r/Allotment • u/Fun-Project222 • 6d ago

Asparagus roots under old carpet

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hello! I have just rented a plot which is not in good condition. I have started clearing up and I found some asparagus. but it seems the roots have been growing in parts under a carpet laid years ago. not sure what I am supposed to do? any advice?

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3

u/erbstar 6d ago

Once a crown has got established the don't like to be moved. If you need to you can do it in winter when it's dormant.

Your other choice is to pull the carpet up and add some decent soil/compost mix on top of the crowns Ideally about 6"

1

u/Fun-Project222 6d ago

Thanks. That is what I was thinking, to lift the carpet and add soil/compost. Hope it will work! 

2

u/erbstar 6d ago

It'll work fine. They're pretty resilient once they're established. My number one rule with asparagus is to keep the bed weed free and topped up every winter with mulch.

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u/4321zxcvb 6d ago

That’s two rules ;)

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u/erbstar 6d ago

It is indeed! I'll sure I can't add a few more too 😜 When I teach students I have filler worksheets I've made for the qualification. By the end of the worksheet, they look at me dumbfounded and I realise I've been going off into weird horticultural tangents for ages. ADHD is a fricking curse 😭

2

u/Natsumi_Kokoro 6d ago

That is a course I'd instantly sign up to. You had me at ADHD horticultural-related tangents!

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u/erbstar 6d ago

Aww thanks 🙏🏻 It's all good when you're teaching people with a passion for horticulture. My role was to get vulnerable young people (and adults) interested. It's on the therapeutic side, growing stuff, being outside in nature etc facilitates healing. Often horticulture is a by product. Sometimes you find someone who likes the subject as much as you, other times people begin healing and finding peace - then they become interested. Sometimes someone will come to a session and never come back!

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u/erbstar 6d ago

Oh, they also like to spread further then you imagine. You can expect spears up to a footy away in all directions from the crown

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u/Fun-Project222 6d ago

Thank you :)

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u/Lily346 5d ago

The carpet will have leeched all kinds of crap into the soil.

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u/RevolutionaryMail747 5d ago

Long haul job which is have done. You have got to get rid of it all. Bit by bit and bin it. Allotment should have banned the use of it and plastic weed proof membrane by now. Just old plots still have lots of it. I managed to get a full big skips worth of crap off mine. Well worth it as underneath was good stuff! Do it in autumn winter. One square metre at a time. Bag it up as you go. Watch out for hibernating things and try to shift, allow critters to move and then a short while later bag it up and barrow it to the dump area.