Asparagus Seeds - Connovers Colossal

100 Seeds.

Other Names - Asparagus Spears…

This old heritage asparagus variety dates back to the 1800's and it is still used today by many commercial growers. This variety certainly lives up to its name, producing an abundance of chunky colossal sized spears and the taste is truly delicious. This prolific variety produces dark green spears with purple tips. It has been awarded a 'RHS award of garden merit' for its excellence.

• A valuable crop to grow, one of the finest tastes in the vegetable world and one of the most expensive to buy!
• Easy to grow and very productive, plant it once, harvest asparagus spears for up to 20 years!
• A reliable old heritage breed producing an abundance of chunky, tasty, green spears.

Suitable For - Vegetable plot, raised beds

Sowing Months - March

Harvest - 3 years later, mid April - mid June

Gardening is about finding the right balance! Try growing Companion Plants close by to help deter pests.

• Tomatoes - Tomato plants release a chemical that repels the asparagus beetle.
• Pot marigold - This flower deters the asparagus beetle.
• Amaranth is a good host plant for attracting the ground beetle into the garden. The predatory ground beetle is an ally to any garden as it eats slugs, snails, slug and snail eggs, caterpillars and weed seed.
• Parsley is a great companion plant for boosting the vigour of the asparagus spears.
• Comfrey can be used to make a nutrient rich liquid fertilizer. It can also be used as a compost accelerator, a slug repellent and a nutritional mulch.

Soil Preperation

Soil preparation is especially important when growing asparagus because the plants can be in the same ground for up to 20 years! Good drainage and a rich fertile soil is essential. Add a good amount of well rotted manure or compost a few months before planting. Remove any weeds especially perennial weeds from the bed. Lime if necessary. Add some organic fertilizer 1 - 2 weeks before sowing or planting.

Sowing Guide

Early Sowing/Module Sowing

Sow 2 - 3 seeds in a small 7 cm pot. Once germination starts move to an area with good daylight exposure, a windowsill or warm greenhouse is ideal. When the seedlings are big enough to handle thin to one strong seedling per pot. Keep the compost moist but avoid overwatering.
The plants will be ready to plant out into their final growing position in July (around 4 months later). Plant out at the distance suggested above. Asparagus are best grown in rectangular blocks rather than single rows. Firm the soil around each plant and water well.

Direct Sowing

Sow asparagus seeds outdoors in a well prepared seedbed then transplant into their final growing position the following spring. Sow 1 seed every 4 - 5 cm at the depth of 2 cm and at a row distance of 40 cm. Cover the seed with soil and water well. When the seedlings are big enough to handle thin to 15 cm between each plant. Water the plants well especially in dry weather.
Transplant the strongest asparagus plants into their final growing position the following March. It is advisable to grow asparagus in rectangular blocks rather than a single row. Transplant at the distance suggested above. Firm the soil around each transplant and water well.

Growing On

Weed often to keep competing plants under control. The long fern like leaves may need additional support after the 3rd year as they will be growing taller by then as the plants grow stronger. Asparagus will benefit from an annual top dressing of compost or some well rotted manure during the autumn or winter months. In late autumn the dying yellow fern like leaves will need to be cut down with secateurs to about 2 - 3 cm above soil level.
Each spring add a surface dressing of general purpose organic fertilizer around the plants to help boost the new season growth. Traditional varieties produce berries over the season which if left, will drop to the ground and are often carried or excreted elsewhere by birds. To prevent asparagus spears popping up elsewhere in the garden remove the berries ideally before they fall to the ground.

Harvesting

The spears of newly planted asparagus plants should not be harvested for the first 3 years and should be left on the plant to develop into bushy fern like stems. If spears are harvested before the 3 years this may unfortunately weaken the development of the plant. However after the third year asparagus spears can be harvested in abundance. Asparagus are best harvested when no longer than 10 - 15 cm in length as they tend to get tougher with age. To harvest, using a sharp knife cut the spear at soil level.
The speed of growth will be affected by temperature and in hot weather new spears may appear daily. Stop harvesting the spears in mid to late June. This will allow the remaining or any new spears to grow and develop into a fern which will help to build up the reserves of the plant for next years crop. Asparagus are best eaten within the hour of cutting however they can be kept in the fridge in a polythene bag for 2 - 3 days.