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Our Monday night plant clinics will be starting again in mid-May! We were not able to offer this popular service last year while our office was at Green Acres. Look for details next week. Also, each month, starting in May, we will be offering a free class presented by a speaker from the University of MN or other industry professional. Classes will be held from 6:30-7:30 p.m. on the fourth Tuesday of each month at the Senior Center in North Branch.

This year the Chisago County Master Gardeners added asparagus to our list of bare-root plants we were selling. I distributed all the asparagus plants since they can go in early. I found out that gardeners are all over the place when it comes to planting asparagus. Some are starting a patch for the first time. Some are starting a new patch because they moved. Some are starting over because the old patch was overrun with weeds, etc. So, I am going to include parts of an article I wrote some time ago.

I wrote that if one is going to start a new bed, work the area this summer and start it next spring. However, if you have already done this, or have the weed problem under control; maybe the time is right for starting your new patch.

It is not a good idea to transplant old roots into your new patch or to get old plants from your friend or neighbor. The reason being that the insects and diseases come right along with the plants; especially the asparagus beetle, which causes shepherds crook.

Buy one-year roots, if possible. Older larger ones are more prone to break in transplanting. Mary Washington and Martha Washington are popular older asparagus varieties with moderate rust resistance. Other good varieties include faribo hybrid, viking KB3, Jersey Giant and Jersey Centennial. If you are the patient type, you could start the asparagus from seed in a nursery bed, then transplant them into trenches the second year.

You may see male roots included in the description in catalogs when ordering asparagus. There is a difference between male and female roots, as the female asparagus will go to seed more quickly. It probably doesn't make that much difference, but if they offer the male plants, take them.

Dig a trench 8 inches deep and wide enough to be able to spread the roots. If you have never seen an asparagus root, they look like an octopus with many legs. Space the asparagus 18 inches apart and leave four feet between the rows. Cover the roots with at least 2 inches of soil and continue to fill in the trench as the shoots grow; much like one would do with dahlias and gladiolus. Don't bury the green shoots completely and continue to fill the trench so that it will be filled by the end of the first growing season. This may pose a problem as the soil at the edge of the trench may get lumpy due to weather conditions.

Planting the asparagus may seem like a difficult task because the roots need to be planted so deep, but it's the easy part. Watching so weeds or insects don't take over is the real work. Whenever the weeds appear remove them immediately. If you mulch the asparagus, be sure to use seed-free straw or grass clippings. The asparagus beetle loves the ferns from young plants so be sure to monitor your bed continuously. If there is an infestation, you may need to spray with Sevin, and be sure to follow the directions for spraying young plants.

Don't cut any spears until the third year after planting, because it's important for the plants to develop a healthy root system for the first few years. Begin by cutting for only a few weeks in May and early June. I only took one cutting the third year, and didn't take multiple cuttings until the sixth year, but that's me.

When you do cut the spears, take them when they are about 6 to 8 inches tall, and the tips are still tight. Take only the thicker spears (they should be at least as large as a pencil), leaving the spindly ones until another year. Snap the asparagus off at the soil line, or use a sharp knife to slice through the spears at an angle an inch or two below the soil surface. Be careful not to damage spears not yet emerged from the soil.

Regardless if you have an established patch or a fairly new patch, don't harvest anything after July 1. The ferns are gathering energy, which will be stored in the roots to ensure a good crop come next spring.

If you're thinking about growing asparagus on a bigger scale or want more growing information, consider the Extension publication FO-1861 entitled, "Growing Asparagus in Minnesota." You can retrieve it online at www.extension.umn.edu. Type in the title of the publication or topic in the upper right-hand corner of our web page and retrieve it.

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The asparagus plants have been distributed and we are expecting to receive the blueberry, strawberry and raspberry plants around the 1st of May. We will contact you with pickup times and location as soon as we know. Now would be a good time to get the area ready where you are going to plant them!

Ways to access

information

www.extension.umn.edu/county/chisago

Check out the 'Hot Topics' box in the middle of the page for current Chisago County Master Gardener news and events.

You can also click on 'Ask a Master Gardener' next to the cute little flower on the right hand side of the page. Here you can search 1000's of answers from Master Gardeners around the state. If you don't find your answer, you can submit a question online or search for University publications, Bell Museum of Natural History.

For information about snakes, skunks, raccoons or other wildlife around your yard, call the wildlife information line at (612) 624-1374 or www.bellmuseum.org.

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