Growing Asparagus Requires Planning, But Gives Many Years of Reward

Asparagus is a shining gem of springtime in Southwestern Idaho. Packed full of nutrition and boasting a delightful flavor, asparagus will give you 15 years or so of production from one well thought out planting. When mature, one plant produces about ½ pound of asparagus a year. It is an early producer, so you can plan on fresh vegetables gracing your table much sooner than neighbors who haven’t established asparagus in their garden planning. Getting this productive perennial started growing in the right spot and with the right preparation, is the most important step for the home gardener with regard to their plans to grow asparagus. 

Where to Plant?

Due to it being a perennial, planting it at the side or center of your garden can be ideal so it doesn’t interfere with plot preparation and cultivation of annual crops. It can grow to a height of 3 to 8 feet tall, so a bed on the north or east side of your regular garden plot in a spot that gets approximately 7 hours of full sun each day is ideal. Because asparagus roots can be deeper than 6’, even raised beds are an option. Consider that a 25’ to 50’ row will supply the typical family with enough asparagus for regular use.

Site Preparation

Asparagus prefers deep, well-drained loam or sandy loam with a pH of 6.5 to 7.5. If the soil retains too much moisture, asparagus can die from root rot. It will grow in soil conditions that are not ideal, but the life of the plant and the production will be reduced. It is best to begin site preparation in the fall by breaking up the soil to around 18” deep and working in rich organic matter like mature compost or aged manure. Simultaneously, add 4 to 5 pounds of 5-10-10 fertilizer per 100 square feet. Prepare an area that is 3’ to 4’ wide and as long as necessary to supply the amount of asparagus you wish to reap from your harvest each year, after plants mature.  

Planting

You can start growing asparagus from seed or crowns. Most choose to start with one year old crowns to get to harvest faster. Choose large crowns that have not dried out - male crowns are more productive than female crowns. Older crowns can be purchased, but they are more expensive and much harder to plant successfully. If you are working with prepared good soil, dig a trench 12” to 18” wide and 6” to 8” deep. If you are working with heavier soil, use the more shallow depth. Spread mature compost or aged manure in the bottom and cover with about an inch of garden soil. Place crowns in trench about 18” apart, while spreading roots to insure they lie flat. During the growing season, continue adding soil or aged manure until the trench is full, being careful not to cover foliage. 

Maintenance

For ongoing high spear yields, it is recommended to fertilize before plants start growing each spring and again in the fall after harvest using 1 ¼ pounds of 5-10-10 fertilizer per 100 square feet each time. A deep watering once every couple of weeks during dry season is plenty due to the deep root system. Weeding should be done somewhat regularly, but do not cultivate deeply as you can encourage disease if crowns are damaged. Adding a thick layer of mulch will help reduce weeds. You may use herbicides approved for asparagus, but mulching and hand cultivating is favored. Take the time to learn about dealing with pests like Asparagus Beetles and diseases like Fusarium Wilt and Root Rot.

Harvest

The reward for taking the time to plan and prepare your plot, and the patience you exhibit for several years is the harvest! It is recommended not to harvest any asparagus until the third year to allow the crowns to be mature. You may remove a small harvest for approximately 3 weeks during the third year. You can harvest for 6 to 8 weeks for every year after that. Harvest in the morning when spears are crisp. Spears should be 5” to 7” when harvested. Snapping the spears is advised over cutting to avoid damaging emerging spears. Refrigerate spears promptly after harvesting. An excellent, simple recipe for asparagus is Oven Roasted Asparagus

Turf and Tree Summer Season

New season for Turf and Tree team 2019

This is Turf and Tree teams 3rd season where we meet every Monday morning to go through local residents call-ins or emails asking for help with their turf or tree problems. So far we have stayed quite busy with site visits to clients properties throughout the county and steady stream of call-ins/emails to extension office.  Unfortunately the team is having to struggle again with a small group of dedicated members to get through a long list of clients needing help. But we have been able to manage and so far the folks we have visited and talked with on the phone seems very much appreciative of what we are doing for them.

This update will cover a couple of site visits we did recently that took us to large acre home site in south Caldwell and winery in Sunnyslope area. We’ll cover what looks to be our biggest issues so far this season.

      

  The cottony scale name comes from the shape and color that is on the tree branches that looks like cotton balls glued to branches. These so called cotton balls are egg sacks filled with harmful insect. This issue seems to be more prone to silver and red maple trees. There are multiple ways to control this issue by cultural control or Biological control. 

                

The other big issue we are seeing is either severe over watering or having your water emitters/sprinklers in the wrong spot. The picture on the left shows maple tree where the water emitter is in the wrong spot for the tree to take in water. It should be at the tree's dripline near the end of the branches where they extent out. This is where our trees are taking in and release vidal water and nutrients. The picture in the middle shows this tree under stress and trying to protect itself by releasing sap to try to drive the attacking insects out. The picture on the right shows signs of severe overwatering causing iron nutrient not to be taken up through tree roots that causes iron chlorosis. 

         

           Emitter in wrong spot       Sap from tree     Over watering causing 

Iron chlorosis 

Above data from following sources:

From Ohio State Extension: On Cottony Scale

From University of Idaho extension: Proper watering needs for your lawn

From Utah State extension: Placing your water emitters

From Idaho Growin blog: On Iron Chlorosis

From US forest division: On Iron Chlorosis

Earwigs are invading my garden

Earwigs are in my garden.

 Why do we have so many earwigs this year?
 Well for one thing it has been a wet and slightly warmer spring. These weather conditions have made better that ideal living and growing media for the earwig. They like wet damp hiding places and with a little mulch or lose compost to hid in during the day.


 How to identify good earwigs from bad earwigs.
 They are all the same so to speak. They are opportunistic eaters. They live on dead decaying matter, eat aphids and other small prey and love young growth of certain plants, like Marigolds. This is shown in the picture with all the cans full of earwigs and decimated marigold plants. The cans were placed next to plants that the earwigs thought were there most tasty.


 Simple home remedies used to lower the earwigs population.
 There are quit a few methods you can use depending on your preference and patience. I prefer a little beer in a small cat food can but there other preparations you can put in the cans.


 Predatory insects that help control the earwigs.
 Believe it or not, there are other insects and animals that prey on the earwigs. Since the earwigs are nocturnal, hungry birds have to hunt them out in their hiding places during the day. Evening birds and amphibians will be able to find them out and about in the duff on on their favorite plants.


Follow the reference links for more in-depth information.

Powdery Mildew

Does something not look right on your plants or in your lawn and garden? 

What if I told you that it could possibly be a fungus that is infecting them all?

 Powdery Mildew could be the suspect we are looking for. Powdery mildew looks like white to gray spots with a talcum powder like growth. The mildew is host specific, i.e., the mildew that can be affecting your lilac and elm trees would not affect your grass, or mildew on grapes would not affect your lilac. Mildews thrive in warm dry climates. When plants have high humidity, poor air circulation, or are located in shaded areas, it allows the mildew to have an ideal growing environment.

What can we do to fix it?

The simplest and easiest option is to buy plant/seed varieties that are resistant to powdery mildew, i.e., roses, cucumber, squash, and beans.

 Not everything we want to plant will have an available resistant variety; therefore powdery mildew needs to be managed culturally and chemically.

Cultural practices:

·         Prune with good air circulation in mind.

·         Do not over fertilize and possibly look into slow release fertilizers for future applications.

·         Do not overhead water to help reduce humidity and reduce chances of spread of other fungus problems.

Chemical practices:

●   Fungicides- function as protectants, eradicants or both.  A protectant fungicide is a preventative to protect against new infections from occurring. An eradicant fungicide kills an actively growing infection. For highly susceptible plants, apply protectant fungicide before disease appears. Eradicants should be applied at earliest appearance of disease.

 ●    Horticultural oils- can be an effective eradicant in plants with mild to moderate symptoms and has some protectant effects with products such as Saf-T-Side Spray Oil, Sunspray Ultra-Fine Spray Oil, neem oil or jojoba oil.

●    Sulfur- usually a spray that is only effective before the symptoms have appeared. Copper may also be used in the same manner. It has a lower effective rate.
●    Bacterial Fungicides- made of a pathogen that kills the fungus and helps prevent future infections. These are also safe for beneficial insects, pets, and people. 

 With applying any chemicals, you want to make sure that you are reading the labels and ensuring that you have correct target pest on plants, proper protective equipment, and applying at correct rates. The label is law and we do not want to damage the environment with an application applied incorrectly. Now with our new knowledge on how powdery mildew works, we can better manage it in our gardens going forward.

 Consider signing up for land and garden pest alerts at the Pest Alert Network in order to find out about pests as soon as they are found in our area. These are the alerts for Powdery Mildew.

Iron Chlorosis is in my Tree

WHAT I THINK ABOUT IRON CHLOROSIS

Strolling the grounds of my one acre “estate” on a warm summer day, I was distressed to see something wrong with two of my Sycamore trees.  While two of the trees looked great, nice dark green leaves everywhere, the other two had sections of leaves that had yellowed. Upon further inspection, I noted that the veins of the leaves were still green, but the areas between the veins had turned yellow.  In some cases the edges of the leaves were brown. “What is wrong?” I wondered.

What is wrong with my trees was something called, Iron Chlorosis. This problem is apparently common in places that have high alkalinity soil (pH above 7.0). My soil was significantly above this level. It is believed that there is a link between alkalinity and iron in the soil. The problem isn’t a lack of iron, but the inability of the plant to benefit from the iron that is there. For some reason, higher pH changes the chemical reactions which then render the iron unusable to the tree.                                 

So, now that I know what is causing the trees’ problem, is there anything I can do about it? Yes, there are a number of things that can be done to deal with this problem.  The best solution is prevention. Do a soil test to determine the soil pH and then select a species that will do well in a particular soil.

DIY soil test kits can be purchased from many garden outlets or your local U of I Extension Office can point you in the right direction to get the the test for a fee. There are several reputable labs that do a great job and send you the results and they are reasonable in cost. However, if the trees are already there, like mine, you have several options.  According to North Dakota State University (NDSU) one option is to add elemental Sulfur to the ground around the tree. The Sulfur will help free up iron for the tree to take up. This is a slow process and may take a year or more before seeing results. Another option from NDSU is to inject iron directly into the trunk. This involves drilling a series of holes in the tree. This procedure should not be done more than once a year.  Finally, the foliage can be sprayed with an iron solution. This usually provides the quickest results, however as new leaves come on they most likely will exhibit the problem.

Solving the problem of iron chlorosis is a difficult and time consuming challenge.  Research and careful planning and follow up are keys to your success. Saving your beautiful plantings are worth the effort.  Good luck!

         

Edible Weeds: If You Can’t Beat Them, Eat Them

Every organic gardener has had the experience of dealing with any number of “weed” varieties in their home garden.  One could define a weed as a “plant that interferes with the management objectives for a given area of land at a given point in time”.  J. M. Torell, Plant Pathology Specialist-Western Laboratories. "Our job is to run interference in a safe way and to get maximum yield from the preferred food plant source."

But wait. There are ways to use these “undesirable” plants to our advantage. Many home gardeners as well as professionals have embraced an early flush of green as well as harvested, in new and traditional ways, the seeds and fruits from some of our most troublesome invaders. 

Pulling weeds is just about the most tedious task any gardener faces. But with many common species, you can take another route: Try eating them. Here's a somewhat complete list of commonly weeded plants that can add rustic flavor to your garden harvest. Just be careful — before you eat anything outside, positively ID it visually by using a guide book or by asking a knowledgeable person. Here's two recommended books: Delicious Forages  and A Feast of Weeds. 

Listed are 7 common Edible Weeds.

Dandelions (Taraxacum officinale)The scourge of many a lawn perfectionist, these flowering plants crop in most suburban and rural yards. But don't wipe them out with herbicides just yet. Dandelion leaves are aperfect, gourmet salad green when tossed with a light vinaigrette, and are packed with vitamin A, vitamin C, and beta carotene. The blooming flowers can be made into an intoxicating homemade wine, too.

 Red Clover (Trifolium pretense)This plant's blossoms can be eaten fresh or steeped in hot water for tea. And you can toss both the green leaves and blossoms into a salad.

 Plantain (Plantago major)Also known as "white man's foot," this is another one of those plants that seems to thrive right on the edge of gardens and driveway. Pick the green, rippled leaves and leave the tall flower stems. Blanch the leaves and sauté with some butter and garlic just as you would with kale or any other tough green
Garlic Grass (Allium vineale)  

Wild garlic is an herbal treat often found lurking in fields, pastures, forests and disturbed soil. It resembles cultivated garlic or spring onions, but the shoots are often very thin. Use it in sandwiches, salads, pesto or chopped on main courses like scallions.  

Sorrel (Rumex acetosella) Also known as sheep sorrel or dock, this wild plant is a tart, 
lemony green found all over North America and Europe. It slightly resembles Swiss chard, with thin, triangularly shaped leaves. Use the young leaves in salads for an interesting citrus flavor, or cook older, tougher greens in soups, omelets, or stir-frys. Wood sorrel is another variety that can be    eaten; however, it looks more like clover, with three
double egg-shaped leaves.

 

Watercress The cress family (garden cress, watercress, rock cress, pepper cress) are leafy greens long
cultivated in much of Northern Europe. They have a spicy tang and are great in salads, sandwiches, and soups.

 Chickweed (Stellaria media)A low-growing succulent with bright green, pointed oval

leaves, this plant is supercharged with vitamins, minerals, omega-6 fatty acid derivatives, and deliciousness. Throw young leaves and stems in salads. However, take note: Don't eat too much chickweed, as it can give you diarrhea.

 For more information about edible weeds in Idaho check out https://www.northernbushcraft.com/plants/

Ramble of Raspberries

Unlike my childhood memory of Granny Allen’s ramble of raspberries, full of blooms, bees, and berries, I have intentionally kept my inherited cluster of raspberries small.  These amazing plants have tolerated moving to several locations as my landscaping has evolved over the years.  The neglected collection of crowns and canes continue to survive regardless of my inattention, still able to produce a tasty source of edible entertainment for the grandkids, filling their mouths more than their cups, with tasty berries. 

 

 My only attempt at pruning my berry patch was taking a shovel to a wandering sucker that ventured too far from its designated home, never giving much thought to how mindful pruning practices could improve fruit production.  As with all plants we nurture in our garden, it is important to know your plant.  With intentions of creating a bountiful crop to create Granny’s preserves, a better understanding of my mistreated patch is priority!

Raspberries are unique because they have perennial roots and crowns that can live for many years.  The canes or stems that produce the flowers and eventually berries are biennial.  Biennial canes live for two years then die. 

Primocanes (that will flower and fruit the following year.) are new shoots that arise in the spring from the main crown, or new suckers that rise from roots away from the main plant.

Floricanes are the second season canes that die after producing fruit. Most berry brambles produce fruit on floricanes.

Primocane vs. Floricane Varieties Most varieties of blackberries and raspberries are floricane fruiting, or summer-bearing, which means they produce berries only on the second-year growth, the floricanes. The fruit appears in early- to midsummer. Primocane varieties are also known as fall-bearing or everbearing plants. Ever-bearing varieties produce fruit on the floricanes in the summer, but they also produce fruit on the primocanes. The primocane fruiting occurs at the tips in early fall or late summer in the first year. They will then produce fruit lower on the primocanes the following year in early summer. If you are growing this type of berry, it is best to sacrifice the early summer crop by pruning back primocanes after they produce in the fall. Cut them down close to the ground, and you’ll get fewer but better-quality berries the following year.

Read more at Gardening Know How: Primocane Vs. Floricane – Distinguishing Between Primocanes And Floricanes https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/fruits/fegen/distinguishing-primocanes-vs-floricanes.htm

There are two types of raspberries.  Summer or June Bearers and Ever Bearers, also known as Fall Bearers.

Summer/June Bearers produce vegetative, non-fruiting primocanes the first growing season.  Flowers and berries will form on these canes the following year.  During the second growing season, the floricanes produces its fruit, then the cane dies to the ground.

When pruning Summer/June bearers, it is easy to identify the dead canes and prune it back to the crown. Cutting out dead canes is recommended after harvest when the canes are dry or in the early spring, before new growth starts.  Prune out spindly canes and thin the crown, leaving 2-4 of the strongest canes, cutting them back to 4-5 feet in height.  Remove unwanted suckers that are sprouting outside of your designated area.

Summer Bearing – June Bearing

Fall/Ever Bearers, if pruned correctly, have the potential to produce two crops in one

season.  The primocanes that grow during the first year will produce fruit late in the summer or early fall at the top of the cane until the first frost, then the top of the cane will die. The next summer, fruit will form lower on the same cane.  To get both fall and summer crops, prune the canes as described for June Bearers.

Fall Bearing – Everbearing

If you desire a larger crop of berries in the fall, cut Fall Bearer canes at ground level. This

convenient practice will typically produce one larger crop of berries in the fall but no summer crop. It is recommended to mow or cut off all canes close to the ground. If stubs are left, buds that sprout in the spring will produce weak, unproductive branches.

Raspberries are forgiving and with a small amount of time and attention they will produce a bounty of berries.  To the delight of my grandkids and satisfaction of knowing this would have pleased Granny, I approach my berry patch armed with sharpened shears, knowledge, and confidence with intention for an abundance of berries for Granny’s freezer jam.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EgQIHo6_y74

https://extension.umn.edu/fruit/growing-raspberries-home-garden

https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSZttHEzYD05dReLkf_PVgPiZ_KoeGwr5Jl7gUCsDbBnG5yTVuE