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How To Grow Asparagus
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There is nothing like
having fresh asparagus from your own garden! Asparagus is just one of
those crops that no matter how fresh it may look or feel in the supermarket -
the taste of home grown can't be beat!
There is nothing like fresh picked asparagus from the garden!
Asparagus is different than
most of the vegetable crops planted in the garden. Unlike annual
varieties such as tomatoes, cucumber and peppers that need planted each year -
asparagus is a perennial. Once established, they can provide a good crop
for 20 to 25 years for you and your family to enjoy!
They also differ because
plants are either male or female. The males are known to have larger and
more abundant spear production, while the female varieties tend to be thinner
and produce seeds in the fall for reproduction. Most prefer to plant
only the male for the added production levels. Popular male varieties
such as Jersey Giant and Jersey Knight are great choices for those looking for
maximum yields.
Asparagus can be started
from seed or from what are called crowns - which are nothing more than the
roots of 1 to 2-year-old asparagus plants. Most, (including us) really
prefer starting them with the crowns and not from seed. Growing from seed
can take up to 2 to 3 years to have edible spears formed - while starting with
crowns can give you a few spears to enjoy by the second year. It's also
easier to start and maintain the crowns - as their growth is more defined early
on, making it easier to keep weeded.
How To Plant :
The first spear of Asparagus breaking through the soil
With the long crop cycle of
20 or more years - it is important to prepare your bed space accordingly.
Work in generous amounts of compost to the soil before planting to
provide a good starting base for your crop. Asparagus will do best in a
nice, sunny location. They can tolerate some partial shade, but grow and
thrive much better with full sun.
To plant asparagus, you
will want to dig a trench about 6" deep and about 8" wide. We
like to space ours about 18" between crowns. Place the crown at the
bottom of the trench, and cover with about 2" of topsoil. As the
crown begins to grow through the soil, keep adding a few inches of soil until
the soil level has filled in the trench over the course of a few weeks.
This process allows the asparagus to develop a deep root system to
provide for years of crop harvests.
In the first year, allow your asparagus to grow tall and wispy
to generate good root growth.
For your first year, allow
the plants to grow tall. Resist the temptation to cut a few spears -
you want all of the growth to go to the plant and root structure.
In the fall after they have died off, you can cut them off about 1" above
the soil and place a little straw or compost mulch over them for the winter.
In year two, you will begin
to see some small spears shoot through the earth in the spring. You can harvest
the first week or two of spears, then allow the plants to once again grow tall
and build up strength. The year 2 spears will be smaller, but still very
tasty!
Year 3 is where the fun
begins! You should be close to full harvest - enjoying fresh spears each
and every spring for many years to come. After each spring harvest, let your
asparagus grow tall in the beds and repeat the process of cutting back after
they have died off in the fall.
Upkeep and Maintenance of
Beds:
Add a few inches of compost to your beds as a mulch each fall to
keep them growing strong.
The biggest key to good
productive asparagus is to keep your beds weed free. Weeds and grass compete
for valuable nutrients, and a weedy bed will result in smaller, less productive
harvests. We use either straw or compost mulch to keep ours weed-free
throughout the year. It's also a good idea each fall to put on a two-inch
covering of compost on top of your beds to give some added nutrients. Other
than that - once established, your asparagus beds will provide you with
years of fresh and amazing tasting crops each spring!
Happy Gardening!
- Jim and Mary
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