Transplanting asparagus

[Hawfinch]

Hi all,

do any of you have any experience with transplanting asparagus? I planted mine about 6 years ago, but would really like to move them as they are in a too shady part of the patch. The harvests haven’t been brilliant, I’m not sure if it’s down to the not so sunny position or lack of nutrients. But whatever the reason, I’d like to move them, but just keep reading about how difficult it is because of their very deep roots. So if anybody has any advice, I’d be very grateful.

[Rhys]

Whatever you end up doing, you might like to try putting down 5 – 10cm of horse manure on top in the autumn. I’ve found this gives very good yields………

[Hawfinch]

Thanks Rhys, I’ll keep that in mind.

I did mulch them with a good layer of composted (horse or cow, it doesn’t say on the bag) manure and compost topped with a layer of seaweed in autumn, so hopefully they’ll do better this year.

[Alan McAteer]

I would not try and move the plants as the roots system of your 6-year old plants would be extensive and you would damage them and it could take years for the plants to fully recover. Better to start a new bed with new crowns and harvest what you can from the old bed until the new bed is fully established…this way you will have some continuity of harvest.

[Hawfinch]

Thank you Alan, that seems to be the consensus, so I’ll leave them in situ and have a think about whether to start a new bed.

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