I once planted an asparagus patch around 20 years ago when I lived on the coastal side of the Santa Monica Mountains. I never got as much as one blessed spear out of that plot. Not one. I suppose I could just give up the concept of growing asparagus entirely, but where there’s a will, there’s a way, eh?
A very knowledgeable extension agent in North Carolina says, “A lot of people get scared of asparagus because they think it’s hard to grow, but it’s not.”
Right.
Done properly and with patience, the requirements for growing asparagus really are very simple. It grows well just about everywhere, except maybe Florida, and once your bed is established, you can count on a tasty crop for a decade or more.
It is one of the tastiest and healthiest vegetables you can have in your garden, packed full of folic acid, fiber and antioxidants.
My research has shown that if you’re considering growing it from seed, forget about it. It’s apparently an insane amount of work. Besides, most of the seed catalogs I’ve gone through this season are selling crowns. That’s what I put in my misbegotten patch all those years ago – crowns. I’m finding that the word “Jersey” is key to choosing a great asparagus variety – Jersey Giant, Jersey Knight, Jersey Prince. I did hear from a fellow down at Main Building that he purchased some that was very specific to our area. There’s even a purple one available.
Asparagus takes a lot of space. They sprawl. Plant your crowns about a foot apart in rows four to five feet apart. Or plant them along a fence. Fungal issues can be a problem. Asparagus is susceptible to rust and Cercospora needle blight. There are products available that are specific for use on asparagus. I’ve also heard that the good, old baking soda and water spray that has been used to battle rose fungi works on asparagus as well.
As far as soil goes, asparagus is, well, a bit finicky and demanding. It likes alkaline soil in full sun. It likes to be planted in warm (50 degrees, at least) ground. And it takes time. You won’t harvest until the second year and then, only lightly. The third year, I’m told, you can go all out and harvest all you want. The crowns need the food supply that first year to build their strength. In your second year, harvest for two weeks only. In that third year, though – look out! As the weather grows warmer, you could easily be harvesting twice a day. You can pretty much watch asparagus grow.
There are two schools of thought on cutting back the ferns in the fall for the winter. Some say it reduces the risk of fungus. Many of those in The Know claim that doesn’t work at all. Allowing the ferns to remain in the beds lowers the soil temperature and reduces the risk of frost damage in the spring, as well as helping to catch snow for additional moisture.
Making The Bed: Now is the time to start getting ready for planting. You really do want those crowns in the ground before mid-April in our area. If you’re not going to plant this year, add preparing for asparagus to your list of chores in the fall to have ready for the following spring. Find your relatively sunny area that is pretty flat and free from weeds. Prepare the soil by adding leaves, grass, rotted manure or other compost to the mix. This is one time where you’re definitely going to have to test your soil for pH. Asparagus likes it best at around 6.5.
Order your crowns from a reputable garden company. For a long time, green asparagus was the only variety available to us here in the states. As I said earlier, there is a purple variety, available from The Cook’s Garden (one of my favorite catalogs). I’ve heard that there is a white variety available as well in the US, but I’ve yet to see that.
Since your plants will become members of your family, you will need to give them plenty of room to grow larger. Dig your holes about six inches deep and at least a foot apart. Be careful when planting that the roots aren’t too bunched up and cover them with two or three inches of soil. Make sure the crowns are covered, but don’t completely fill in the holes just yet. As you care for these plants over the next several weeks, you will see growth starting. Fill in the holes as the growth emerges. You shouldn’t have to water your plants more than once a week or less if we get a lot of rain.
Asparagus is a perennial. As long as you water them regularly, they’ll grow through the spring and summer and lie dormant in the fall and winter. Continue to weed the bed and fertilize the plants with compost for the remainder of the first season. When spring comes round again, your plants will come back to life. Continue watering and fertilizing and prune as needed.
A very knowledgeable extension agent in North Carolina says, “A lot of people get scared of asparagus because they think it’s hard to grow, but it’s not.”
Right.
Done properly and with patience, the requirements for growing asparagus really are very simple. It grows well just about everywhere, except maybe Florida, and once your bed is established, you can count on a tasty crop for a decade or more.
It is one of the tastiest and healthiest vegetables you can have in your garden, packed full of folic acid, fiber and antioxidants.
My research has shown that if you’re considering growing it from seed, forget about it. It’s apparently an insane amount of work. Besides, most of the seed catalogs I’ve gone through this season are selling crowns. That’s what I put in my misbegotten patch all those years ago – crowns. I’m finding that the word “Jersey” is key to choosing a great asparagus variety – Jersey Giant, Jersey Knight, Jersey Prince. I did hear from a fellow down at Main Building that he purchased some that was very specific to our area. There’s even a purple one available.
Asparagus takes a lot of space. They sprawl. Plant your crowns about a foot apart in rows four to five feet apart. Or plant them along a fence. Fungal issues can be a problem. Asparagus is susceptible to rust and Cercospora needle blight. There are products available that are specific for use on asparagus. I’ve also heard that the good, old baking soda and water spray that has been used to battle rose fungi works on asparagus as well.
As far as soil goes, asparagus is, well, a bit finicky and demanding. It likes alkaline soil in full sun. It likes to be planted in warm (50 degrees, at least) ground. And it takes time. You won’t harvest until the second year and then, only lightly. The third year, I’m told, you can go all out and harvest all you want. The crowns need the food supply that first year to build their strength. In your second year, harvest for two weeks only. In that third year, though – look out! As the weather grows warmer, you could easily be harvesting twice a day. You can pretty much watch asparagus grow.
There are two schools of thought on cutting back the ferns in the fall for the winter. Some say it reduces the risk of fungus. Many of those in The Know claim that doesn’t work at all. Allowing the ferns to remain in the beds lowers the soil temperature and reduces the risk of frost damage in the spring, as well as helping to catch snow for additional moisture.
Making The Bed: Now is the time to start getting ready for planting. You really do want those crowns in the ground before mid-April in our area. If you’re not going to plant this year, add preparing for asparagus to your list of chores in the fall to have ready for the following spring. Find your relatively sunny area that is pretty flat and free from weeds. Prepare the soil by adding leaves, grass, rotted manure or other compost to the mix. This is one time where you’re definitely going to have to test your soil for pH. Asparagus likes it best at around 6.5.
Order your crowns from a reputable garden company. For a long time, green asparagus was the only variety available to us here in the states. As I said earlier, there is a purple variety, available from The Cook’s Garden (one of my favorite catalogs). I’ve heard that there is a white variety available as well in the US, but I’ve yet to see that.
Since your plants will become members of your family, you will need to give them plenty of room to grow larger. Dig your holes about six inches deep and at least a foot apart. Be careful when planting that the roots aren’t too bunched up and cover them with two or three inches of soil. Make sure the crowns are covered, but don’t completely fill in the holes just yet. As you care for these plants over the next several weeks, you will see growth starting. Fill in the holes as the growth emerges. You shouldn’t have to water your plants more than once a week or less if we get a lot of rain.
Asparagus is a perennial. As long as you water them regularly, they’ll grow through the spring and summer and lie dormant in the fall and winter. Continue to weed the bed and fertilize the plants with compost for the remainder of the first season. When spring comes round again, your plants will come back to life. Continue watering and fertilizing and prune as needed.
The Harvest: You will see a good harvest in your third year. Cut your spears when they are a half-inch thick or larger and at least four to five inches (or more) long. Be cautious with your young plants. Using a sharp knife, cut diagonally through the spear just below the surface of the soil to prevent the growth of woody stumps. Three years is young in the scheme of asparagus gardening considering that those plants will be part of your landscape for a decade or more. In subsequent seasons, you can continuously pick asparagus for a period of up to two months. Before you know it, you’ll be giving it away.
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