Starting asparagus from seed; has anyone done it?

[goldingoddess]

Can you share your successes and failures? I really want to do it correctly since it is a three year commitment before harvest can take place. I can dedicate a bed approximately 4x20 feet to them, but am wondering if that would give us too much and I should instead dedicate 1/2 of a bed, 4x10 feet.

I am also confused by seed spacing, I've read some places that I should plant rows 12" apart and space seeds 3", but on the seed package it says plants may need 3-4 feet spacing.

[Tjej]

Well, I did it last year, so I can't tell you how it all turns out yet.  They did grow, though, and they are coming up again this year, so year one - done!  I started some in a mini greenhouse and some right in the garden, and the ones I'd pre-started are the ones that made it.  I also have soil that drains pretty well and I think that helped.  As far as spacing goes, I don't know - I just put them as far apart as the little seed packet had reccommended - I think they are 6 inches apart.  I would think if they were too close together you could thin them later.  That sure sounds like a big bed for asparagus if you do the whole thing, but hey, maybe you really like it! :) 

So, I'm no expert, but it can be done.  My neighbor has done some and they seemed to feel you get a lot from each plant (eventually).

Tjej

[root*children]

We started ours from rhizomes, not seeds, so I don't know anything about seed starting on these (I didn't even know you could do it!  I thought everyone started them from rhizomes!)  Anyhow, they spread by root, so will just spread right to the ends of your garden space, then "bounce" off the walls and double back.  So unless you want to be really on top of weeding them out, you may as well give them the whole bed, IMO.  If you have too much, it seems an easy thing to trade (since not a lot of people grow it) with other gardeners for things you may also enjoy :)

[I Fly]

There is a detailed "how to" about doing an asparagus bed from seed in Steve Solomon's "Gardening When it Counts" book.  He convinced me to do mine from seed (when the time comes!).  I remember something about how to identify male and female plants, and how you need to aggressively root out all of one type.  Try to get ahold of that book to get some detailed and good info!