Turn Out the Lights!!!!

Bird Back 40 Asparagus Patch

As Dandy Don Meredith of ABC's Monday Night Football would croon at the end of games (especially blowouts):

"Turn Out the Lights...

The Party's Over...

They Say That...

All Good Things Must End...

Call it Tonight...

The Party's Over...

And Tomorrow Starts...

The Same Old Thing Again..."

Willie Nelson wrote those amazing lyrics and sings that amazing song. But I don't know if it would be quite as popular today, had not one of the best Color Commentators in all of football crooned that same, signature song again and again and again.

It's the song that comes to mind when looking at the asparagus patch pictured above. Venus and I planted asparagus crowns just last spring, really not knowing what to expect. After all, we'd never grown asparagus before. Have you? Was it supposed to erupt in a tangled mass of ferns like it did last summer? Because it most certainly did.

Asparagus Spears Allowed to Flower and Fern

Hidden most of the summer by the Bird Back 40 corn crop, those tiny root systems for Jersey Knight and Purple Passion bolted into a cacophany of fern growth that promptly grew straight up and then flopped over on the ground after reaching a height of three to four feet. Any fern that flopped was immediately replaced by another spear -- which also proceeded to fern and flop.

There were many times during the summer, I might add, where Bill Bird was more than just a tad tempted to cut that fat green or purple spear literally jumping out of the raised bed that holds the Bird asparagus patch. So was the wife that is Venus. But we managed to resist that urge -- knowing all the while -- that each fern would most likely result in a multitude of fat asparagus spears next spring.

That's the hope anywho. Like I mentioned earlier, we've never attempted anything like this before.

We had plenty of questions -- but very little in the way of answers. Was this fern growth normal? Should we be doing anything special to the asparagus patch during the ferning and flopping process -- rather than fawning over it every third day? Should we allow the ferns to flop? Stake them up? So many questions -- so little answers.

Asparagus Ferns

Normally -- in times of need like this -- I turn to one or more gardening mentors like Farmer Fred Hoffman, Don Shor of Redwood Barn Nursery fame or former Sacramento Bee Home and Garden Editor Dan Vierra. But, to be brutally honest, I really do bug these people too much with incessant questioning. It was time to do some searching on my own, and as a very wise man once taught me, "Google is your friend."

Indeed!

The most helpful "how too" articles that I came across were "Growing ASPARAGUS in the Garden" from the UC Davis Vegetable Research and Information Station and "Growing Asparagus in the Home Garden" from the University of Ohio Horticulture and Crop Science Extension service. Both were loaded with tips (asparagus tips I might add) -- and both confirmed that Venus and I were off to a rather rousing start.

In fact -- the best bit of advice came from Carl J. Cantaluppi (University of Ohio) when he wrote: "The year after planting, asparagus can be harvested several times throughout a three-week period, depending on air temperatures. Research shows there is no need to wait two years after planting before harvesting. In fact, harvesting the year after planting will stimulate more bud production on the crown and provide greater yields in future years, as compared with waiting two years before harvesting.

This was indeed -- tremendous news. Venus and I had been under the belief that it would be at least two seasons before we could harvest our first spears. Yet here was plain advice from a crop scientist advocating to pick, pick and pick away after just one year of fern growth. Do you know what this means?

Asparagus Ferns Removed (Cut Back)

It means that the bed that has now been cut back of dead fern growth will be throwing out delicious spears of asparagus this spring, just in time for Easter Supper at the Bird Ranch. Nothing -- I mean absolutely NOTHING -- is better than what you can grow in your own little patch of yard. This is a rule that applies to all produce -- and I can only begin to imagine what kind of taste surprise will result from our own home-grown asparagus.

These same articles (links are above) -- while confirming that we were indeed on the right path -- also contained tips that I never would have crossed my mind (unless someone told me to do it). Those ferns that had erupted from the asparagus crowns (roots) that we planted last spring were actually quite beneficial. They were sending all kinds of important nutrients into the crowns (root systems) below. The more fern activity -- the better. More ferns result in more spears -- bigger and better spears I might add.

But there also comes a time when enough is enough. Those ferns don't last. In fact, as you can tell from the photos, many of them have turned brown. Some -- much to my surprise -- completely withered away. I discovered this as I hacked the fern growth back to ground level. The instructions that I encountered online advised a "haircut and close shave," as those former spears that erupted into ferns will become quite woody and quite *sharp* during the overwintering process.

We don't want to be slicing up fingers when slicing tender shoots of asparagus next spring, now do we?

Asparagus Hidden by Ferns

That "shave and a haircut (two bits)" is now complete. What's more surprising, although the thought did cross my mind, is that the removal of the dead and dying ferns revealed the growth of ASPARAGUS SPEARS! Sure enough -- what may be the first tender shoots of spring-time growth were popping just above the soil line.

Now -- it's entirely possible that this growth will also result in additional ferns -- which will be cut back later this winter. Then again, the growth rate might be so slow that these spears may be the first we actually harvest during our short, three week, asparagus season. This season, by the way, will expand with time and additional years of growth. But, for the first year? Three weeks is all you get.

That's fine by us. As the wife that is Venus says -- three weeks is better than no weeks. We're looking forward to a rather tasty backyard harvest. See you in the spring!

Putting the A in SAcrAmento VegetAble GArdening!

Waterlogged and Windy Backyard

Dear Southern California: Supplying you with a clean, fresh, plentiful supply of water this year will NOT be a problem. Signed, A Waterlogged Northern Californian.

Plenty of puddles and minor storm damage (as the photo to your right will attest) this morning at the Bird Back 40, where rain continues to fall off and on (mostly on). As I write this, levels on the Sacramento River are near historic highs thanks to record releases from the bathtub that is Shasta Resevoir up north in Redding. Discovery Park at the confluence of the Sacramento and American Rivers is under five or six feet of water, but will within flood thresholds. Bypasses in Colusa and Yolo County are filling up fast.

This doesn't happen every year mind you -- but this is a special year. We've zoomed past record rainfall amounts for the Sacramento area and March is barely half over with another gully-buster or two yet to come. Although our systems of reservoirs, bypasses and levees were built for exactly this purpose and are standing up to the deluge -- the real danger is if a Pineapple Express moves in and melts a record-high snowpack in the Sierra Nevada.

Smilin' Bob

What happens then? Well kids -- as the smiling lady says in those late night commercials for Extenze: "This Could be Fun!!!"

What does all this rain activity mean? Well -- it doesn't mean we're working on gardening projects in the backyard -- that much I can tell you. One would need the services of a canoe to reach certain parts of the yard at this point. But I'm pleased to announce that we did complete one last project just before the first raindrops began to fall last weekend (it's been raining ever since).

So -- what's new? Glad you asked! ASPARAGUS! Yes -- if we didn't have enough to tend too in the Bird Back 40 -- we've added something new. The wife that is Venus finally got her Asparagus patch -- and just in the nick of time too.

Honestly? I thought our window of acquiring and then planting asparagas roots had passed. That was the initial objective -- after all -- of our trip a few weeks ago to the Most Romantic City in the World (Stockton). Lockhart Seeds was closed on that day -- but even had it been open -- we would have discovered that they sold out of asparagus roots in JANUARY (heavy demand for asparagus this year, kids).

Peaceful Valley Farm Supply-Nevada City

Although I thought I would be forced to abandon the "asparagus quest," fate intervened in the form of Peaceful Valley Farm Supply. Did they have asparagus roots in stock? Why, yes they DID! Not just any asparagus roots mind you -- but the exact varieties that the wife wanted: Jersey Knight and Purple Passion.

That's the good news. The bad news is that Peaceful Valley was once again out of All Red Seed Potatoes and a fertilizing supplement we use in the garden called Omega 2000. Any rumor that you hear that those two items are finally in stock is just that: a rumor. I believe I'll capture Bigfoot on camera before I see All Red Seed potatoes again. But I digress -- we did have asparagus.

As it turns out -- the acquisition of asparagus roots last Saturday would be just half the battle. A whopper of a storm was moving in. The rain was expected to start falling late Sunday afternoon. That gave me precious hours to not only build a raised bed for our asparagus, but irrigate said bed, fill it with planter mix and prepare furrows for planting.

Distant Asparagus Planter Bed

Bill Bird loves a challenge like this one.

So -- last Sunday -- the last dry day that I can remember -- I found myself in the Home Depot lumber yard at a very early hour -- purchasing the supplies that I would need for a 5X3 raised planter bed. This is yet another example of a low-cost, easy to assemble, raised bed that I featured here in the blog a few years ago. I've built quite a few of these now and can snap them together fairly quickly.

There's nothing quite like the feeling of DOOM and GLOOM that falls upon a gardener when feeling the first drops of rain while rushing to complete a gardening project. The asparagus roots could not wait -- they had to go in TODAY. But Mother Nature wasn't cooperating. The first drops started to fall before I could fill the bed with soil.

Jersey Knight & Purple Passion Asparagus Crowns

All sorts of thoughts go through your mind when faced a conundrum like this. Will the wheel on the wheelbarrow get so caked with mud that it won't move during the planter mix transfer process? Have I destroyed yet another pair of gardening shoes (yes)? Is asparagus really worth the hassle? The answer to that question isn't known yet -- because -- to be quite honest -- I've never grown asparagus before. Have you?

Fortunately? The rain that started falling at that point was just a tease. It stopped a few minutes later which allowed us to resume work on moving planter mix from one side of the Back 40 to another (the wife is a real pro with a shovel).

Planting Asparagus Crowns

The method of planting asparagus crowns is quite unique. It's a little like planting seed potatoes in that you're digging furrows from one side of the bed to another. It's also like planting a fruit tree in that you want to form a ball or crown under each asparagus crown to give the roots something to rest on.

It was -- at this point -- where the rain suddenly began to fall in earnest. Venus and I had completed the process of planting about half the bed when we suddenly became aware of raindrops hammering down on the nearby patio cover. Mother Nature wasn't kidding this time. The big tease was over. The rain was here to stay.

It's amazing how quickly two determined (insane is another good term to use here) gardeners can move when getting pelted with a serious amount of rain. Let's just say that are furrows weren't exactly "perfect," nor were the balls carefully placed under each asparagus crown. We were in a "hurry up and plant" moment -- and did finally finish the job -- before paddling back to the safety of the nearest concrete walkway.

We were both soaked -- cold -- muddy and tired following this wonderful experience. And although I'd like to report some gardening success with a photo of growing asparagus crowns -- it will require some time and quite a bit of rain drainage before we can reach that particular spot again anytime soon.

I've since come to learn that planting asparagus crowns is a bit of a gamble. Not every crown is guaranteed to sprout. Indeed -- other gardeners have reported 100% crop failure with past planting attempts. Growing asparagus also requires patience. We won't see any kind of a harvest this year -- and while next spring might yield a few tasty spears -- we've been informed it won't be much.

But in Year 3? If everything works to plan (which it doesn't)? Asparagus will be on the Bird menu of gardening success.

Who could ask for more?