EFFECTS OF METHOD AND TIME OF ASPARAGUS PLANTING ON YIELD OF GREEN SPEARS

Three methods of establishing asparagus plantings; i.e. the use of one-year-old crowns, three-month-old greenhouse transplants, and direct seeding; were compared in an experiment initiated in 1987. The effect of different time of sowing and planting were also investigated.

Green spears were harvested for a short period after two years, e.g. in 1989, from plots of the treatments having the oldest plants.
In the next two years, spears were harvested from all treatments but the duration of harvest was different depending on the age of plants.
In 1992 and 1993 time of harvest was the same for all treatments.

The highest accumulated total and marketable yields were obtained when one-year-old crowns were planted.
Yield depended on the number of spears but not on their mean weight.

Differences in the size of the above-ground plant parts and in yields decreased with age of the planting.

The results presented in this paper demonstrate that the optimal method for asparagus establishment was through the use of one-year-old crowns.
Greenhouse transplants also gave good yields but required better growing conditions and care after planting.
Direct seeding was found to be less suitable for establishing asparagus plantings in Poland.

VII International Symposium on Timing Field Production of Vegetables

M. Knaflewski, E. Konys

crowns, transplants, direct-seeding

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.1994.371.21