Xray,
I haven't done it myself, but someone before me must have at my place. There is a ditch that runs along the highway in front of my house. I noticed every spring the same van would pull off the side of the road in the same spot and a women got out and cut something off plants in the ditch. I walked out there and asked what she was doing. She said she was harvesting asparagus and had been doing it there for years. I think it's a very cool idea.
Barb

okay you have me interested. What's an asparagus seed bomb?

I did sow a whole bunch of sunflowers seeds at the disc golf course the other day. Not sure how many will make it but it would be cool to see some of them make it. Today's rain will definitely give them an edge.

Urban guerilla gardeners in Europe take a ball of manure or compost, put flower seeds in the middle and throw them wherever they see dirt. I think germination % and survivorship for asparagus would be low as they have particular requirements, but going out with a trowel and digging a hole then putting a bomb in would work better IMO.

Dan

I'll have to keep these methods in mind :-)

In grad school we had visiting students from Berlin one year, and they did a presentation one quarter on how guerrilla gardeners in the old East Germany were taking the beautification in their own hands and putting green and flowers absolutely anywhere. There are many, many techniques these GGs use and its a lot of fun to see what they do over there. Not that I'm encouraging spreading non-invasive beautiful plants everywhere to have nice color and interest everywhere, no sir. Not at all. Uh-uh. Nope.

Dan

I guess the question for me is who owns the ditch and even if you could get asparagus to grow do you have permission to walk the ditches and streams to harvest?

The asparagus beds we planted took quite a lot to get the beds going, ie digging, amending the soil and watering.

Not to rain on your parade. Just a gentle reminder that open space is not always free access.

I guess the question for me is who owns the ditch and even if you could get asparagus to grow do you have permission to walk the ditches and streams to harvest?

Thus the term 'guerrilla gardener'.

[/oldish hippie]

Dan

Oh, Dan you are so right, my mistake. The guerrilla gardeners you referenced were only offering seed, not going back to pick the flowers once blooming.

:o)

xray is bringing out the non-conformist in some of us here! Ne'er do well! Instigator!

;o)

Dan

gjcore : From what I understand, encasing the seeds in a clay and compost mix improves the chances of germination while reducing the chance of consumption by rodents and birds

luckybottom : I don't trespass. I'd only do this along public rights-of-way or within public lands with free access. Feral asparagus is commonly found along irrigation ditches and canals - originally planted by farmers to control erosion. I know from personal experience growing up in Prowers county.

Dan : Thanks for the non-words of encouragement :D