecious, which means they are naturally male or female.

The female plants bear seeds, which takes away from the yield of female asparagus shoots. That’s why male plants are more valued than female; males produce thicker, larger spears because they put no energy into seeds and do not create seedlings around them. A type of asparagus that produces only male plants has created hybrid varieties such as Jersey Giant, Jersey Knight, Jersey Prince and Viking KBC, which produce larger yields than plants previously known. These newer varieties also have the advantage of being resistant to diseases that attack asparagus, such as Fusarium, rust, and crown rot.

If you are establishing a garden by planting crowns, plant them 4-6 weeks before the expected last frost of the season. Plant 10-20 inches apart in trenches 12-18 inches wide and 7 inches deep (for Jersey series cultivars, plant five inches deep). Spread the roots uniformly with the crown bud side up, in an upright, centered position, slightly higher than the roots. Cover roots with 1 to 2 inches of soil amended as previously specified. You can cover the roots with more soil as the plants grow, because asparagus has a tendency to rise as the plants mature; crowns gradually grow closer to the soil surface. Many gardeners apply more soil between and in the rows in later years.

During the time when asparagus is creating its edible spears, it’s useful to treat them with Advanced Nutrients SensiCal Bloom, Sweet Leaf, and Big Bud. These support flowering and vegetable production and can improve the taste and yield of your plants.

As noted, asparagus plants are dioecious (solely male or solely female). The female plants develop more spears or stems than the male plants, and are often seeded, but the stems are smaller in diameter. With normal open-pollinated varieties, gardeners plant both male and female plants in a ratio of 1:1. After the first year, small red berries form on the female plants in late summer. These then fall to the ground and become new plants that function almost as weeds in the asparagus bed. These can be thinned to keep the bed from becoming unruly, which limits yield. After weather has become freezing in the fall, remove asparagus tops to decrease the possibility that rust could develop on foliage during the winter.

Midsummer mulching with hay, straw, leaves or grass clippings helps control weeds and keep soil from drying out. Because asparagus is a low-growing plant, it is plagued by weeds, and the tactic of mulching, along with careful and constant removal of weeds, is necessary to keep the asparagus from being overgrown.

Problems of spotted and solid-colored asparagus beetles, Fusarium wilt and crown rot are the common plagues that harm asparagus. It is unethical to use chemical fertilizers; progressive gardeners use Advanced Nutrients Bug Away, as well as Scorpion Juice to defeat insect predators or Fusarium and rust. Scorpion Juice is an inoculant that causes plant’s immune systems to grow more vigilant to fight off diseases, viruses, molds and fungi.

Asparagus can be harvested the third year after planting crowns, but for no more than one month the first season. The plant is still expanding its root storage system and excessive removal of spears weakens the plants. During the fourth year and thereafter, the spears may be harvested from their first appearance in the spring through May or June (as long as 8 to 10 weeks).

Harvest spears when they are 5 to 8 inches in length by cutting or snapping them. To cut a spear, run a knife into the soil at the base of the spear and carefully sever it. Because the spear is cut below the point where fiber develops, it becomes necessary to remove the fibrous base from the tender stalk. Cutting may damage some spear tips that have not yet emerged from the ground. Grasp the spear near the base and bend it toward the ground. The spear breaks at the lowest point where it is free of fiber.

Asparagus deteriorates rapidly after harvest. Indeed, all vegetables and fruit are best when consumed fresh. The further away they get from having been connected to their roots and the natural system of sun energy conversion that keeps them growing, the less nutritious they are.

If you must store any variety of asparagus, treat it as you would treat a cut flower. Trim the stems and stand them in a glass with one to two inches of water. Cover with a plastic bag and refrigerate; use them within two to three days.

Asparagus can be eaten raw, steamed, boiled, grilled, roasted or in casseroles and salads. The key to perfectly cooked asparagus, as with almost all vegetables, is to cook as briefly as possible- heat destroys the phytonutrients that make fresh produce nutritious.

The flavor of asparagus is distinctive. The shoots can be garnished with olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper. When using asparagus as a salad, always wait until serving time to add the dressing as the high acid content of most dressings will turn the spears yellow. Add fresh chives, savory, thyme, and tarragon to enhance the flavor of cooked asparagus.

There are some features about asparagus growing that are shared among veteran growers: When weather is hot and especially if plants are overprovided with nitrogen, the stalks extend rapidly, which decreases the compactness and density of the shoot. Conversely, if established shoots are exposed to a spring freeze and turn brown or wither, they must be removed from the crown.

With proper planning and amending of the root zone where you intend to plant asparagus, with proper treatment with supplements, and with care to keep the patch weed free during production season, you can grow delicious, nutritious asparagus for a fraction of what you’d pay at the store.

[slapout]

Asparagus grows wild in the US from Texas noth thru Wyoming. You find it in the fence rows where the roots are not disturbed by culivation. Sandy soils seemed to be the best for good production. I planted what was called Martha Washington in a garden from root stock, had good crop second year and thereafter. Never saw any insects bother it, thus no chemicals involved, did not fertilize as such, did cover with manure in fall for the protection from cold and next years growth. Surprised they claim to have problems with insects but this is Thailand and they do not like to concede part of any crop to wildlife of any kind.

[joeycano]

I finally got around to going to Kasesart University's Garden Center and confirmed that they do sell Asparagus plants. I did not look at the variety but did see them overgrown to about 5 feet tall. I just wanted to post this in case there is anyone interested in planting them.

They also sell about every variety of Thai fruit trees and a large assortment of Thai flower and plants.

[wagner54]

I finally got around to going to Kasesart University's Garden Center and confirmed that they do sell Asparagus plants. I did not look at the variety but did see them overgrown to about 5 feet tall. I just wanted to post this in case there is anyone interested in planting them.

They also sell about every variety of Thai fruit trees and a large assortment of Thai flower and plants.

Hi Joey

Is Kasesart University's Garden Center in Bangkok?

Thank you

[bonzor]

I finally got around to going to Kasesart University's Garden Center and confirmed that they do sell Asparagus plants. I did not look at the variety but did see them overgrown to about 5 feet tall. I just wanted to post this in case there is anyone interested in planting them.

They also sell about every variety of Thai fruit trees and a large assortment of Thai flower and plants.

Hi Joey

Is Kasesart University's Garden Center in Bangkok?

Thank you

asparagus farms all over the place around kanchanburi

[jaideeguy]

Joeycano.....do you know the age of the plants and the price? and what size bags were they in?

If 5 ft tall, they must have been a year, at least??

Mine are now 1 ft tall in 1/2 lt bags, but looking good and strong. Time to pot them up to larger size bags......

Thanks.

[old wanderer]

We have 39 rai north of Sara Buri, but our land is the heavy red clay type soil...you need well drained soil (sandy or a small gravel is best) for this crop. I have seen a bit of this type of land and it is cheaper than the "regular" type soil every one knows.

I looked at it for growing pepper, but looks like this could work as well.

Just another thing to consider adding to our little farm.

[joeycano]

I am going to Kasetsart University in Bangkok tomorrow and will get details for those who are interested in Asparagus. I will also take photos for you guys.

[jaideeguy]

One consideration that I haven't considered is that I do have heavy [rice field] clay soils with poor drainage. I wonder would it be economically feasable to dig trenches [1 mt deep] and fill with a sandy soil for drainage, then compost on top and in raised beds to drain well??

joeycano....maybe you could inquire about this when you visit Kasetsart University ??

also inquire about prices per crown, variety and age of crowns?? photos would be much appreciated......

hope you read this before departing today.

thanks in advance

[jaideeguy]

another question comes to mind....how long is the harvest season here in LOS. seems it would be longer than in temperate climates.

[Groongthep]

Asparagus grows wild in the US from Texas noth thru Wyoming.

Asparagus grows wild in the US in a lot more place than that. I remember as a kid my parents stopping alongside the road in rural areas in the midwest to pick wild asparagus near the fence rows. In more recent years I have seen asparagus growing wild in Wahington State and Idaho as well.

[joeycano]

I went to Kasetsart University today and asked about the asparagus they have for sale. Unfortunately, the assistant did not know anything about them. Common as TIT.

My wife indicated to me that sign on the Asparagus says “Asparagus” in Thai. Also, the sign indicates that they cost 200 Baht per bundle.

Most of them are in 5 X 7 sized grow bags. One batch is in a 3 gallon black plastic container. I estimated that they have about 30 batches in all. My wife told me that if one wanted more that they would be able to obtain them.

Also took a photo of a small asparagus shoot so you experts could tell us the variety. It appears to me that they are standard green Washington State asparagus I've seen back in America.

Our home has the perfect sandy soil to grow them but we do not have sufficient space. Too bad for me!!!

[thaidrav]

I've grown asparagus in clay as well as sandy soil, but always avoid standing water. The old Spanish method on clay soil is to mulch with a thick layer of oak leaves every winter and it gives a good crop for 30 years. Sandy soil will require additional nutrition like compost. Considering that there is no dormancy in Thailand an annual layer of compost will most likely be needed on any soil here. Please keep us posted on your methods and progress.

[jaideeguy]

Now, four month's later I have had great success with my seedlings and now have more seedlings than I have space for. So, I am offeering for sale 4 month old asparagus seedlings to any interested farmers/gardeners. I have healthy ready to plant seedlings over a foot high...mostly U.C. 72's and a few Jersey Knights. pm me if interested.....

[Pond Life]

Thanks for the seedlings JD,

I got them planted in trenches yesterday.

Wait & see time !

[jaideeguy]

Glad to hear that you have them planted PL. sorry I haven't sent you the links yet, but you can find info on google Jersey Knights and University of California 72's.

I should mention that it is a long wait 2 yrs before you start harvesting, but they will feed you for 30 yrs.

Also should mention to others that I am in the Chiang Mai area.....

Best of luck.

[jaideeguy]

My asparagus seedlings are almost bursting out of their 1/2 ltr bags and I have a bed planted with almost pencil sized spears already. It's hard to reist breaking off some spears, as I've seen the same size on sale in local stores for 100+THB/kilo and 50% fiberous stem.

Will be planting the unsold plants up to half gallon bags soon and the price will go up accordingly, but still cheap, as I don't have the space to grow them.

Still seeking info on this crop in Thailand, where it is mostly grown for export.....leaving us with the small reject/offgrades that you get in the market.

Wondering when the dormancy period is induced.....in the cooler climates the freeze throws them into dormancy, but here in the tropics google tells me that it can be induced by cutting off water, cutting the spears down, or burning them. which is best??

still have 1,000 [uC-72] plants for sale 6mo old, so pm me if interested.....

[old wanderer]

PM Sent Jaideeguy

[cloudhopper]

Hi just wanted to report that after a slow couple of years we are now harvesting an abundance of the sweetest asparagus!

Thanks Jaideeguy!

[afarang]

Companion Planting .Here is a list of plants that are good friends of Asparagus. +++ === Parsley,Capsicum, Tomatoes. Planting Nasturtium , in a corner , helps to attract pests, keeping them away from your Asparagus.Interplanting Asparagus with Tomatoes is particularly good.

[Livinginexile]

Hi just wanted to report that after a slow couple of years we are now harvesting an abundance of the sweetest asparagus!

Thanks Jaideeguy!

Do you have any photos?

I'd love to see the results.

Do you know where can I buy some seedlings?

[cloudhopper]

Sorry I don't know where to get seeds but Jaideeguy might know if you PM him.