If you are thinking about growing asparagus, early spring is the time to do it. I was at my local nursery yesterday and spotted asparagus crowns selling for $1.99 each. They are a little pricey up front, but asparagus season lasts 6- 8 weeks and a well maintained asparagus bed can last up to 20 years.
Brief description: Asparagus perennial spring vegetable and is typically harvested between March and June taking 3 to 4 years to produce once you’ve planted the crowns.
Where to Plant Asparagus: Asparagus prefers full sun and can be grown practically anywhere. It does best in light soil with good drainage.
How to Plant Asparagus:
- Dig a trench 12″ wide by 6″ deep
- Mound soil in the center of the trench and place crowns on top
- Space crowns 12″- 18″ apart, in rows 4′ apart
- Back fill trench with soil, covering crowns with 2″ of soil
- Add soil every once in a while until the soil is slightly mounded around the base of the plant.
How to Harvest: Asparagus can be harvested for 6 to 8 weeks during spring. To harvest snap the asparagus when it reaches about 8 to 10 inches above the soil line {before the buds have opened}.
Once the asparagus starts to slow down and is not producing as well, stop harvesting.
Are you ready to start your garden but you’re not sure when you should plant your seeds or set out your transplants? Head on over HERE and you’ll be taken to a handy dandy chart that is broken down into what vegetables should be planted {or transplanted} each month in your area.
Anyone can do this. Dirt + Seeds+ Water = Food!
~Mavis
Here are a few of my favorite asparagus recipes
Asparagus with Balsamic-Butter Sauce
Grilled Asparagus With Pine Nuts
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Tanya says
What’s with the picture of Fiddlehead ferns in the middle? Although those are yummy too!!
Village Brat says
I was wondering too?
Mavis says
Ha! I was working on two things at once. Thanks for catching that. 🙂 I just removed the picture. Must.Get.More.Sleep.
Brandy says
Tanya said word for word what I was going to ask!
Amanda says
Me too!
jennifer brown says
that middle pic threw me off as well…This will be year #3 for my asparagus plants so hoping for a yummy reward 🙂
Beth says
I sure did a double take….But those fiddleheads look yummy none the less. =)
Marg Tuinstra says
Ditto
Laura Arnett says
So the “snail-shaped” greens are fiddleheads?
Amanda says
Great info, but what about in the fall? Do we just leave the plant to fern out and then leave them be until the spring. In other words, harvest and then don’t touch the bed again??
Mavis says
Yes! 🙂 The asparagus plant needs is good for harvesting for about 6- 8 weeks then it needs to rest up for the next years growing season.
Amanda says
And can asparagus be canned or stored at all for winter? I wouldn’t think it would freeze well? But canning……….?
Dawn K. Thomson says
Amanda, yes asparagus can be canned. My mom did a lot of canning when I was growing up. Although I didn’t like asparagus until I was an adult. LOL.
Granny Miller says
Mavis –
There’s a much easier way to plant asparagus 🙂 For 100′ row:
Dig a trench
Sprinkle 1 lb. of 0-46-0 (triple superphosphate) in ditch
Toss in crowns any which way 12″ apart
Fill the trench back in with dirt.Rake level.
That’s it. The 0-46-0 will not burn the crowns and should ONLY be applied at planting
Margaret says
Hi…I planted asparagus this spring and they are beginning to lean way over. Should I just leave them alone or stake them up?
Also, in late fall should they be covered like in a greenhouse. They are now in a raised bed and can be covered for winter with plastic sheeting. Thanks for information.
Margaret
Daniel says
Just curious Margaret, when you planted them did you spread or open the roots out before setting them in the ground? Personally, I prefer to do this kind of work in a rather large bucket of water. Root systems bend easier when negotiating established systems. If you can put a shovel under the plant without cutting the roots, there is no harm in rinsing some of the dirt off (all is fine just keep in mind you are going to immediately plunk this into your bucket) while you prepare the roots, and your new site. Once you’ve reconditioned where its going to go in the ground, time to get muddy! During this time your asparagus is hydroponic and as a general rule of hydroponics, water needs to be oxygenated or cycled so roots don’t rot. Anyway, when the roofs become was to manage, you can spread them out gently in your bucket then plunk it squarely in where you want it to go then loose dirt, plenty of drainage and lots and lots of water to remove air pockets. It takes some time to do all this so I hope this helps! Also that’s just what comes to mind when thinking of why would a plant be growing sideways? Alternately, you can put an airline hose into your bucket and a tiny air pump used in aquariums and presto! You have a fully functioning hydroponic system.
D'Nisha says
This may be a dumb question, but what is the “crown” of the asparagus? Is that the top, the tasty part?
Mavis Butterfield says
The asparagus crown is really the “roots.”
Daniel says
I was looking for what asparagus plants looked like fully grown. So I see the intent is to snap them off before the buds have opened and so with regular snapping they will not produce the rest of its fern? For now spacing in a trench looks like a good idea. Could it grow well in the same trench as lettuce?
suzanne says
Has any one ever started this from seed? I don’t have a bed prepped yet but I can nurse along some pots for awhile.