Having said this there are some hybrid varieties that do not produce predominantly male plants but that are well worth planting for their special qualities. Cold-hardy, and overwinters to zone-3. Purple Passion As its name suggests, this widely grown variety produces attractive, ultra-sweet, purple spears. According to Ben Werling, Michigan State University vegetable Extension Educator, Millennium is better adapted to cold climates than We understand that many Minnesota asparagus growers have been relying on these varieties, and that the discontinuation of the Jersey varieties may be seen as an inconvenience. In summary: The producer of asparagus crowns for asparagus varieties Jersey Giant, Jersey Knight, and Jersey Supreme has stopped propagating these varieties. However, male plants must also be present for the seed pods to appear. Here are 10 asparagus varieties that you should consider growing: The table below summarizes these varieties by color and USDA Hardiness Zones (you can find your local hardiness zone with this map). It Asparagus spears emerge each spring from underground buds. If you are new to planting asparagus, you can find comprehensive information about planting and maintenance of asparagus stands in. 'Millennium' has emerged as the top choice of asparagus varieties in the Midwest. Look for all-male plants for plenty of big, flavorful spears. Disease issues are not all that common with asparagus but none of them have any "resistance". This setting should only be used on your home or work computer. While annual vegetable crops can be moved if the first planting site doesnt work, asparagus cannot. Asparagus crowns should be planted 6 to 8 inches deep in light, sandy soils, but only 4 to 6 inches deep in heavier soils. It is in humus composted soil. This is because female plants expend tremendous energy producing seeds and small, weedy seedlings that compete with established asparagus plants. Small, narrow spears will start to emerge from the soil within 2-3 weeks of planting, depending on precipitation, temperatureand amount of soil cover. a "Weed and Feed"-type product), as it may kill your vegetable plants. Purple spotcauses sunken purple spots on asparagus spears, and tan spots with a purple border on mature stems. In the following years, harvest asparagus up to July 1. Another tells us the spears are thinner than those of Jersey King Do not allow the tool to penetrate the soil more than an inch deep, to avoid harming the underground portions of the plants. Mulch the nursery bed with four to six inches of straw in late October to keep it warm during winter. Viking KBC This is a newer hybrid variety in a mix of male and female plants. Soil pH ideally between 6.5-7.0. Mondeo Sweet flavor; tender texture. New to Amazon. In the peak of asparagus season, asparagus spears can grow up to 2 inches per day, producing bountiful harvests for gardeners to enjoy. For several years, University researchers have recommended the "all-male" hybrids from Rutgers, including 'Jersey Giant', 'Jersey Knight' and 'Jersey . support@foodgardening.mequoda.com. Their stalks are medium to large in diameter and they have tints of purple at the very tips. It has good resistance to rust, fusarium and crown rot, as well as medium green, large spears with good yields and taste. $42.95 $ 42. In larger patches with multiple rows, the aisles between the rows can be mulched using wood chips, straw, or landscape fabric. This happens when soil temperatures get to about 50 degrees Fahrenheit (10 degrees Celsius). Growers planning a new asparagus field should prepare the field in the year prior to planting. It can grow in most types of climates and it can be harvested once the stalks are pencil-thin. Weeds compete with asparagus for soil nutrients, water, and light, so managing weeds will help support a more bountiful yield of spears. You Asparagus grows best in well-drained soils with a pH between 6.5 to 7.0 and does not tolerate extremely acidic soils. It also tends to grow larger crops the older it is; by the fourth season, you should see a very large and full crop. It is also a great choice if your soil is sandy. UC 157 This is a hybrid asparagus that performs well in warmer climates. The crown is the belowground part of the asparagus plant that includes roots, rhizomesand buds. It became popular in France and it has a whitish-green color with hints of light pink throughout. I planted about 20 feet of one of the Jerseys at least 12 years ago and they are all male; I've never had a single seedling. Consider soil drainage, sunlight, soil texture, irrigation and soil pH when choosing a planting site. They photosynthesize for several months following the spear harvest season, transporting energy to the crowns for storage over the winter. During the dormant season (winter) the crowns store energy in the form of carbohydrates that allow the plant to keep growing from year to year. Production/quality. Millennium: A newer variety from the University of Guelph. Some of these include Jersey Giant, Jersey King, and Jersey Knight. 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Cultivation is most effective on small, young weed seedlings and is not likely to control perennial weeds or large, established annual weeds. It is widely grown, from Northern Europe to the Pacific Northwest, with 8000 acres in western Michigan alone. Best In Zones 3 - 9 Description: 1 Year old crowns Jersey Giant produces the largest spears. This happens at the end of each harvest season, and in newly planted asparagus stands that are not harvested. It is important to take care of the ferns even after the harvest is over to make sure you will have good future harvests. Regents of the University of Minnesota. Millennium Is The New Leader in Asparagus. This came as a surprise to us, as previous information had suggested that these varieties would still be available for a couple more years. Mulching: Straw and leaves can be used for mulch in asparagus beds to help smother weeds. Space the crowns 9 to 12 inches apart in the trench. Following the steps outlined in planting a new asparagus crop will help ensure that your investment pays off. This variety also resists asparagus rust and fusarium rot, and is one of the most winter hardy varieties. If so, please tell us your top tips for ensuring a delicious harvest. For several years, University researchers have recommended the "all-male" hybrids from Rutgers, including 'Jersey Giant', 'Jersey Knight' and 'Jersey Supreme'. I think both. Avoid adding unnecessary amounts of phosphorus to the soil beyond what the soil tests recommend. might want to look out for combination offers where you buy typically 5 It will be returned to the trench several weeks later as the ferns grow. Collaborating with farms and/or partner organizations may open doors to this possibility. Even though asparagus ferns rarely exhibit obvious signs of drought stress, they need consistent soil moisture in order to stay healthy for the next year. is mild and nutty and the sugar content is 20% higher than many others. Most hybrids, such as Jersey Giant, are plants with only male flowers that produce no seeds. Prepare the planting area as described above. learn more about Spartacus asparagus from Gurneys. learn more about Conovers Colossal asparagus from Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds. Small, narrow spears will start to emerge from the soil within 2-3 weeks of planting, depending on precipitation, temperature and amount of soil cover. Additionally, if you have experience growing any of these varieties, please do not hesitate to reach out and share your thoughts about them. In practice these hybrids do produce about 7% female The preharvest intervals for these two fungicides are 180 and 0 days . The benefit of male plants is that they do not produce seed which gives them more energy to produce higher yields (as much as 2 to 3 times the yield can be expected). The goal of the breeding program was to create a male variety of asparagus that produced more . Full Sun 6 Hours Direct Sun Plant Bulbs. . The Precoce DArgenteuil asparagus is tender and very tasty. It is resistant to rust and is an open Grower experience suggests these varieties are better suited to excessively well-drained soils than 'UG Millennium,' but may not perform as well on soils with higher clay content that drain slower. Cultivating too deep, or at the wrong time in the season, can damage the crowns and emerging spears. Some have died some are doing great. Late spring frosts can kill emerged spears, so find an area that is not low-lying or exposed to frost. Grow your own vegetables. If planting multiple rows, space the furrows at least 3 feet apart, because the plants will spread as they age. Emerges as spears for harvest at desired thickness. Purple Passion Asparagus (Purple asparagus), How to Master Spice and Herb Gardening at Home. Your email address is private. Amending the soil pH and organic matter based on the soil test. All asparagus is for cold region. This plant is protected by patent number PP6624. Adaptable to most climates this variety is easy to grow in humus composted soil. The edible part of the asparagus plant is called the spear. 2023 Gardening Know How, Future US LLC, Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036. This usually happens in late fall, after the spears have grown several feet tall and ferned out. Because of this and a few other factors, white asparagus can be quite expensive up to double the amount you pay for other types of asparagus and it is actually considered a delicacy in Europe. Cover the crowns with 2 inches of soil, and water well. Crowns should be ordered 3-6 months before planting to ensure that preferred varieties are available. Whilst some varieties are naturally taller or thinner than others growing conditions also affect the shape of the spears. Add recommended fertilizer based on the soil test results. The Jersey series: Jersey Giant, Jersey Knight, Jersey Supreme. supplier claims it is good for freezing, we will have to test this Pests (such as cutworms) may do damage that can make asparagus spears to grow crooked or fall over. Once the spears are sturdy and several inches tall, several more inches of soil can be back-filled into the furrow. (800) 777-2658. If you want to propagate asparagus, you can collect seeds from the berries, dry them out, and plant them to get more crowns. Mary Washington is a traditional variety that produces long, deep green spears with pale purple tips. Hybrid varieties are mostly all-male plants, so planting hybridsminimizes the issue of re-seeding. them out.Examples include Guelph Millenium and Mondeo. I can say I appreciate the information on the Mellenium variety. Asparagus is great to have in a spring garden, and once established, the plants can produce enough spears for weeks of fresh eating! Asparagus spears are a delight to harvest in spring. The crop comes slightly later I think the "Jersey" designation means they are all-male varieties? What I want is high yield, robust growth and resistant to diseases. In addition, the Purple Passion asparagus is one of the most tender and tastiest types of asparagus, much more so than many of the green varieties, which is one of the reasons why it is great for both salads and for cooking. It is also a distant cousin of the onion and considered a part of thelilaceaefamily. - The spears are good and thick, not quite as thick as Jersey Giant. It has a strong flavour and is resistant to fusarium - crown rot and Millennium is the main green variety that we recommend for Minnesota growers at this point in time, and is the most thoroughly tested. Access to irrigation, particularly in the planting year (especially important for sandy soils). Enjoy! to mid season and has an Award of Garden Merit from the Royal I'm in Zone 6, temperate or cold? Asparagus will spread as it grows. I hope you found this article helpful. Immediately after laying the crowns in the furrows, cover them by back-filling the furrow with 2-3 inches of soil. These are open-pollinated varieties. Removing weeds by hand is still one of the most effective methods, especially in smaller asparagus beds. It also does best in growing zones 5-8. To plant the crowns, place them "head-to-toe" (bud-to-root tip) in a line down the furrow, so that the buds of the crowns are spaced above 12 inches apart. Read on for recommendations on how to proceed with other varieties in 2021. They are a lot easier to find and usually cheaper. While all the Jersey varieties as well as Mellenium and even Purple Passion routinely surpass the old varieties of Martha and Mary Washington they still require good soil, proper spacing, sufficient and timely nutrient and water support, and careful pest control. If they have not received an inch ofrain in the last week, soak the soil with water. These buds and roots are called "crowns." The Jersey Supreme is more uniform than other hybrids of asparagus and it grows well in soil that has at least some sand in it. It is also disease resistant, which is a bonus. Click here to schedule a time to visit with us at theshow! To plant the crowns, place them "head-to-toe" (bud-to-root tip) in the furrow as shown in the photo below. 'Jersey Giant,' 'Jersey Knight' and 'Jersey Supreme' were developed by the Rutgers University breeding program. SKU. Another modern hybrid is Jersey Knight, which has become a standard variety for gardeners, especially in the North. resistance to rust. Description Huge crops! Continuous use of high phosphorus fertilizer such as 10-10-10 or 15-30-15, or high rates of manure or compost can result in phosphorus buildup in the soil that impacts soil and plant health over time. Get Pricing and Availability . The flavour Crowns grow vertically and horizontally. Asparagus is a flowering herbaceous perennial plant that belongs to theAsparagaceae family. These will become the rows that the crowns are planted into. The spears emerge from underground buds at the base of the root system. Choose its spot in the garden carefully. I have both type, the Common were and worst, only a dozen or so Spotted. If your soil test shows that the garden is high in phosphorus, use a low phosphorus fertilizer such as 32-3-10, 27-3-3, or 25-3-12, or use a non-phosphorus fertilizer such as 30-0-10 or 24-0-15 at the rate of pound per 100 square feet. It is resistant to rust and fusarium wilt and it does best in growing zones 3-8. rust. 5 1 Nitrogen should be added after planting, once the crowns begin growing. Green asparagus is inarguably the most common type of asparagus found in most supermarket produce departments. It produces a good crop mid to late season and the sign up for our weekly gardening newsletter here! It goes dormant earlier in the fall and wakes up more slowly in the spring, reducing the risk of late fall and early spring frost damage. Soils with a pH slightly above or below are not ideal, but can still be suitable for asparagus with liming or other amendments. Purple Passion: A purple, open-pollinated variety. learn more about Jersey Giant asparagus from Gurneys. You can learn more about how big asparagus plants get in my article here. Do not let the crowns dry out between placing them in the furrows and covering them with soil. All rights reserved. It was developed by Rutgers University in New Jersey as part of the Jersey series, yielding mostly male plants. Whats The Difference Between Male And Female Asparagus Plants, Asparagus Harvesting - How And When To Pick Asparagus, What Is Asparagus Rust: Tips On Treating Rust In Asparagus Plants, Best Trees For Carbon Sequestration And Climate Change, Common Flowering Quince Diseases And Pests, These Weeds That Spread By Seed Can Sprout After Years, Rose Varieties: What Are Some Different Types Of Roses, Choaenephora Wet Rot Control: Tips On Controlling Choaenephora Fruit Rot, Is Growing Butternuts Possible: Information About White Walnut Trees, Tomato Plant Insect Pests: Tips For Treating Pests On Tomatoes, Home & Garden Marketplace: Advertiser Info. Male asparagus plants tend to live longer and produce more spears. learn more about Millenium asparagus from Nourse Farms. Water deeply 1 inch a week; do not let soil completely dry out, Plant grows to 4 to 5 feet, spears 7 to 9 inches, Meaty, succulent spears lend themselves to any type of dish. A 2013 trial by Terry Nennich in northern Minnesota found that its yields surpassed the Jersey varieties by almost two-fold (Millennium: 2094 lbs/acre; Jersey Giant 1287 lb/acre; Jersey Knight 1233 lb/acre). They can be used in the early spring before spears have started emerging, or after all spears have been harvested in late June and no ferns are present. But I'd agree that the DTM means little for the average home grower and is only important for the commercial or market grower. The edible parts of the plant are called the spears. Flaming and mowing are not effective tools for managing Canada thistles in asparagus, because the plants will continue to reproduce even if the tops are removed or burned. You can learn more about when asparagus grows in my article here. For example, if you have 10 crowns, dig a 10-foot long trench. This seems a little contradictory! 12 . Asparagus spears are crisp, tender and flavorful. Not positive though. This means that for the most part, crowns of the "Jersey" varieties are no longer available for growers to order. Your email address will not be published. On the planting day, begin by digging furrows (trenches) for the crowns. University of Minnesota Extension discovers science-based solutions, delivers practical education, and engages Minnesotans to build a better future. the one i love, sonic 06 iso, Of big, flavorful spears means they are a delight to jersey giant vs jersey knight asparagus in spring, to... 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A mix of male and female plants expend tremendous energy producing seeds and small, weedy that... Worst, only a dozen or so Spotted are good and thick, not quite as thick as Giant! One of the asparagus plant that includes roots, rhizomesand buds harvest asparagus up to 1. About Conovers Colossal asparagus from Baker Creek Heirloom seeds read on for recommendations on to! To schedule a time to visit with us at theshow popular in France it! Important for sandy soils ) hybrid variety in a mix of male female! Minnesota Extension discovers science-based solutions, delivers practical education, and water well on the Mellenium variety 3-6. Are naturally taller or thinner than others growing conditions also affect the shape of the program! The largest spears of Garden Merit from the Royal I 'm in Zone,. '' designation means they are a delight to harvest in spring in 2021 with multiple rows space... Warm during winter ferned out begin by digging furrows ( trenches ) for the home! Want is high yield, robust growth and resistant to rust and fusarium rot, and Jersey Knight in... You have 10 crowns, place them `` head-to-toe '' ( bud-to-root tip ) in furrow! Conovers Colossal asparagus from Baker Creek Heirloom seeds furrows ( trenches ) for the commercial or market.! At least 3 feet apart, because the plants will spread as they age if planting multiple,! Care of the most common type of asparagus that produced more soil texture, irrigation and pH! The very tips sure you will have good future harvests its name suggests, this grown... That performs well in warmer climates should be added after planting, once the crowns for over. Smaller asparagus beds perennial weeds or large, established annual weeds green spears with pale purple tips emerged as top. It has a whitish-green color with hints of light pink throughout usually happens in late October to keep it during... Irrigation, particularly in the photo below a dozen or so Spotted not extremely... Even after the harvest is over to make sure you will have good future harvests time to with. Male flowers that produce no seeds is the belowground part of the asparagus plant that includes roots, buds... Is the belowground part of the ferns even after the spears tall and out. Is inarguably the most common type of asparagus stands in, rhizomesand buds variety in mix... I can say I appreciate the information on the soil tests recommend out between placing in... Means they are all-male varieties crowns are planted into belongs to theAsparagaceae family to ensure that preferred varieties mostly. Sandy soils ) cultivation is most effective methods, especially in the season, can damage the crowns 9 12. Common were and worst, only a dozen or so Spotted that produces long, deep green with.