Asparagus wishes

A friend's comment got me back onto something I looked into several years ago: dedicating one of our beds to asparagus.

We all love the stuff, even the girls. We're growing more and more of what goes on our table. So what's to stop us? I need more info.

There's plenty of guidance on raising asparagus in colder climates. No, I mean COLD climates, because almost all of this nation is colder than South Louisiana.

I remember my grandmother north of Detroit growing tender, tasty asaparagus from beds that she maintained for decades. Granny's still around but those beds are long gone. Her advice won't apply down here.

I understand that the rules are different for asparagus in the deep South. I know we won't have to plant as deep but I have yet to find answers to other questions about row width and plant spacing.

I scoured the Internet with no luck. I cruised the LSU AgCenter's web site and found plenty of info on pesticides. They're good folks at the AgCenter but mostly nozzle-heads.

I emailed our county agent with questions.

I'm looking forward to planting asaparagus in our garden but also to get friends involved in gardening. They said thet don't know one end of a shovel from the other.

If I can get them started on asparagus, we all know what can follow.