Asparagus, and Winged Beans

Has any one grown [Sucessfully] Asparagus, or winged Bean, in N florida, --
I am looking for a Day length nutral winged bean seed, --[not at Baker Creek] any one know where to find It???
I have planted a row of Washington, Asparagus, --and may order a few Jersy Knight seed, -also --but is anyone doing well growing any Asparagus in Florida???
Yours in the garden, -- Michael

sorry no.

Sandy

I had some winged beans in Hawaii last spring - they are delicious! This site has some good info, it sounds like you could plant them in late winter for a spring crop and again as a fall crop.

http://www.evergreenseeds.com/wingedbean.html

evergreen seed only has regular winged bean seed, not Hunan, or any other day length nutral variety, --but they are the best deal I have found , --I have a 1/2 pound of seed from them waiting for spring, --

I hope some one grows Asperagus [sucessfully] here, --I am trying an experiment, this year, with raised bed in sand soil, with a drainage ditch on the side of the row, that will be filled with Horse manure, hoping the main problem here will be crown rot from too much water, --so --I have 600 seeds in the ground, --and waiting, -- thanks, --yours in the garden, -- Michael

This site suggest winter planting of the winged beans in FL. Your extension agent might have a source for the variety you are looking for.

http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/MV028

Good luck with your asparagus.

it freezes here, --and winged bean will die if frozen, --so in N FL a spring planting is my only option, so I will plant in spring and wait until sept for a crop unless I can find a day length nutral variety, -- Michael

Michael, I found the following info on the Hunan Winged Bean http://www.motherearthnews.com/Real-Food/2007-06-01/Hunan-Winged-Bean.aspx# and like what I read! Is the taste similar to Edamame? They are my favorite snack.
Thanks.
Barb

Winged Bean , [the fewTrial plants I grew last year] tasted very good to me, --it was not like any other bean I have eaten, --I liked it so much, I am planning to plant a 200' row, and experiment with preserving [canning/drying] to see how they taste that way. The taste is maybe sort of like Edamame, but not exactly. the flowers were very nice in salad and stir-fry also [like mushrooms], and the growth tips and first few leaves were nice flavored as well, -- the problem was that I got no fruit until september, and then they produced a lot till frozen, --I am in hope of finding a day length nutral variety, so I can get fruit all season, -- Michael

It's funny, I thought they tasted somewhat like asparagus. Whatever they tasted like, they were wonderful and I too would love to grow them. :-)

I think the flowers taste a little like mushrooms, and the beans like asparagus, --but all good, --

Kitazawa seed co has day length nutral Winged Bean seed, [they say] I hope so as they are at a much higher price than Evergreen seed

My Asparagus seed is starting to grow, --looks like little grass sprouts, [[or maybe it is little grass sprouts], I have lots of that also, --weeding will be impossible for a while, ---

This message was edited Oct 30, 2009 4:08 AM

LOL on the grass - been there done that.
I am going to look into Kitazawa, thanks.

I grew 6 Asparagus plants, started 3 years ago from 1 year crowns, some of the spears were about 1/2 inch, in dia, --I am going to risk killing them and move them to the new location, so I can water and mulch / fertilize them better, and have them all together, --in one row, -- and they were getting smothered by the Yams, every summer, -I had to uncover them today to even find them , the whole fence where they were planted is completely covered in Yam vines, --

michael, do you have the southern living garden book? if so, they have a really good section on asparagus. if not, i will be happy to print it out for you here. let me know.
debi

I do not have a Southern Living Garden Book, would love to see the article, -- Yours in the garden, -- Michael

ok michael, here goes.

Asparagus, Edible
Liliaceae
Perennial
Z Us, Ms, Ls (upper south, middle south, lower south) Florida from Jacksonville through just above Fort Myers is considered Cs (coastal south) except for areas along the coast which are considered Ts (tropical south)
HZ (heat zone) 8-1
Full Sun
Regular Water

plants take 2 to 3 years to come into full production but then furnish spears every spring for 10-15 yrs. seeds grow into strong young plants in one season (sow in spring). set out seedlings or roots (not wilted, no smaller than an adult's hand) in fall or winter, or in early spring in Us. make trenches 1 ft. wide and 8-10 inches deep. space trenches 4' to 6' feet apart. heap loose soil enriched with composted manure at bottom of trenches and soak well. space plants 1 ft. apart, setting them so that tops are 6 to 8 in. below top of trench. spread roots out evenly. cover with 2 in. of soil and water again.

as young plants grow, gradually fill in trench taking care not to cover growing tips. soak deeply whenever soil begins to dry out at root depth. don't harvest spears the first year; object is to build a big root mass. when plants turn brown in late fall or early winter, cut stems to ground.

the following spring you can cut your first spears; cut only for 4 to 6 weeks, or until appearance of thin spears indicates that roots are nearing exhaustion. then permit plants to grow. cultivate, feed, and irrigate heavily. the third year you should be able to cut spears for 8 to 10 weeks. spears are ready to cut when they are 5 to 8 in. long.

thrust knife down at 45 degree angle to soil; flat cutting may injure adjacent developing spears.



there is more info on different kinds but this is the info you were asking about, i think.
debi

thank you very much. --Yours in the garden, -- Michael

The winged bean seed from Kitasawa worked great... loads of beans