How to Plant Asparagus in Your Garden

Apr 14th, 2009 by tommy

Asparagus is a perennial vegetable in all but the northernmost latitudes. Early each spring, the asparagus plant begins to send up shoots. These shoots, or spears as they are commonly called, are harvested when they reach 6-10 inches in length. As the harvest period continues, more buds on the crown of the plant break dormancy producing more spears. When the diameter of the spears starts to shrink to a half inch in diameter, the harvest season should be ended. The remaining shoots sent up by the plant are then allowed to grow into ferns to provide food to the roots for the following season.

Establishing asparagus in the home garden is an easy task. Asparagus prefers well drained soils but will also grow in moist areas such as near streams and ponds. The soil should also be deep allowing for the roots to penetrate far into the soil profile.

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When establishing a row of asparagus plants, it’s best to remember that the plants will grow successfully for eight or more years. So always choose a suitable, permanent location.

Start by digging a trench about 8 inches deep by 12 inches wide. Next, you’ll want to form a ridge in the bottom of the trench, or ditch, using some of the soil you dug out. The ridge should be about 4 inches high. Then, place the asparagus crown on the top of the ridge with the roots spread down to the lower part of the trench. The top of the crown will be about four inches below the original surface and the roots will reach to the depth of the trench. This will allow the asparagus roots to begin growing deeply while keeping the crown of the plant at the proper depth.

The next step is to bury the asparagus by filling in the trench to the original soil level. Pack the soil firmly but not hard. Water in the asparagus crowns deeply. You’ll also want to keep the area moist but not soggy for the first week or more. After that, you can water as the soil begins to dry in the top three inches.

Another point to remember is that your asparagus plants should be left alone for the first two seasons. By the third year, you should begin to harvest the spears until they become too thin as mentioned above. With proper care and maintenance, your asparagus plants should produce for many years.

Good luck in your asparagus growing venture and happy gardening.