Short term cropping of asparagus

Asparagus is traditionally grown as a long term crop with minimal financial return until the fourth year after planting. The option of harvesting an asparagus crop to its death in the spring of its second season was examined, in two experiments, using techniques that would improve plant growth in the first season and increase spear size. Row covers and plastic mulch plus fertigation improved early growth and yield. The yield improvement was due to an increase in spear number. In the first experiment, moulding increased yield due to an increase in spear size, and the use of large cell transplants to establish the second experiment also increased yield due to an increase in spear size. Of the three cultivars compared UC157 produced the greatest yield. A combination of treatments provided the highest yield. Issues relating to the further development of the system are discussed.