Asparagus Trials

I’ve been growing asparagus for a few years now, and we are finally getting a reasonably good harvest each year.

Anyway, I decided this year to do a big asparagus expansion, and trial a number of different kinds.  I purchased some seeds and crowns for different wild and purple asparaguses, and I also ordered 30 genebank accessions.  The later of which came the other day, just in time for planting.  I’ve tried to get ‘at least one of everything’.

A big thank you goes out to the people at GRIN-ARS at Cornell, who made it possible to get these seeds!  They’re really providing an important service.  On the customs declaration they modestly declared the combined value of the seeds as US$1, and indicated if the package was undeliverable it should be considered abandoned.  In a commercial sense it’s true, but they’re worth a lot more than that to me.

Now I have 30 last minute trays of numbered asparagus seeds waiting to germinate:

It’ll take a few years of course before they are mature enough to eat, but I think it’ll be interesting to explore the differences, and perhaps try to create my own variety out of the best of the varieties I’ve received.

One of the varieties I’ve purchased is a very modern one from a local commercial asparagus breeding company.  It’ll be interesting to see what they think are good traits.

Anyone else have experience asparagus breeding or collecting, maybe with varieties or experiences to trade?  I’m not in contact with anyone who has specific asparagus breeding experience.