Working WITH Blackberries/Brambles

Denise Cares wrote:

Alan Burnett wrote:This may be anecdotal, but I have some asparagus growing amongst the raspberry canes that seem to do well. Raspberry leaves aren't dense in the spring when Asparagus gets harvested, and when summer hits and the raspberries bear their fruit, the asparagus can grow out and cast some shade, keeping grass from growing amongst the canes. Has anyone tried this combination?

That is an interesting idea. Are they listed anywhere you know of as companion plants?  Which one should be planted first?  I'm thinking the asparagus since they need to go in deep about 6-12 inches with a center mound for the crown.  Then the dirt is filled into the hole as the crown gets established/grows.  After the soil reaches almost ground level then the raspberries can go in as their roots can be more shallow. Is that correct?
Don't asparagus roots spread?  Won't asparagus compete for space/nutrients with the raspberries which do spread and move outward every year?  I'm trying to contain my raspberry patch and planted them in raised boxes. Formerly they were planted in the ground and filled up the walkways and were a big bramble mess hard to harvest.  I had the rows only about 24 inches apart.  So, I want to see if they would stay happy in a confined space. This is the 3rd year since planting them in the box.  I just planted some asparagus in the ground, sort of in a confined space as one side is raised off the ground/drops off and is bordered by metal/concrete and fencing and the other side ends at a rock covered pathway/hardpan.

I think also the raspberries like an acid soil.  Is this also true for asparagus?
Very curious to know how yours get along by the 2nd and 3rd year when asparagus harvest expected to increase.  

Thank you for the analysis, some great questions that I'm by no means qualified to answer. I'll do my best, but please bear in mind I'm just an amateur gardener with a creative impulse.

I've also seen plenty of garden designs where asparagus are completely by themselves in full sun due to their demands. And I've seen mention of Asparagus and Raspberries both being too nutrient-demanding to co-exist.

My thinking is that Raspberry roots tend to stay near the surface, where Asparagus go deep down. Both spread, so maybe their competition will contain each other.

I don't have anywhere that I'm planting raspberries... I HAVE a raspberry patch. A modest size bramble, probably 30 feet by 60 feet. It gives me more raspberries than I can pick, and if I cut down all the canes, they'll grow right back and keep spreading aggressively in all directions.

So my thinking is to plant some asparagus roots deeply between some of the raspberry canes, just along the South side of the raspberry patch, so it will still get full sun. There's plenty of rich black dirt between the canes, and if I have to pull out one to make room, so be it.

If I can get a dynamic accumulator with taproots intermingled, maybe American Basswood, it might be able to provide some mulch to the area to keep nutrients high. And I could keep some vetch or comfrey nearby to chop and throw at the patch at the end of the season to help satisfy the demand.

Ah, I'm problem solving again. Back to your questions... I am not familiar with the way of planting asparagus that you describe. I'm used to placing roots 3 inches deep and mulching when they come up. And I've never planted raspberries, they just exist here.

I did look up the pH demands.. you're correct that Raspberries like acidic soil, and then Asparagus likes slightly alkaline soil. So that's not a great sign.

Being from Oregon originally and trying desperately to cultivate my favorite fruit(blackberries) in the heart of Texas has been an exercise in futility!! Keep enjoying those luscious berries and their wild ways!! I miss them dearly!