burning off asparagus ferns

Nancy · #1 04/02/14, 03:40 PM

Anybody burn off last years asparagus ferns in the spring? I've done it a couple years now and it really seems to keep the weeds down for a while at least. Just got that accomplished this morning. A nice little breeze to keep the flame going and now I'm all ready for the new growth to appear.

7thswan · #2 04/02/14, 05:02 PM

Yes, I do it every year, along with the rest of the garden.

MO_cows · #3 04/02/14, 05:14 PM

If we get the right "window of opportunity" as far as moisture, wind speed and direction, etc. Some years it gets burned and some years it get mowed and hoe'd.

TheMrs · #4 04/03/14, 07:37 AM

When we purchased our property the asparagus beds were already established. I had absolutely no knowledge in how to care for asparagus. The previous homeowner told me to just snap off the previous year's ferns, mulch, and let it go. However, we are struggling with lots of weeds coming up in the beds. Thanks for sharing how you maintain your asparagus plot. It was a big help to me!

jlxian · #5 04/03/14, 03:26 PM

I know it needs to be done, but getting DH to do it for me is a huge chore.

7thswan · #6 04/04/14, 07:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheMrs

When we purchased our property the asparagus beds were already established. I had absolutely no knowledge in how to care for asparagus. The previous homeowner told me to just snap off the previous year's ferns, mulch, and let it go. However, we are struggling with lots of weeds coming up in the beds. Thanks for sharing how you maintain your asparagus plot. It was a big help to me!

My neighbor has a very old patch. He puts round up on the weeds in the spring before the asp. shoots start comeing out.

TheMartianChick · #7 04/05/14, 08:05 AM

My asparagus is in a raised bed, so burning it off in the spring isn't possible. I get a few new weed seeds each year in there and I just pull them by hand to get rid of them.