Hi Wendy.. Is great to hear & hope the plants grow well for you there :) Ours are still sending up spears & it's the start of Winter here.. I think we'll be having a mild one this year.. Thanks & have a great one, Rob..
I have to tell you that I really like your clips. Unfortunately some other videos rarely cover my questions, and you seem to get right to the point that I'm looking for, and I really appreciate that.
GRAT VIDEO… to the point! I just got seven asparagus plants and I planted them wrong… upside down. So hubby was nice enough to redo for me. I’m beat for today!
Thank you for your information. I got 60 3 year Asparagus Roots from Andys Asparagus Acres. And planted just like you said and I am picking Asparagus every day. Thank you
Thanks for that Tracy.. We are yet to have a decent enough harvest to have surplus yet... Will be another year before we get a decent harvest... Hope your having a great harvest of them at the moment :)
We bought our original lot from a local hardware store & have bred them up over the past 4 or so years so we can load them into all the garden beds as they get built now.. That way they can do the bulk of the fertilising for us.. Bought a dozen bags of manure to feed all them in the beds then did a number on my back.. The boss said they will have to wait for a week or so before they all get fed :/ Thanks & have a great one :)
Haven't tried growing from seed here.. Was lucky enough to have been given the crowns for this bed but will grow any new plants we need from seed.. All the best for the new plants, hope they grow quickly for you.. Cheers.. Rob
I waited for our large ones to die back as much as they would PJ & then went for it as that's what most books & sites recommended.. It also worked out that the beds needed to be moved now in mid winter.. You could try a few green ones now & just see how they go then transplant some that have died back later.. Probably best to move smaller green plants as they might not require as much energy to rebound.. Hope that helps some..
Thank you! I've never planted asparagus crowns and when I got them in the mail I thought, "WHAT IS THIS???" I had no idea what to do and this video explained it perfectly! Love you RobBob :)
Hi there CleanMax.. Am glad the clip helped you out some & hope you get a bumper crop from them in a year or 2 time as well.. They do look rather alien like the first time you see them ;-) Cheers & all the best, Rob.
Think I will wait for next season with this lot Dale.. The other 6 I planted out might be OK to pick one or two from, shall just wait & see how they go first.. Have a good one Sir..
We are in the Subtropics here Mary Ann so we are lucky enough to have mild winters.. I don't think it gets cool enough here for asparagus to go into full die back.. Last night we had a low of 10°C/50°F & are expecting a high of 21°C/69.8°F today.. Can't really complain as we get a 12 month growing season.. Have a good one :)
oh wow Rob such beautiful asparagus crowns you have there. I am about to go out and replant my asparagus bed, I wish I had as many nice big beautiful crowns as you do there brother. Good job gardening. Green blessings to you. Thnx for sharing.
They are very happy out there Brock... All the plants have thrown up more spears... You would think it's spring by the way they are growing.. Cheers Sir..
Hope it comes in handy Dale.. Should be in updates sooner rather than later the way they are shooting already.. Sorry about before, couldn't help myself :) Have a great one sir..
I have a bunch of crowns that I bought in spring and never planted. They are probably too dry to make it but I plan on planting them out anyway. Nothing to loose but time now! Chuck
Only 1 if you buy advanced crowns ;) Sitting here with a jumper on in a chilly 14°C/57°F unheated house at the moment.. Somehow I think your 3 feet of snow might trump that though :D So far we have had a mild one, last night was 10°C/50°F & are expecting a high of 21°C/69.8°F today so really can't complain about being cold at all here.. The kids do as they have always lived here & have no idea really.. We probably only get ice on the car windows 3 times a year here.. Have a good one.. Rob
I'm taking it easy just watching you do all the hard work :D I've planted 10 crowns this spring and they all came out too (me making the happy dance)! I freeze mine too but I don't blanch them anymore...I tried both methods and I prefer this one, just wash, dry, cut and in the bag they go. I find the blanched one become too mushy for my liking, I like my veggies al dente :)
Most parts of Australia can grow all year round.. If you go to gardenateDOTcom & select cool/mountain Australia that will give you some idea of what our coolest zones can grow over winter.. It only snows in a few small areas here in Australia so I think that helps a lot.. Here in the Subtropics we get to plant a wide selection of veggies all year round but only have a short season for most of the brassica crops we love..
Yes - I cleaned them diced them into pieces around 2-3 cm long, blanched them for around 1.5-2.5 minutes. Then into a cold bath, and to air dry for about 2 hours, then I vacuum pack & freeze them into smaller bags that way I can cut open a bag & throw them into stews, soups, stir fry's, or etc... no need to thaw them
Excellent video and very informative, I am transplanting 4 of the shoot clusters I separated from one plant that was almost 2 years old, they seem to doing quite well and are sending out new green shots , I am putting them in the same kind of bins you are using, I made them from used water storage totes, I plan on uploading a video of harvesting some of the shoots, it shouldn't take long, they seem to grow quite well in the California climate here.
Hi there.. I've managed to keep harvesting ours all summer long here.. Have also been experimenting with forcing another flush of spears seeing as we have a long summer & mild winter.. Hope to have a clip posted on it in the next few days.. Cheers & have a great one
RobBobs Backyard Farming Thanks a lot, The ones I planted are really growing well, the root clumps were very small only about the size of a golf ball when I first separated them, but they are growing green shoots now, I had to move them around so I planted them temporarily in 5 Gallon pots before I put them in the large tote,the spears are getting close to 1/8" in diameter. I just planted some watermelon seeds for some giant and Heirloom water melons they just popped up, I'll have to upload a video when they get growing,
I got the ones I planted out in the clip as 150mm seedlings 8 months ago so I think they are about 10 or so months from seed.. I missed adding that to the clip so snuck it in on an annotation :/ They will be well fed in there so not really worried about overcrowding :) Cheers sir..
Not sure on that one.. The roots were very invasive with 2 crowns taking up a nearly all a 100L/25gal barrel.. They are also not keen on having their "feet" wet either from what I have read & been told.. Then again, I have been told you can't grow sweet potato in the aquaponics for the same reason & ours looks to be doing OK ;) (For now anyway) Cheers & have a great one :)
Shall nip one off & have a taste as I have never tried a raw spear, thanks.. We see the barrels in rural feed stores & recycling yards/centers a fair bit.. We like buying them from the feed stores as they normally only sell barrels that have held food stuffs & we know any residue shouldn't interfere with the plants.. Hope you have some joy in finding some.. Have a great one :)
We have a lot of aspargus also last count about 150 crowns (raised beds also) - I to pickle them & can them. great to put on a hot dog or burger. Well to be honest good just to snack on....
There is a link in the clip to the Wetpot/olla clip.. Just need to click on the small clip when it pops up on the screen at 2:59 .. Can you let me know if it doesn't work for you please? Some times they don't work as intended.. Thanks..
Great video, fun and informative! Subscribed. I am planning to start cultivating asparagus since this summer, so your video was a great help and very inspiring. Thank you.
Hi there.. Am glad you liked the clip.. Hope to have another clip posted on the asparagus this weekend.. May not be helpful to all but you might find it interesting.. Cheers..
Hi there & am glad you enjoyed the clip. We're based in SE Queensland Australia. Nice & warm here even in our winters. Hope your plants do well for you. Cheers.
I think they should do well too Paula.. Will be feeding them with manure & liquid fertilisers during the year as well so am hoping for a great crop :) Have a great one :)
hi Bob, its very intersting, i try this year plantin asparragus from seeds I hope create that crowns, for the next year, plantign the crowns (we call claws).
do you have a video on the ollas you show in this one? or a link to your source would be nice. thanks for another easy to hear/understand/follow video.
Think the new position might of tricked them into thinking it's spring John.. Shall be interesting to if they can keep up the momentum through to spring..
I really like you raised beds for the asparagus how are those made and are they filled with dirt to the bottom. I deal with an over abundant weed population and my surface asparagus bed and I need to find a way to grow them weed free. I know that the weeds take the nutrients from the soil that the plants need and I have not wanted to replant until I could get around this problem.
+Fran Wendland Hi Fran. These beds are actually self watering wicking beds. I find they save us a lot of water & time as they only need to be filled once a week. You can see how they're mad in the link below if that helps. ua-cam.com/video/vAFyB35yVeA/v-deo.html I've found that mulching also helps to keep weeds at bay. Have a great one, Rob.
:-) Thanks So at any point does it really dip down that you could not grow crops year round? 10 degrees C is like a normal temp for me. Just wondering and understanding your seasons. It's like snow in California...Northern California but 90's in Los Angeles...except for the earthquakes it's a nice place temperature wise. Advanced crowns oooohhhhhh I understand now Thanks Tim
I planted 8 bulbs in the spring, 2 in my aquaponics bed and 6 in soil . They all grew with the aquaponics pair performing better. Admittedly I didn't do anything special to the soil plants except water with fish water. Was thinking of moving the potted plants into the GH for the winter. Should I let them go dormant or let them grow? I know you're learning as you go too but what do you think?
Hi again :) If it gets cold enough they'll probably go dormant all by themselves Jeff.. I have read that in warmer parts of the world they withhold water from the plants to help them go dormant if that's any help mate.. Hope that helps some mate.. Cheers..
You said it is winter where you are so I was wondering if is it typical for Asparagus to grow in winter? Where I am in the US Asparagus grows in the early spring.
:D moving the bed nearly broke my back, suppose I should of emptied it first :/ Thanks for the tip... I hope we get enough to try a few different ways.. Have a great one Elsye :)
Hey Rob, I have a Q for ya? I have some old established plants growing in my back yard, is the right time to transplant them when the green ferny growth is dried out, or can they be moved sooner? They just come up very year, I have been saying for years I'll do something with those? Well this maybe the year? TIA.
well done Rob, best explanation. i have an asparagus plant, someone told me it takes up to 2 years before you see the spears, is this correct. we just moved home and i dug up the plant and looking at it i was about to turf it, but.... if i split up the 5 crowns on this plant and re plant the same way as you did, how long before you see spears and how long before you harvest o rknow when to harvest a spear
Paul Blair Hi Paul. Sorry for the slow reply mate. They will start to produce spears in the first year but they are very small, almost feather like. Best rule of thumb to follow is that they are right to harvest in the 2nd - 3rd year (depending on climate) when the spears are larger than a pencil in thickness. Once the new spears decrease in size to less than the thickness of a pencil you leave them be so the crown can replenish its nutrients for the next seasons crop. You should see a few thin spears in the first season but I would probably leave it until the next before picking from it. That way the crown would of put on a bit of extra size & hopefully provide you with much better spears. Hope that helps you out some & the crowns grow well for you mate. Much better starting from advanced crowns that seedlings I think ;-) Cheers Paul.
thanks for sharing, I live in Canada.and our winter are freezing. i'd like too plant Asparagas in raised beds. aprox 4 ft wide and three feet high. do you think the roots would freeze or would panting them in ground better .jus wondering never grew Asparagas before. any idea's?
Hi John... Haven't had any experience with cold cold climate growing sorry.. I do think that the roots would be better protected over winter if they were planted in the ground & well mulched.. Hope that helps some.. ***** is on an island on the East coast of Canada & grows asparagus.. You might pick up some tips from his clips that could help you out some.. ua-cam.com/video/oV6uxiy3Rhc/v-deo.html Hope that helps & have a great one..
RobBobs Backyard Farming john banks The only thing that would concern me is the height of the raised bed. Mine are all in raised beds but only 10 inches high so they get buried under a lot of snow, which of course is a great insulator. I don't mulch them other than adding fresh compost and they come through the winter fine. Actually I have two more varieties ordered for this spring.
Some day I might have to try them, but I am one not wanting to wait a few years for something LOL Nice Video Okay living in upstate New York (US) you and I have differences in what we call "Winter!" Mine is 3 feet or more of snow, below zero temp's and heavy clothing. Yours is t-shirt weather! I think I'll have to move soon! :-)
I learned a lot by watching your video and have one plant growing in my flower bed at the moment. I believe what you're saying is that they should really have their own space. If that's true I do have a boxed raised bed that I was using for veggies that I would consider using but I'm concerned about the depth - it's only 8" deep. Is that adequate? Finally when should I cut the ferns off and how much should I leave above ground? Thank you.
+MaryCatherine Adams Hi Mary Catherine. If the bed is on top of the soil it should be fine as the roots will find their own way. If it's a 8" high sealed bottom bed it may not do so well. I have left out ferns on some years here after they die off but tend to cut them back now. Just makes it a lot easier to feed the bed up with compost & mulch. If you are going to trim them back probably best to wait until they're dead. I cut ours between 2 & 4" hight so I can see where the crowns are later. Hope that helped you pout some. Cheers.
Oh gosh - I didn't expect such a fast reply, thank you. The boxed, raised bed had a porous liner on the bottom - not sealed. You're saying to wait until the ferns look dead before doing anything? I'm going to try to follow your tip of washing and spreading the roots out when I move it. I'm not sure how many plants I have - I suspect just one. If this works I might be tempted to buy some more plants, I hear raising them from seed is next to impossible albeit I do have seed pods on this plant. Yes that was a lot of help in a hurry. I hope mine turn out as well as yours. Now I just have to find a place to buy some horse manure, LOL. Thank you for all the help. Mary
+MaryCatherine Adams I've had a load of volunteers pop up under our plants & have started some off from seed for others with no problems. It's just the extra time it takes to raise them from seed so I think that's why it puts a lot of folks off.
I like to get IBC that have been used by the food industry with acid used in soft drink/soda pop production being very easy to hose out. One way to find the best way to clean them out is to look up the MSDS/SDS sheet ( Material Safety Data Sheet or Safety Data Sheet) for the chemical stored in the IBC & follow the recommendations it give for clean up. Hope that helps some & happy growing. .
Hello there, this is the second year that i have planted the asparagus seeds. After i covered them with the winter bed (sheep manure), some of them didn't grow spears. Is this because i put a lot of winter bed above them or because the high temperatures in Cyprus came very early this year? ( end of Feb until now eg 25 to 29 degrees Celsius),and as a result they died out.The following year will be the harvest season finally. Some of them are very thick but others are as thin as a pen. In the harvest period, will i cut all of them or will i leave the thin ones behind? As far as i know, the first harvest period lasts 1 week approx. If some of them continue to grow thick spears, can i extend the harvest season just for those thick ones? And if i continue, when do i stop? Perhaps when those also become thin?
What would happen if I planted the really late winter or early spring? If I can't plant it in during winter could I keep it in a pot until I am able to plant the crowns?
Hi there +TheOmegaLeaf . It would be fine to plant them out in spring & they'd have more than enough time to establish themselves before the next winter. The seeds are normally sown in spring so you should be fine. Sorry it took a while to get back to you. Have a great one, Rob.
Strange thing, I do not like the cooked asparagus but I love I it raw. It taste like peas to me and it looses it when it is cooked. Try one raw as a small shout. As usual I am still at war with my nematodes and I like your containers. I can't find them over here but I know they have them here but finding them use is a problem. Best of luck from south Florida!
hey there! i just got a few crowns but i don't know when to plant them, fall winter spring? i live in the middle east so the winter here is not that harsh, it gets down to 5 degrees Celsius at minimum.. thanks!!
Hi there Alex.. If they are bear rooted it would probably be best to plant it out now.. You might be able to plant it out any time but Summer with the warm temperature you get there.. Whereabouts in the Middle East are you? Cheers Rob..
Hello again, i've contacted you once more and i bombarded you with questions all in one paragraph, and you were very helpful and i greatly appreciate it. I would like to specify something you explained before. You said that the winter season is best to spread out the asparagus. Which months in particular are the best months to spread them out? In the beginning of the winter (december) , or in the end of february when the spears start to show?? Due to our climate in Cyprus, 27 degrees centigrade still, the spears are still showing and they are very green.
Hey there.. It's dependant on your climate really.. For us the plant only dies off for a few weeks in winter so that's when I moved them.. I would wait until the plant stops producing new growth & the existing ferns look to be starting to die off before moving them.. If they don't die back completely just wait until they look to be slowing down.. Hope that helps some..
When is the best time to divide my asparagus plants they are three years old but from the videos I saw they are way to close and they are a lot of fren but only three spares so I was just wondering when I should move them farther apart
Krista Borden If you are going to divide them it;'s best to do it when they die back for winter. Might pay to give them a year to re establish themselves before you start to harvest them again too. They also might just need a good feed to encourage larger growth. I have noticed ours respond very quickly to a few doses of compost tea. Hope that helps some Krista, Rob.
Evening Deb :) The are known as IBCs (intermediate bulk container).. We use them to make self watering garden beds like these Self watering Wicking bed, IBC beds with a few modifications.. WE also use them in the aquaponic as fish tanks & grow beds.. We have found them for sale on gumtree & know folks that get theirs from Craigslist.. Whereabouts are you located? If you happen to be here in SE Queensland I can put you onto the chap we buy from if your interested.. Rob..
Hey Deb Sturm.. Gumtree might be the way to go.. Australian aquaponic forums like Backyard Aquaponics also list suppliers in threads.. www.backyardaquaponics.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=35&sid=6e5d717727825f079c6e3a2aba177e02 Hope that helps some...
Hi there, i planted seeds in small pots and as soon as they grew spears 10-15 cm high, i planted them out in my garden. After i planted them out one year has gone by. They seem successful with a lot of spears. The problem now is that i planted them too close to each other, approximately 10-15 cm apart. Is there any chance that this will affect them in their growth? If yes, is it wise to replant them further away from each other? And if it is better to replant them, when is the right season for this? Furthermore, if i pick them, and some of the roots will be damaged, could this destroy the plant in whole?? That's a lot of questions i know, but i would greatly appreciate it if you could help me out. Lots of regards from Cyprus.
Hi there.. I think the plants could benefit from being spread out a bit more.. Ours were cramped in the barrels they were in but are doing much better now.. I think the winter season is best as the plants are dormant & you wont be disturbing the ferns as much.. I wouldn't worry about damaging the roots too much.. I was fairy hard on ours trimming them back very hard & thy have all pulled through just fine.. Hope that helps you out some & they grow well in their new spot.. Cheers
you can come here to Utah? and help me get my yard in shape? lol.. I wish .. not sure where to start.. like which direction to run my garden, in straight middle or to one side? or how to get the irrigation ditch at the back of my yard to the rest of my yard? and where to put my chicken run?
Hi there.. Sounds like you have a bit of planing to do there ;) Do you have a local extension office that might be able to help you out? This link might help you see if you do.. www.pickyourown.org/PYO.php?URL=http%3A%2F%2Fextension.usu.edu/htm/counties From what others have said they can be a great helping hand when it comes to all things gardening.. Hope that helps some, Rob.
Sorry there HK diamond Diam, missed your post... We are growing Mary Washington here & find them great from the few spears we pinched off them so far.. We did have some purple asparagus but it unfortunatly turned out to be an unknown green variety.. Got to love Ebay sellers :/ I think they are much of a muchness but it would be interesting to test a few varieties side by side to see what they taste like.. Cheers, Rob..
I was catching this video because I need to plant out some asparagus that were planted from seed in a small container, so they need to get in the ground soon, your roots and crowns were crazy. I suppose planting in summer is okay as long as they won't be in direct sun?
+The Abled Gardener Hi Kim & sorry for missing your comment. Catching up on a lot I missed today :-/ They can take a fair amount of sun but it might help if you shade them until they get established. Have you planted them out yet? Hope all's well with you & yours. Rob.
+RobBobs Backyard Farming No, I haven't planted them out yet, but I'll find a good spot with a little shade. I have just had too much to do and too little good days to get it all done. I'm sure you understand about having a lot to do! Take care and don't overdo, Kim
Hi Michael :) Are they little red balls like these goo.gl/mvVbdL If so they will be the seed berries.. Not edible at all but you can collect seeds from them.. Not all plants will have them as you get male & female plants.. They do spread out & will also self seed in the bed via the seed pods as we have found out.. Hope that helps some & answers your question :) Cheers, Rob :)
Neat, Funny I love to learn about other regions now in my 50's but in School I always questioned WHY DO I NEED TO KNOW THAT?? Now I know lol Thanks, I will have to visit that website. Once they build the bridge I'll come for a visit! LOL I hate flying! Maybe a tour ship that doesn't catch fire or hit a reef or iceberg...okay I'm asking too much Thanks again Tim
+Rob Bob's Backyard Farming, Rob I planted asparagus for the first time this year. I used crowns I know that you don't want to harvest any for at least 2 years. I have a question that maybe you can answer. The asparagus is growing tall and falling over some flowered. My question is at what point should I cut what has flowered? Or should I just let it grow until they get brown and dry like yours looked? Thanks in advance Cheers Brent
+Cajun Aquaponics Hey Brent. I let ours keep growing & only trim back the bits that get in the way. I'll be moving these plants out at some point to plant them into the ground (I'm a glutton for punishment 😉). Will be making sure that they have more than enough room to fall over & not cause a problem wherever they end up. I do cut them right back when they start to die off. Cheers mate.
I am going to plant out some seeds for starting an asparagus patch, how long would that take before you can start eating them? I have purchased some crowns in the past, but no luck with them, nothing came of them, gggrr! So thought I'd try seeds.
Take a few years to get seedlings up to harvest stage PJ D so that's why most folks will go for the crowns. Are you growing them in containers of the ground?
I will start the seeds out in pots/tray first, then make the raised bed and plant them in their spot to grow. I don't mind if it takes a few years for them to be ready to pick.
They're called IBC or Intermediate Bulk Containers Graham & can be found relatively cheap on sites like Craigslist & Gumtree second hand. 👍 This clip shows you how I set them up. ua-cam.com/video/vAFyB35yVeA/v-deo.html Cheers.
Nice one 👍 I think the plants in one of the beds from this clip may of been damaged by some curl grubs I found in there a while back. :/ Still need to try & treat the soil.
hello... you mention the purple sweet potato plants i have tried to find these with no success.. i live in northern nsw... can you advise where i might find them please?
Green Harvest up near Maleny in QLD sells them at the start of the season Christina. greenharvest.com.au/Plants/AlphabeticalS.html#SweetPotato Sorry it took so long to see your question.
Thankyou! we constructed a bed for the asparagus today.. now we know how to plant it.Thanks again for your straighforward no nonsence approach
Hi Wendy..
Is great to hear & hope the plants grow well for you there :) Ours are still sending up spears & it's the start of Winter here.. I think we'll be having a mild one this year..
Thanks & have a great one,
Rob..
I have to tell you that I really like your clips. Unfortunately some other videos rarely cover my questions, and you seem to get right to the point that I'm looking for, and I really appreciate that.
Hi Alison & Thanks.
I'm glad the clips have helped in some way.
Sorry you comment slipped by when you posted it.
Cheers & all the best.
Rob.
GRAT VIDEO… to the point!
I just got seven asparagus plants and I planted them wrong… upside down. So hubby was nice enough to redo for me. I’m beat for today!
That's a very clever idea using mounds to distribute the root mass, I've never seen that before; thanks for sharing!
Makes life easier & the plants look to have taken off well..
Cheers Jeremy..
Thank you for your information. I got 60 3 year Asparagus Roots from Andys Asparagus Acres. And planted just like you said and I am picking Asparagus every day. Thank you
Nice one Jillian. 👍👍
Hope they continue to grow well for you.
Cheers & happy growing. 🌱🌱
Thanks for that Tracy.. We are yet to have a decent enough harvest to have surplus yet... Will be another year before we get a decent harvest...
Hope your having a great harvest of them at the moment :)
We bought our original lot from a local hardware store & have bred them up over the past 4 or so years so we can load them into all the garden beds as they get built now.. That way they can do the bulk of the fertilising for us..
Bought a dozen bags of manure to feed all them in the beds then did a number on my back.. The boss said they will have to wait for a week or so before they all get fed :/
Thanks & have a great one :)
Haven't tried growing from seed here.. Was lucky enough to have been given the crowns for this bed but will grow any new plants we need from seed.. All the best for the new plants, hope they grow quickly for you..
Cheers..
Rob
I waited for our large ones to die back as much as they would PJ & then went for it as that's what most books & sites recommended.. It also worked out that the beds needed to be moved now in mid winter.. You could try a few green ones now & just see how they go then transplant some that have died back later.. Probably best to move smaller green plants as they might not require as much energy to rebound..
Hope that helps some..
With all the wonderful prepping you did, you will surely have great results. I can't wait to see how they look by next year.
Thank you! I've never planted asparagus crowns and when I got them in the mail I thought, "WHAT IS THIS???" I had no idea what to do and this video explained it perfectly! Love you RobBob :)
Hi there CleanMax..
Am glad the clip helped you out some & hope you get a bumper crop from them in a year or 2 time as well.. They do look rather alien like the first time you see them ;-)
Cheers & all the best,
Rob.
Great video. I just received 5-6 crowns and you really helped me get the planting off to a great start.
Cheers from Los Angeles!
+rojo8401
Nice one 👍
Hope they grow well for you.
Thank you. Good video. I am planting 50 crowns today, although not in a raised bed so your video was useful. ~Nancy
+Nancy Burridge
Hi Nancy.
50 crowns is a lot of plants. Are you planing to sell spears as well?
Hope they grow well for you.
Have a great one.
Think I will wait for next season with this lot Dale.. The other 6 I planted out might be OK to pick one or two from, shall just wait & see how they go first..
Have a good one Sir..
We are in the Subtropics here Mary Ann so we are lucky enough to have mild winters.. I don't think it gets cool enough here for asparagus to go into full die back.. Last night we had a low of 10°C/50°F & are expecting a high of 21°C/69.8°F today.. Can't really complain as we get a 12 month growing season..
Have a good one :)
oh wow Rob such beautiful asparagus crowns you have there. I am about to go out and replant my asparagus bed, I wish I had as many nice big beautiful crowns as you do there brother. Good job gardening. Green blessings to you. Thnx for sharing.
Sorry I missed this Hope yours are doing well for you or do well if it's still winter there. 😉
Cheers & happy growing
Rob
I'm planting my first crowns today, late in the season. Thank you for the video!
How did they go for you House Wren? Sorry it took so long to get to your comment.
Cheers.
They are very happy out there Brock... All the plants have thrown up more spears... You would think it's spring by the way they are growing..
Cheers Sir..
Hope it comes in handy Dale.. Should be in updates sooner rather than later the way they are shooting already..
Sorry about before, couldn't help myself :)
Have a great one sir..
I have a bunch of crowns that I bought in spring and never planted. They are probably too dry to make it but I plan on planting them out anyway. Nothing to loose but time now!
Chuck
Only 1 if you buy advanced crowns ;)
Sitting here with a jumper on in a chilly 14°C/57°F unheated house at the moment.. Somehow I think your 3 feet of snow might trump that though :D
So far we have had a mild one, last night was 10°C/50°F & are expecting a high of 21°C/69.8°F today so really can't complain about being cold at all here.. The kids do as they have always lived here & have no idea really.. We probably only get ice on the car windows 3 times a year here..
Have a good one..
Rob
"For those of you who dont know what eight is I will now count to it." Great video!
Thanks! 😃
Thanks for the great ideas. I have 20 crowns to plant this weekend from a nursery.
+Michele Jeppson Hartranft
Nice one Michele 👍 Hope they grow well for you there.
Rob.
Rob Bob's Backyard Farming Thanks, me too. I filmed a video of the process. I will share the link with you when I get it put together!
Terrific and visually informative video, thanks mate.
No problem 👍
I'm taking it easy just watching you do all the hard work :D I've planted 10 crowns this spring and they all came out too (me making the happy dance)! I freeze mine too but I don't blanch them anymore...I tried both methods and I prefer this one, just wash, dry, cut and in the bag they go. I find the blanched one become too mushy for my liking, I like my veggies al dente :)
Most parts of Australia can grow all year round.. If you go to gardenateDOTcom & select cool/mountain Australia that will give you some idea of what our coolest zones can grow over winter.. It only snows in a few small areas here in Australia so I think that helps a lot.. Here in the Subtropics we get to plant a wide selection of veggies all year round but only have a short season for most of the brassica crops we love..
Yes - I cleaned them diced them into pieces around 2-3 cm long, blanched them for around 1.5-2.5 minutes. Then into a cold bath, and to air dry for about 2 hours, then I vacuum pack & freeze them into smaller bags that way I can cut open a bag & throw them into stews, soups, stir fry's, or etc... no need to thaw them
Thanks for that Tracy..
I dare say it will come in handy...
Craving a asparagus & veggie stir fry with halloumi cheese now :/
Have a good one..
You never know chuck, they might take off fine & like you said, there's nothing to lose..
:)
Have a good one..
Thank you Rob its best explanation and loved your tutorial video...
Well that was great, I learned much and ended with a great laugh. Hat off to you! xoxo
Sweet... Hope they grow well for you..
Cheers & have fun in the patch :)
Excellent video and very informative, I am transplanting 4 of the shoot clusters I separated from one plant that was almost 2 years old, they seem to doing quite well and are sending out new green shots , I am putting them in the same kind of bins you are using, I made them from used water storage totes, I plan on uploading a video of harvesting some of the shoots, it shouldn't take long, they seem to grow quite well in the California climate here.
Hi there.. I've managed to keep harvesting ours all summer long here.. Have also been experimenting with forcing another flush of spears seeing as we have a long summer & mild winter.. Hope to have a clip posted on it in the next few days..
Cheers & have a great one
RobBobs Backyard Farming Thanks a lot, The ones I planted are really growing well, the root clumps were very small only about the size of a golf ball when I first separated them, but they are growing green shoots now, I had to move them around so I planted them temporarily in 5 Gallon pots before I put them in the large tote,the spears are getting close to 1/8" in diameter. I just planted some watermelon seeds for some giant and Heirloom water melons they just popped up, I'll have to upload a video when they get growing,
meggamanic Nice... Let me know when you do & I'll have a look..
Cheers..
I got the ones I planted out in the clip as 150mm seedlings 8 months ago so I think they are about 10 or so months from seed.. I missed adding that to the clip so snuck it in on an annotation :/
They will be well fed in there so not really worried about overcrowding :)
Cheers sir..
It takes a while from seed so might pay you to look for some bare rooted crowns..
Good luck with them & look forward t the clip :)
Have a great one..
wow I love the mound idea Rob and they seemed to take to it!
Not sure on that one.. The roots were very invasive with 2 crowns taking up a nearly all a 100L/25gal barrel..
They are also not keen on having their "feet" wet either from what I have read & been told..
Then again, I have been told you can't grow sweet potato in the aquaponics for the same reason & ours looks to be doing OK ;)
(For now anyway)
Cheers & have a great one :)
Well mid summer here so they were done 3 moths ago - but got to freeze a lot of them!!
Shall nip one off & have a taste as I have never tried a raw spear, thanks..
We see the barrels in rural feed stores & recycling yards/centers a fair bit.. We like buying them from the feed stores as they normally only sell barrels that have held food stuffs & we know any residue shouldn't interfere with the plants..
Hope you have some joy in finding some..
Have a great one :)
Awesome amount of information Rob! Much appreciated! Can't wait to see updates.
We have a lot of aspargus also last count about 150 crowns (raised beds also) - I to pickle them & can them. great to put on a hot dog or burger. Well to be honest good just to snack on....
Very cool I am hoping to plant some next year
There is a link in the clip to the Wetpot/olla clip.. Just need to click on the small clip when it pops up on the screen at 2:59 .. Can you let me know if it doesn't work for you please? Some times they don't work as intended..
Thanks..
Hope it comes in handy for you Brenda :)
Seriously thinking about putting the phone in a plastic bag when I garden now :/
Have a great one :)
Great video, fun and informative! Subscribed. I am planning to start cultivating asparagus since this summer, so your video was a great help and very inspiring. Thank you.
Hi there..
Am glad you liked the clip.. Hope to have another clip posted on the asparagus this weekend.. May not be helpful to all but you might find it interesting..
Cheers..
That was great. Thanks :-) I love your text boxes.
I bought one crown at Growmasters but, after seeing this, I think there are 5 or six in the lump.
Where are you located?
Hi there & am glad you enjoyed the clip.
We're based in SE Queensland Australia. Nice & warm here even in our winters.
Hope your plants do well for you.
Cheers.
I think they should do well too Paula.. Will be feeding them with manure & liquid fertilisers during the year as well so am hoping for a great crop :)
Have a great one :)
hi Bob, its very intersting, i try this year plantin asparragus from seeds I hope create that crowns, for the next year, plantign the crowns (we call claws).
Just a quick question. Do you think that it would be ok to take a slice of root from a plant that is active now.
Thanks for sharing
Cheers 👍👍
loved to have one
do you have a video on the ollas you show in this one? or a link to your source would be nice. thanks for another easy to hear/understand/follow video.
Think the new position might of tricked them into thinking it's spring John.. Shall be interesting to if they can keep up the momentum through to spring..
Nice roots
Cheers.
Thank you very much. Very great video.
No problem Mark.
Have a great one mate.
So that's how you you plant them your soils alive mate good stuff mate
:D Just a tad late then..
How do they go once frozen ? Do you blanch them first ?
:D
You would be more than welcome to stop by for a coffee & a chat...
I really like you raised beds for the asparagus how are those made and are they filled with dirt to the bottom. I deal with an over abundant weed population and my surface asparagus bed and I need to find a way to grow them weed free. I know that the weeds take the nutrients from the soil that the plants need and I have not wanted to replant until I could get around this problem.
+Fran Wendland
Hi Fran. These beds are actually self watering wicking beds. I find they save us a lot of water & time as they only need to be filled once a week. You can see how they're mad in the link below if that helps.
ua-cam.com/video/vAFyB35yVeA/v-deo.html
I've found that mulching also helps to keep weeds at bay.
Have a great one,
Rob.
Very helpful, cheers dude.
No Problem Dr Slosh.
Cheers.
Has got a few worms in there.. Challenge is to keep them all fed & happy methinks..
Cheers sir..
:-) Thanks
So at any point does it really dip down that you could not grow crops year round? 10 degrees C is like a normal temp for me. Just wondering and understanding your seasons. It's like snow in California...Northern California but 90's in Los Angeles...except for the earthquakes it's a nice place temperature wise.
Advanced crowns oooohhhhhh I understand now
Thanks
Tim
That would be a dream for me compared to my 16 week season!
wow only a week and they were producing lol. Cool thanks!
+Lehua Lani
They did get a bit of a head start Lehua ;-) Was painful to leave them for another year without harvesting any.
Cheers & all the best.
Will you harvest anything from them this year or wait until next year.
I planted 8 bulbs in the spring, 2 in my aquaponics bed and 6 in soil . They all grew with the aquaponics pair performing better. Admittedly I didn't do anything special to the soil plants except water with fish water. Was thinking of moving the potted plants into the GH for the winter. Should I let them go dormant or let them grow? I know you're learning as you go too but what do you think?
Hi again :)
If it gets cold enough they'll probably go dormant all by themselves Jeff.. I have read that in warmer parts of the world they withhold water from the plants to help them go dormant if that's any help mate..
Hope that helps some mate..
Cheers..
You said it is winter where you are so I was wondering if is it typical for Asparagus to grow in winter? Where I am in the US Asparagus grows in the early spring.
Wow great results! What variety did your friend Tammy give you, can you remember??
Hi Amanda. Am fairly sure they were Mary Washington. 👍
Cheers & have a top one.
:D moving the bed nearly broke my back, suppose I should of emptied it first :/
Thanks for the tip... I hope we get enough to try a few different ways.. Have a great one Elsye :)
Hey Rob, I have a Q for ya? I have some old established plants growing in my back yard, is the right time to transplant them when the green ferny growth is dried out, or can they be moved sooner? They just come up very year, I have been saying for years I'll do something with those? Well this maybe the year? TIA.
well done Rob, best explanation.
i have an asparagus plant, someone told me it takes up to 2 years before you see the spears, is this correct.
we just moved home and i dug up the plant and looking at it i was about to turf it, but....
if i split up the 5 crowns on this plant and re plant the same way as you did, how long before you see spears and how long before you harvest o rknow when to harvest a spear
Paul Blair Hi Paul. Sorry for the slow reply mate.
They will start to produce spears in the first year but they are very small, almost feather like. Best rule of thumb to follow is that they are right to harvest in the 2nd - 3rd year (depending on climate) when the spears are larger than a pencil in thickness.
Once the new spears decrease in size to less than the thickness of a pencil you leave them be so the crown can replenish its nutrients for the next seasons crop.
You should see a few thin spears in the first season but I would probably leave it until the next before picking from it. That way the crown would of put on a bit of extra size & hopefully provide you with much better spears.
Hope that helps you out some & the crowns grow well for you mate. Much better starting from advanced crowns that seedlings I think ;-)
Cheers Paul.
thanks for sharing, I live in Canada.and our winter are freezing. i'd like too plant Asparagas in raised beds. aprox 4 ft wide and three feet high. do you think the roots would freeze or would panting them in ground better .jus wondering never grew Asparagas before. any idea's?
Hi John... Haven't had any experience with cold cold climate growing sorry.. I do think that the roots would be better protected over winter if they were planted in the ground & well mulched..
Hope that helps some..
***** is on an island on the East coast of Canada & grows asparagus.. You might pick up some tips from his clips that could help you out some..
ua-cam.com/video/oV6uxiy3Rhc/v-deo.html
Hope that helps & have a great one..
RobBobs Backyard Farming john banks The only thing that would concern me is the height of the raised bed. Mine are all in raised beds but only 10 inches high so they get buried under a lot of snow, which of course is a great insulator. I don't mulch them other than adding fresh compost and they come through the winter fine. Actually I have two more varieties ordered for this spring.
have you tried to grow the asparagus in your aquaponic system. I am ting that now and wanted to know if u had any tips.
+Erik Johnson
I haven't Erik but have thought about it. I have heard that others have tried it but never seen the results.
Cheers mate.
+Rob Bob's Backyard Farming Erik - Please let me know if it worked. We have an aquaponics setup and would love to add the asparagus.
That aspargus popped up quick. I dont think mine will pop through for a little while yet.
Some day I might have to try them, but I am one not wanting to wait a few years for something LOL
Nice Video
Okay living in upstate New York (US) you and I have differences in what we call "Winter!" Mine is 3 feet or more of snow, below zero temp's and heavy clothing. Yours is t-shirt weather! I think I'll have to move soon! :-)
I learned a lot by watching your video and have one plant growing in my flower bed at the moment. I believe what you're saying is that they should really have their own space. If that's true I do have a boxed raised bed that I was using for veggies that I would consider using but I'm concerned about the depth - it's only 8" deep. Is that adequate? Finally when should I cut the ferns off and how much should I leave above ground? Thank you.
+MaryCatherine Adams
Hi Mary Catherine.
If the bed is on top of the soil it should be fine as the roots will find their own way. If it's a 8" high sealed bottom bed it may not do so well.
I have left out ferns on some years here after they die off but tend to cut them back now. Just makes it a lot easier to feed the bed up with compost & mulch. If you are going to trim them back probably best to wait until they're dead. I cut ours between 2 & 4" hight so I can see where the crowns are later.
Hope that helped you pout some.
Cheers.
Oh gosh - I didn't expect such a fast reply, thank you. The boxed, raised bed had a porous liner on the bottom - not sealed. You're saying to wait until the ferns look dead before doing anything? I'm going to try to follow your tip of washing and spreading the roots out when I move it. I'm not sure how many plants I have - I suspect just one. If this works I might be tempted to buy some more plants, I hear raising them from seed is next to impossible albeit I do have seed pods on this plant. Yes that was a lot of help in a hurry. I hope mine turn out as well as yours. Now I just have to find a place to buy some horse manure, LOL. Thank you for all the help.
Mary
+MaryCatherine Adams
I've had a load of volunteers pop up under our plants & have started some off from seed for others with no problems. It's just the extra time it takes to raise them from seed so I think that's why it puts a lot of folks off.
Thank you - I'll try to let you know how it goes.
I have acquired an IBC, What is a good way to clean them out?
Also what should you look for a safe one, meaning chemicals....?
I like to get IBC that have been used by the food industry with acid used in soft drink/soda pop production being very easy to hose out.
One way to find the best way to clean them out is to look up the MSDS/SDS sheet ( Material Safety Data Sheet or Safety Data Sheet) for the chemical stored in the IBC & follow the recommendations it give for clean up.
Hope that helps some & happy growing. .
Thanks Rob, I shall look that up.
Hello there, this is the second year that i have planted the asparagus seeds. After i covered them with the winter bed (sheep manure), some of them didn't grow spears. Is this because i put a lot of winter bed above them or because the high temperatures in Cyprus came very early this year? ( end of Feb until now eg 25 to 29 degrees Celsius),and as a result they died out.The following year will be the harvest season finally. Some of them are very thick but others are as thin as a pen. In the harvest period, will i cut all of them or will i leave the thin ones behind? As far as i know, the first harvest period lasts 1 week approx. If some of them continue to grow thick spears, can i extend the harvest season just for those thick ones? And if i continue, when do i stop? Perhaps when those also become thin?
nice one! gotta try it.
What would happen if I planted the really late winter or early spring? If I can't plant it in during winter could I keep it in a pot until I am able to plant the crowns?
Hi there +TheOmegaLeaf .
It would be fine to plant them out in spring & they'd have more than enough time to establish themselves before the next winter. The seeds are normally sown in spring so you should be fine.
Sorry it took a while to get back to you.
Have a great one,
Rob.
Strange thing, I do not like the cooked asparagus but I love I it raw. It taste like peas to me and it looses it when it is cooked. Try one raw as a small shout. As usual I am still at war with my nematodes and I like your containers. I can't find them over here but I know they have them here but finding them use is a problem. Best of luck from south Florida!
hey there!
i just got a few crowns but i don't know when to plant them, fall winter spring?
i live in the middle east so the winter here is not that harsh, it gets down to 5 degrees Celsius at minimum..
thanks!!
Hi there Alex.. If they are bear rooted it would probably be best to plant it out now.. You might be able to plant it out any time but Summer with the warm temperature you get there.. Whereabouts in the Middle East are you?
Cheers
Rob..
have you any idea about to how to grow horsea radish? greatings from mexico
Hello again, i've contacted you once more and i bombarded you with questions all in one paragraph, and you were very helpful and i greatly appreciate it. I would like to specify something you explained before. You said that the winter season is best to spread out the asparagus. Which months in particular are the best months to spread them out? In the beginning of the winter (december) , or in the end of february when the spears start to show?? Due to our climate in Cyprus, 27 degrees centigrade still, the spears are still showing and they are very green.
Hey there..
It's dependant on your climate really.. For us the plant only dies off for a few weeks in winter so that's when I moved them..
I would wait until the plant stops producing new growth & the existing ferns look to be starting to die off before moving them.. If they don't die back completely just wait until they look to be slowing down..
Hope that helps some..
When is the best time to divide my asparagus plants they are three years old but from the videos I saw they are way to close and they are a lot of fren but only three spares so I was just wondering when I should move them farther apart
Krista Borden If you are going to divide them it;'s best to do it when they die back for winter. Might pay to give them a year to re establish themselves before you start to harvest them again too.
They also might just need a good feed to encourage larger growth. I have noticed ours respond very quickly to a few doses of compost tea.
Hope that helps some Krista,
Rob.
Hi loved your tutorial video, I have but one question where do you get those big planter containers and how much do they cost?
Evening Deb :)
The are known as IBCs (intermediate bulk container).. We use them to make self watering garden beds like these Self watering Wicking bed, IBC beds with a few modifications..
WE also use them in the aquaponic as fish tanks & grow beds..
We have found them for sale on gumtree & know folks that get theirs from Craigslist.. Whereabouts are you located? If you happen to be here in SE Queensland I can put you onto the chap we buy from if your interested..
Rob..
Hi Rob, Im in Victoria SE, Berwick
Hey Deb Sturm.. Gumtree might be the way to go.. Australian aquaponic forums like Backyard Aquaponics also list suppliers in threads.. www.backyardaquaponics.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=35&sid=6e5d717727825f079c6e3a2aba177e02
Hope that helps some...
es buena informacion y queda claro como cultivar sparragus saludos desde Cd Juarez Chih, vk rifa
ivan zapata
Hope it helps you out some Ivan.
Cheers mate.
Very helpful and clear info Thanks! This is my very first time planting espárragos, so... thanks. :)
Hi there, i planted seeds in small pots and as soon as they grew spears 10-15 cm high, i planted them out in my garden. After i planted them out one year has gone by. They seem successful with a lot of spears. The problem now is that i planted them too close to each other, approximately 10-15 cm apart. Is there any chance that this will affect them in their growth? If yes, is it wise to replant them further away from each other? And if it is better to replant them, when is the right season for this? Furthermore, if i pick them, and some of the roots will be damaged, could this destroy the plant in whole?? That's a lot of questions i know, but i would greatly appreciate it if you could help me out. Lots of regards from Cyprus.
Hi there..
I think the plants could benefit from being spread out a bit more.. Ours were cramped in the barrels they were in but are doing much better now..
I think the winter season is best as the plants are dormant & you wont be disturbing the ferns as much..
I wouldn't worry about damaging the roots too much.. I was fairy hard on ours trimming them back very hard & thy have all pulled through just fine..
Hope that helps you out some & they grow well in their new spot..
Cheers
you can come here to Utah? and help me get my yard in shape? lol.. I wish .. not sure where to start.. like which direction to run my garden, in straight middle or to one side? or how to get the irrigation ditch at the back of my yard to the rest of my yard? and where to put my chicken run?
Hi there..
Sounds like you have a bit of planing to do there ;)
Do you have a local extension office that might be able to help you out? This link might help you see if you do..
www.pickyourown.org/PYO.php?URL=http%3A%2F%2Fextension.usu.edu/htm/counties
From what others have said they can be a great helping hand when it comes to all things gardening..
Hope that helps some,
Rob.
Rob Bob what is a great tasting asparagus to plant? or are they all pretty much the same?
Sorry there HK diamond Diam, missed your post...
We are growing Mary Washington here & find them great from the few spears we pinched off them so far.. We did have some purple asparagus but it unfortunatly turned out to be an unknown green variety.. Got to love Ebay sellers :/
I think they are much of a muchness but it would be interesting to test a few varieties side by side to see what they taste like..
Cheers,
Rob..
LOL NP. I thought it was funny! The info will come in very handy!
Just for curiosity, did you buy your composting worms from an online source, or grab them from the backyard? Great video Rob.
I was catching this video because I need to plant out some asparagus that were planted from seed in a small container, so they need to get in the ground soon, your roots and crowns were crazy. I suppose planting in summer is okay as long as they won't be in direct sun?
+The Abled Gardener Hi Kim & sorry for missing your comment. Catching up on a lot I missed today :-/
They can take a fair amount of sun but it might help if you shade them until they get established. Have you planted them out yet?
Hope all's well with you & yours.
Rob.
+RobBobs Backyard Farming No, I haven't planted them out yet, but I'll find a good spot with a little shade. I have just had too much to do and too little good days to get it all done. I'm sure you understand about having a lot to do! Take care and don't overdo, Kim
what are the little balls on my asparagus plant and do they spread and fill in the bed
Hi Michael :)
Are they little red balls like these goo.gl/mvVbdL
If so they will be the seed berries.. Not edible at all but you can collect seeds from them.. Not all plants will have them as you get male & female plants..
They do spread out & will also self seed in the bed via the seed pods as we have found out..
Hope that helps some & answers your question :)
Cheers,
Rob :)
Neat, Funny I love to learn about other regions now in my 50's but in School I always questioned WHY DO I NEED TO KNOW THAT?? Now I know lol
Thanks, I will have to visit that website. Once they build the bridge I'll come for a visit! LOL I hate flying! Maybe a tour ship that doesn't catch fire or hit a reef or iceberg...okay I'm asking too much
Thanks again
Tim
+Rob Bob's Backyard Farming, Rob I planted asparagus for the first time this year. I used crowns I know that you don't want to harvest any for at least 2 years. I have a question that maybe you can answer. The asparagus is growing tall and falling over some flowered. My question is at what point should I cut what has flowered? Or should I just let it grow until they get brown and dry like yours looked? Thanks in advance Cheers Brent
+Cajun Aquaponics
Hey Brent.
I let ours keep growing & only trim back the bits that get in the way. I'll be moving these plants out at some point to plant them into the ground (I'm a glutton for punishment 😉). Will be making sure that they have more than enough room to fall over & not cause a problem wherever they end up. I do cut them right back when they start to die off.
Cheers mate.
I am going to plant out some seeds for starting an asparagus patch, how long would that take before you can start eating them?
I have purchased some crowns in the past, but no luck with them, nothing came of them, gggrr! So thought I'd try seeds.
Take a few years to get seedlings up to harvest stage PJ D so that's why most folks will go for the crowns. Are you growing them in containers of the ground?
I will start the seeds out in pots/tray first, then make the raised bed and plant them in their spot to grow. I don't mind if it takes a few years for them to be ready to pick.
I'd love to know what those big containers you have are called! Very interested in buying one myself.
They're called IBC or Intermediate Bulk Containers Graham & can be found relatively cheap on sites like Craigslist & Gumtree second hand. 👍
This clip shows you how I set them up.
ua-cam.com/video/vAFyB35yVeA/v-deo.html
Cheers.
good video my man
Thanks Saul..
Cheers & take it easy mate,
Rob..
great video thanks!!!
No problem & hope it helped you out.
Cheers & have a great one.
+Rob Bob's Backyard Farming actually yes I'm growing in containers and it's going real good!!! :)
Nice one 👍 I think the plants in one of the beds from this clip may of been damaged by some curl grubs I found in there a while back. :/ Still need to try & treat the soil.
hello... you mention the purple sweet potato plants i have tried to find these with no success.. i live in northern nsw... can you advise where i might find them please?
Green Harvest up near Maleny in QLD sells them at the start of the season Christina.
greenharvest.com.au/Plants/AlphabeticalS.html#SweetPotato
Sorry it took so long to see your question.