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Asparagus

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Botanical name: Asparagus officinalis

Plant type: Vegetable

USDA Hardiness Zones: 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9

Sun exposure: Part Sun

Soil type: Sandy

Soil pH: Slightly Acidic to Neutral

Asparagus is a perennial bulb and stem vegetable that greets us every spring. It may take 2 to 3 years to get started and produce, so patience is needed! But then the plant can be productive up to 20 years, so we think it's worth the wait.

Asparagus has male and female plants, with the female plants producing berries. Regions with cool winters are best for this cool-season crop.

Planting

  • Asparagus is planted in early spring as soon as the soil can be worked. The plant is grown from "crowns" (1-year-old plants).
  • Eliminate all weeds from the bed, digging it over and working in a 2- to 4-inch layer of compost, manure or soil mix.
  • Dig trenches of about 6 inches wide and 6 to 12 inches deep.  Some experts believe shallow trenches of 6 inches are best. 
  • Asparagus does not like to have its feet "wet," so be sure your bed has good drainage. For that reason, raised beds can be a good place to plant asparagus.
  • Create a mound in the trench and plant the crowns 15 to 18 inches apart, spreading the roots over the ridge.
  • Cover the roots and crowns with soil 2 inches deep and water thoroughly.
  • As the stems grow, fill in the rest of the trench with soil, leaving 3 to 4 inches of the stem exposed.

Care

  • When the trench is filled, add a 4 to 8 inch layer of mulch and water regularly.
  • Do not harvest the spears in the first year, but cut down dead foliage in late fall and side-dress with compost.
  • During the second year, keep the bed thickly mulched, side-dress in spring and early fall, and cut down dead foliage in late fall.

Pests

Harvest/Storage

  • Asparagus can take three growing seasons to harvest; you may be able to lightly harvest during the second year.
  • For the following years, maintain the bed as in the second year and harvest only the spears thicker than a pencil.
  • Cut spears that are about 6 inches in length at an angle.
  • Asparagus freezes well.

Recommended Varieties

  • White asparagus is not a variety, but simply asparagus grown in the absence of sunlight to prevent chlorophyll from developing. White asparagus is slightly sweeter, but has less fiber than green asparagus.
  • Purple asparagus is bred to be purple in color, but turns green when it is cooked. Purple varieties tend to have thicker but fewer spears.

Recipes

Wit & Wisdom

A pinch of baking soda in the cooking water keeps beans, spinach, and asparagus greener.

Comments

I have been trying for years

Submitted by Anonymous on Tue, 2012-05-01 09:40.

I have been trying for years to grow asparagus but it continues to come in sporadically. I will have big gaps between the live growth. I'll fill it in with more roots, then other areas will stop producing. I live in central MD and the soil is very rich with a slightly high PH of around 6.5 or so. When I do dig up the roots they do appear to be rotting so maybe my drainage is not good enough. Should I try mixing sand into the soil? Or do I need to set up shop in a raised bed and forget this spot? Also is more sun better?
The spot they are in now gets about 5-6 hours of direct sun a day.

Oops

Submitted by Anonymous on Thu, 2012-04-05 23:22.

I was a little behind on the learning curve on harvesting this year and let my asparagus fern out in early spring. So can I now cut them and still expect a spring harvest or did I just blow my year?

RE: Oops

Submitted by Anonymous on Sun, 2012-04-08 03:53.

Once they fern, they shouldn't be cut, as 1) they'll be too tough & stringy to be edible; 2) those ferns are busy building roots for next Spring's shoots. If new stems emerge, those could be harvested.

I give up.

Submitted by Anonymous on Thu, 2012-03-08 22:24.

I planted fresh crowns last year, worked the soil added compost, absolutely everything else was a bumper crop. The asparagus didn't even break ground. Ph is 7, watered properly,
crowns from a reputable supplier....
is it normal for there to be no plant at all for the first year? Maybe it will pop out this season?

asparagus woes

Submitted by Almanac Adminis... on Sun, 2012-03-11 16:10.

Asparagus takes 3 years to mature and produce. A few thoughts though: If you dig up a crown, is it rotted? If so, your bed needs better drainage as asparagus don't like "wet feet." When you bought your crowns, did the roots look round and firm and did the crowns have lots of short, round points? This is what you want. If the roots are mostly flat, then the plant probably will not grow. Finally, we advise shallow planting--no more than 5 to 6 inches. Hope this helps. We don't know the issues but perhaps it's just a matter of waiting. Asparagus has been known to take its time!

asparagus

Submitted by Mary Ellen on Sun, 2010-08-29 22:52.

My asparagus bed is too thick. When can I dig up some roots and replant?

asparagus

Submitted by racheldann on Mon, 2011-10-03 10:15.

my grandmother is head of a farmers market and upon asking the same question recently she stated in the fall. Dig as much of the root as possible.

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