Amaryllis Belladonna Dosen’t Bloom & Harvesting Asparagus

Question:

  • The foliage appears on my naked ladies in late October, but there are no flowers. Why don't they bloom as I see them blooming elsewhere? I have them in several areas, so it isn't the type of sun they are getting. Please help my very naked ladies. Sorry, I can't remember their proper name.

Answer:

  • The botanical name for the naked ladies is Amaryllis Belladonna.
  • Native to South Africa,   Amaryllis Belladonna are  dormant in the spring and early summer. You should see flower spikes in August, with the foliage forming after the flowers have faded.
  • They bloom the best in those areas where they get full sun and are neglected; that means little to no water and fertilizer are just fine with them during the spring and summer.
  • I think your problem is they’re staying too wet.  Unfortunately, you may not be able to fix this if the other plants near them require frequent watering.
    • Also.  transplanting isn’t an option as they’ll stop blooming if the bulbs are disturbed.
  •  So, without more information I would better answer.

Question:

Two years ago, we planted asparagus roots. This coming spring, we anticipate harvesting a crop of spears. Each year, the asparagus has grown into wonderful fern-like plants. I understood that the fern growth was supposed to turn brown and die off; however, ours stayed green in winter and early spring. Should we clip this growth back even if it's still green? How would we go about harvesting the asparagus?

Answer:

  • Fresh asparagus has become one of the more popular vegetables. They are expensive to buy but very easy to grow.
  • Asparagus roots will be productive for the next ten years plus, unlike other vegetables that must be replanted frequently. Because of this you should place them at the back of your vegetable garden.
  • After the third growing season, you harvest asparagus for a good month.
  • Early in the season, the shoots may require cutting every third day, but as the temperatures warm up, it may be necessary to harvest twice a day.
  • By mid-November, I would cut the previous year's growth off at the ground whether it is turned brown or not.
    • Fertilizing with organic vegetable food at one to three pounds per 50 linear feet in January and again after the harvesting season will encourage heavy growth and thick spears.
  •  Asparagus is harvested by cutting or snapping off the spears as close to the soil as possible when the spears are six to eight inches long.
    • Snapping or bending the spear over until it breaks avoids injury to the shoot below the ground.
    • You can also use an asparagus knife. For blanched asparagus, you will need to mound up the area.
  •  You cut the asparagus when the spear's tip is visible in the soil. The loose mounded soil will make it easy to cut nice long spears.
  • I would use potting soil, home compost, and/or other organic matter to raise the height by 6-8 inches.

NOTE: two-year-old asparagus roots are now available at your favorite garden center in January.