[Tilted Irish Kilt]

ApplegateRanch :" OTOH, just mark which plant produces orange berries; either the plant is male, or it is female.."

Thank you - that is an insightful way to prevent female plants .
I imagine that you would use small stakes in the ground alongside the female plants if you wish to restrict female asparagus seed production .
How far apart are your asparagus plants , without crowding them, and yet allowing them to spread ?

[ApplegateRanch]

16-18" in the rows; nearly 4' between rows.

A short piece of 1/2" PVC pipe for a stake; easier to see, and longer lasting than small wooden stakes.

I also use 4' 'step in' plastic fence posts on both sides of the rows, so I can use nylon building line to give support to the stems against our winds.

[Augie]

How far apart are your asparagus plants , without crowding them, and yet allowing them to spread ?

Two feet between crowns in the row has worked well for me over the years. It looks a terrible waste of space when you're building the bed, but I've never had to dig a bed out to relieve over-crowding.