How to Plant, Grow and Care Asparagus

Thinking to grow asparagus in your home? Well, this could be very easy once you read our guide on how to grow asparagus. Be a pro gardener! 

Asparagus is one of the easiest growing vegetables, ready for harvesting during the spring season. This is a perennial vegetable that can easily be grown in garden spaces.

All you have to do is find the perfect spot to grow the asparagus and maintain the ideal condition. Asparagus plant matures slowly and may take three to five years to mature completely.

Once it starts striding, you will be able to harvest asparagus every month. If you want to grow asparagus in your garden, we will provide you with a stepwise guide. With this, you will be able to cultivate the asparagus easily without any worries.

So, what’s the wait for, let’s start with a little overview of asparagus and the varieties that you can grow easily in your home before proceeding to the steps!

Also Read: How to Start Microgreens Gardening

All About Asparagus

Asparagus officinalis

Asparagus is a young straight shoot having scale-like tips. It can be grown in tropical regions and moderately cool regions.

Its young shoot stem is used for heating and cooking purposes. The young foliage matures into the light green, airy, and fern-like cloudy stem. This has a stem, roots, and crown. 

Before you cultivate them, keep in mind that you cannot harvest them immediately in the first season.

It needs to be established properly before you harvest them. It takes time to grow and reach a certain height.

Asparagus Varieties

There are different varieties of asparagus are available, which are highly recommended to grow in your locality.

Find the one out of these and start growing asparagus immediately. Have a look!

1. Viking KB-3

This is one of the open-pollinated species of asparagus. 

2. The Washington Series

Martha Washington and Mary Washington are some of the popular varieties which you can grow in your garden easily.

But the yield is less in comparison to the Kersey. 

3. Purple Passion

This is also an open-pollinated variety of asparagus. 

4. Millennium

This is a new variety of the asparagus created by the University of Guelph.

This is one of the highest-yielding varieties and is easy to cultivate. 

5. The Jersey Series

Jersey Giant, Jersey Supreme, and Jersey Knight are popular varieties of asparagus that you can grow in your places.

However, the variety may get damaged at low temperatures -30° F.

Choose any of these asparagus varieties and start reading the next sections on how to grow asparagus. 

Also Read: How to Grow Broccoli

When to Plant Asparagus

Though asparagus is an easy plant to grow at any time of the month if you want to harvest it soon, it requires a particular time where the growth is maximum.

Find out the pointers that will help you to choose the ideal time to plant asparagus. 

• Asparagus can be grown from the crown during the early spring season.

• Asparagus is normally cultivated from “crowns,” taken from 1-year-old plants. It may also be produced from seed.

• On the other hand, beginning with asparagus crowns avoids the year of the tiresome wedding, which comes with beginning from seed and increasing total yield.

• Some varieties such as hybrid purples and open-pollinated ‘Purple Passion” can also be cultivated from seeds.

• You can start seeding the seeds of asparagus in the spring season and take out the seedlings that are 12-14 weeks old.

• Do ensure to soak the seeds in water for at least 4 hours before you start seeding.

Where to Plant Asparagus

As we discussed above, asparagus is a perennial species, so this can be grown throughout the year during the growing season.

However, you need to choose the ideal location and prepare the plant site before sowing them. 

• Always choose those sites that receive full sunlight

• Always prepare the soil bed towards the rim of the garden so that it doesn’t disturb the replanting and planting of the flowers.

• Be sure the water the soil bed properly. But avoid water logging conditions as it may affect the growth of the roots and may damage the plant.

• Maintain the soil pH as slightly acidic it should not exceed the pH value of 6.5

• Eliminate all the weeds growing near the asparagus. Add an extra layer of compost, soil mix, and manure.

• The soil needs to be loosened at least 12-15 inches so that the crown of the asparagus can be rooted properly into the soil.

Growing purslane has the same set of conditions needed which is again a great vegetable having health benefits.

Best Method to Grow Asparagus

Asparagus may be cultivated from seed or propagated from crowns. Growing asparagus from crowns is a considerably easier and generally more successful alternative for establishing a backyard crop.

It also means that the harvest will be considered early. The crown of the asparagus is indeed the roots of asparagus plants 1 to 2 years old.

Because of their mature state of development, they generate an edible harvest considerably faster than seeds.

Seed crops are challenging to keep weed-free in the initial periods due to their modest growth and early development.

But nothing has a greater influence on a crop’s productivity than competing weeds.

This is why asparagus seeds are difficult to sprout and might be confused for weeds whilst tending to the beds. It may take more than three years to start harvesting crops.

How to Grow Asparagus

Excited to grow asparagus in your home? There are two methods that will help you to grow asparagus but before going to that, you should read planting the crowns first. Have a look!

• Plant the asparagus crown deeply into the soil so that weed doesn’t affect it during cultivation. Check soil preparation tips for planting.

• Dig the soil trench about 13-18 inches wider and at least 6-8 inches deep. Make sure to keep at least three feet in distance between the trench.

• Before planting, soak the crown of asparagus in the water.

• Dif out 2 to 3 inches ridges of the soil and place the crown of asparagus into the soil. Do ensure to spread the roots properly.

• Keep at least 5-18 inches distance between the crowns of the asparagus.

Once you establish the crown, you can follow any listed methods below:

Method 1

• Cover it with topsoil and compost once you set the crown into the soil.

• Add some water to keep the soil moist 2 Inches of water would be great to nourish the roots.

• As the growing season progresses, the spears are at least 2-3 inches tall.

• You can add more soil and carefully bury the spears at this stage.

• When again spear grew, add more soil and repeat the process until the trench layer reached the ground level.

• It may also depend on how deep you have dug the trench.

• Once you have filled the trench properly, start mounding the soil. This is helpful to prevent water pooling. 

Method 2

Some gardeners fill the excavation with soil and fertilizers at the same time.

While the conventional approach is supposed to produce healthier plants in the long run, gardeners seldom find problems with the “one step” method.

The spears will have no trouble poking through to the top as long as the soil is sufficiently loose.

This is how you can grow asparagus. You can choose any of the above methods that you find easy to grow asparagus at home. 

Asparagus Growing Tips

Read some of the best Asparagus growing tips that will help you grow a healthy crop. 

• When the soil trench is filled, adding a 4-6 inches layer of the mulch is highly recommended.

• Manage the weed timely to avoid damage. The weeds can eat away from the nutrients and may damage the roots.

• Therefore, it would be great to pull them off from the soil. Mulching is a great way to avoid the problem of weeds.

• You can also add compose along with mulch into the soil. This helps to retain the moisture and minimize the growth of the weeds.

• During the initial stage of planting or at least two years, add 1-2 inches of water every week. If your area receives less rainfall, then add more water.

• Asparagus always thrives on having a steady supply of food. So, make sure to add fertilizers into the soil timely during the growing season.

How to Grow Asparagus from Seeds

Usually, asparagus is cultivated from the crown instead of the seed. But some gardeners also like to grow it from seeds.

So, here are some of the tips to follow to grow it from seeds. 

• Designate a section of the yard as a seedling bed. For the first year, young asparagus seedlings will be grown here. The asparagus seedling should be situated on flat ground with sandy soil.

• Sow seed in the spring, approximately one inch deep and divided two to three inches apart in a foot-long row. It might take up to three weeks for seeds to germinate.

• In late October, cover the soil bed with 4 to 6 inches of mulch or straw to keep it warm over the winter.

• Dig up the crown with as little of the root system as possible in early April, first before plants begin to develop, and relocate them to their perfect setting using the procedure indicated below for transplanting crowns.

How to Harvest Asparagus

Spears will begin to sprout from the earth in the spring. Harvest no spears the first year after sowing the crown. Let the spears grow into ferns to strengthen the crowns.

Harvest whenever the spears are 6 to 8 inches long here the second spring after crowns are planted, assuming the plants were vigorous and healthy the previous growing season.

Only pluck asparagus for 2 weeks in the first year of harvest. Let the spears grow into fronds after that.

In the following years, harvest asparagus up to July 1. Some gardeners will not harvest during the second year, preferring to allow the plants to build more strength before finally beginning to harvest in the third year.

Harvest asparagus till July 1 in the subsequent years. Some growers will not harvest through the second year, choosing to wait until the plants have gained more vigor before harvesting in the third year.

How to Care for Asparagus

During the planting season, you need to care extra for the growing asparagus.

Here are some of the best asparagus caring tips that help you cultivate the asparagus easily. 

1. Proper Light

Asparagus need full sunlight to grow to the fullest. Without adequate light, the plant will not grow to the fullest. And weak plants may be prone to diseases and pest attacks. 

2. Soil

Preparing the soil bed to plant perennial species like asparagus may take time. You can add organic matter into the soil and adjust the pH of the soil between 6.5 to 7.0.

In addition to this, remove all the unwanted weeds from the soil and stones if present. 

The soil must be well-drained and maintain the moisture level into the soil. 

3. Water

Water asparagus often, especially when it’s young; offer it 1–2 inches of water per week for the first two growing seasons and 1 inch per week for older plants.

You’ll have fewer troubles in the coming years if you provide them a strong start when you initially plant them.

Think about putting a soaker hose or drip watering in the asparagus garden.

4. Temperature and Humidity

During the growth season, the ideal temperature for asparagus is 70 to 85 degrees F throughout the day, and the temperature must be 60 – 70 degrees F at night.

When the temperature range hits 50 degrees in the springtime, it will begin to sprout shoots. Any snowfall and frost conditions after the sprouts begin to develop will darken them.

Temperatures over 85 degrees Fahrenheit or below 55 degrees Fahrenheit may cause sluggish development.

5. Fertilizers

When preparing the soil bed for asparagus, do not forget to add compost and organic fertilizers to the soil. In addition to this, you can rock phosphate and other minerals to promote the growth of the asparagus.

Adding vital nutrients can help develop a healthy rooting system in the plant. Adding compost at the top of the soil nourishes the soil and helps regain the lost nutrients. 

Moreover, you can also add essential fertilizers during the spring season or when the shoots appear.

This is one of the heavy feeder plants, so do ensure to supply fertilizers timely throughout the growing season. These are some of the asparagus growing tips that will help you cultivate a healthy plant.

Loved the article, you should also check out a complete guide on how to grow vegetables at home.

Grow Asparagus!

In a nutshell, this is all about how to grow asparagus in your garden spaces. Before growing them, make sure the soil bed is well nourished and drained completely.

In addition to this, do ensure to remove all the weeds growing nearby the plant. It may affect the growth of asparagus and may damage them.

Last but not least, follow all the preventive guides and caring tips to cultivate the asparagus. Most importantly, keep patience because it may take longer to grow as expected. 

What do you think of our guide? Will you grow asparagus in your home following our guide? Was the article easy to follow? Do let us know your feedback in the comments section below.

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