This is the diary of a seed raised asparagus crop grown in an unheated greenhouse. Photos of the different stages of this crop may be viewed on the asparagus cultivation page.
100 Asparagus seeds, comprising 50 Gijnlim, 25 Thielim and 25 Millennium, from Moles Seeds module sown on a heated bench. The seed was sown straight out of the packet with no soaking or other pre-treatment. The finished tray was bottom watered with Filex solution, before being placed on the heated bench and covered with horticultural fleece.
Emergence, giving 97% germination. Fleece removed to allow the young asparagus seedlings maximum light and air. Heat reduced gradually over the succeeding days to harden the young asparagus plants to normal glasshouse environment.
The asparagus seedlings potted individually into 9cm pots. Plants looking strong and uniform, see photos 1 & 2 for an illustration of plant development at this stage.
By now, 10 weeks after the seed germinated, the young asparagus plants were growing strongly and were at the point of exhausting the resources of a 9cm pot. Images 3 & 4 show them immediately prior to and post planting in a carefully prepared bed. Growth soon accelerated to exploit the potential of their new environment with each new shoot being stronger and taller than the preceding ones.
Growth continued late into the autumn, but by now virtually all the fern is brown and withered (image 5). Time to cut all the old fern away to prepare the asparagus bed for the next season. Once clear, the bed is carefully weeded and top dressed (image 6).
Waiting for the first asparagus spears to appear. The size of these spears will be a measure of how well the asparagus bed has established, and how strong the plants are.
A few spears of Gijnlim are now pushing through. They are strong and surprisingly thick - easily harvestable size. Not bad at only 11 months from sowing.
First spears of Thielim and Millennium just breaking the surface. Cut a few spears of Gijnlim.
Full emergence. Gijnlin has much heavier spears than Thielim or Millennium. Still cutting a few spears of Gijnlim, but will not cut the other varieties this year. Not cutting anything less than 15mm diameter; makes the asparagus for sale in the supermarkets look utter rubbish.
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© 2010 Mark Rowland