Should I add soil depth to existing asparagus bed? - Ask Extension
Hi, I have raised beds for vegetables and recently added about 6 inches of gardening soil to the bed I grow garlic and onions in in hopes of improving...
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Should I add soil depth to existing asparagus bed? #889344
Asked November 04, 2024, 6:12 PM EST
Hi, I have raised beds for vegetables and recently added about 6 inches of gardening soil to the bed I grow garlic and onions in in hopes of improving their productivity. I am considering whether to add about 6 inches of soil to my existing asparagus bed as well. Right now, the soil in it is about 10-12 inches deep. Would adding soil hurt the root balls by burying them too deeply or otherwise harm their productivity? Would it help productivity? Next spring will be year three of growing asparagus, so I'm looking forward to finally harvesting some!
Thanks for your time.
Clackamas County Oregon
Expert Response
Hi Andy and thanks for your question about adding soil to an asparagus bed. It's a little complicated, as asparagus has both deep and wide root systems, but in a raised bed I think you can add a little (1 inch?) without hurting anything.
More important is to have a soil test to see what the pH is and if there are missing nutrients. I'll attach an article with lots of details about growing asparagus as well as a site that tells how to get a soil test. You can get a free pH test next March at Garden Discovery Day at the Milwaukie Center, as it will cost a bit to send in a sample to the lab. If the plants have been doing well, you may only need to check the pH. Or you can follow the fertilizer recommendations in the following article.
https://extension.umn.edu/vegetables/growing-asparagus
https://al-labs-west.com/soil-analysis/
Fingers crossed for a great crop next year!
More important is to have a soil test to see what the pH is and if there are missing nutrients. I'll attach an article with lots of details about growing asparagus as well as a site that tells how to get a soil test. You can get a free pH test next March at Garden Discovery Day at the Milwaukie Center, as it will cost a bit to send in a sample to the lab. If the plants have been doing well, you may only need to check the pH. Or you can follow the fertilizer recommendations in the following article.
https://extension.umn.edu/vegetables/growing-asparagus
https://al-labs-west.com/soil-analysis/
Fingers crossed for a great crop next year!
Thanks!
On Thursday, November 7, 2024 at 01:27:15 PM PST, Ask Extension wrote:
