CUTTING BACK ASPARAGUS

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 130, 18 June 1937, Page 11

CUTTING BACK ASPARAGUS

As soon as the foliage of the asparagus is completely ' dead, but on no ac•:ount before — it should be cut down to wilhin an inch of tlie soil. Then Jspecially if Ihe soil is light, a thin.-layer Of well-decayed manurc — not suflicient to erclude air, but just enough to pro-, lect the roots from the severities of winter and to give sotne help to them by the rain washing the goodness out of (."ie manure into the ground — may be applied. To make the bed look neat during the winter months, a light coveung of soil might be applied, obtained hy lightJy forking up the alleys between the beds. This soil can be puD verked with the back of the spade anrl E-cattered over the surfq.ee of the bed. Besides giving a neat appearance, this will help tc keep in the value of the manure. As the work of eutting down the foliage proceeds, any plants which have iailed or died out should be noted and ihe spot marked by.driving in a stake, so that when planting time comes these gaps can be made. good. Tliere is also one .olhcr pqint upon which tho economical grower will have his.eyo. and that deala with tlie rouud red Uei^riea which' baug so pJentifully from tho boughs. I fhjse eoxitain sinai! bluck seeds for growing irt the spring. By growing these on ior a year or two, one could put down a largo. new plantatiou praclicalJy no cost.