If you havean established edible asparagus bedthat’sperforming poorly due to overcrowdingand you ’re look for an intensive physical exertion , search no further than dividing and transplanting the thumping . About the only thing that make this chore pleasant is that it ’s done during the cooler weather of fall , wintertime , or early spring , providing that the ground is n’t frigid . Although the undertaking demand preparing a site — and sweating — the last reward is a bountiful harvest of the long , green lance for years to come .
When to Divide and Transplant
Native to the Mediterranean and a herbaceous perennial in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones2 through 8 , asparagus ( Asparagus officinalis ) plants can produce their comestible spears for up to50 yearsif right maintained . Over sentence , the glob arise so thick that production decreases or Chicago , and the plants require cutting and transplanting . effected flora grow into clumps approximately 2 1/2 invertebrate foot wide , so dividing them bring forth quite a few new transplant . bear the loss of some crown , though , due to unavoidable excavation harm . For the good graft winner , wait for the plants togo dormantand course turn brown and cash in one’s chips back before tackling the job . Asparagus that ’s divide and transplanted in fall and winter will give you an early harvest than plants transplanted in bounce .
Warning
Asparagus has a tendency to escape culture and become invasive in some locations .
Conquer and Divide
The size of the matured cluster and the land it ’s growing in are the deciding gene in how unmanageable the dividing and transplant caper will be . Sandy stain is not as compacted as heavier soils like Henry Clay , so digging out the clump is n’t as strenuous . disregarding of soil eccentric , expect a mickle of sweep up root and a turn more difficultness dividing larger , more established asparagus clumps . Using the right tools and following a few basic steps ensure less damage to thecrowns , which resemble pocket-sized buds and grow the eatable shaft , and the pencil - sized ancestor you want to retain .
Things Needed
Step 1
audit the edible asparagus clump before digging to locate the crowns in the muckle of dead , brown stems and flowers . make love approximately where to dig helps you restrain damage to the crowns and roots .
Step 2
Search for the verboten bound of the clump ’s ancestor system using a garden crotch . Poke the fork into the land more or less 6 to 12 inches out from the deal of dead plant fabric , forge softly around the cluster to foreclose excessive damage . Once you find the outer bound of the root system , use a shovel to dig all the agency around the thumping , create a trench . Dig deeply enough to unwrap the entire root system , which is probably about the depth of the spadeful ’s blade but could be deeper .
Step 3
Continue labour under the glob to release the roots from the planting site . essay to salvage as much of the stem organization as potential without chopping into it or damaging the crownwork . swipe the clump out of the soil using the garden ramification .
Step 4
If the clump does n’t issue forth out easily using the garden fork , lightly pry it out of the earth using a mattock or pry . Work the mattock or crowbar under the root system , horn in it loose from the soil and avoiding cutting into the main portion of root or crowns . Lift the thud from the planting situation .
Step 5
Rinse dirt - compensate roots using a garden hose . Rinsing with water causes less root damage than excite the soil off , and you may then inspect the bunch to discover out where to separate it into multiple crowns . Gently commit the jacket crown apart , keeping their thick roots attached . You may have to give smaller crownwork for larger ones when dividing a mass of interlace roots .
Planting the Transplants
Asparagus is relatively forgiving of stain conditions as long as the grunge is well - drained and weed - loose and the bed is in a sunny location . recall that the plants will grow in their new layer for decades , so select a web site that ’s out of the direction of foot dealings and other horticulture activity .
Asparagusprefers a soil pH of6.5 to 7.5and will do badly if the pH is 6.0 or below . you’re able to test the soil before plant to determine the need for additional phosphorus and K and conform the pH accordingly , or you’re able to till a blend of10 - 20 - 10 fertilizerinto the planting site before found the crowns .
Evenly circulate 2 pound of 10 - 20 - 10 fertiliser granules over every 100 solid feet of the raw bed . function the fertilizer into the top 6 column inch of dirt using a shovel or toilsome profligate . irrigate the plant food into the grease .
Dig a trench that ’s no more than 6 inches deep and 12 to 18 inches blanket for planting the asparagus crowns . Crowns planted too deeply have subjugate yields .
equally distribute 2 pounds of 0 - 20 - 0 superphosphate over the bottom of the trench for every 50 foot of row . There ’s no demand to work the product into the filth before planting the crowns , as it wo n’t burn them .
Place the asparagus crowns faceup in the trench and gently spread out the roots . Space multiple transplants close to 18 inches aside in rows that are 5 feet apart . Backfill the trench with soil , covering the crowns with around 2 inches . Keep the soil covering the crowns open and noncompacted to advance the emergence of spears . When planting is complete , water the bottom exhaustively so the root are impregnate . If conditions are dry , summate auxiliary water more or less once each week .
Tip
Asparagus plant life are drouth - tolerant and normally get enough water from rainfall . you may broadly speaking start harvesting the fishgig on a modified basis the season following planting .
