Growing Asparagus

It’s that time of year – - at least around here it is. (here = Wisconsin). It’s time to start cultivating and planting the seedlings into the vegetable garden. I am mulling over the idea of adding asparagus to my garden, and after researching it – decided to share the information that I found about growing asparagus.

Did you know that asparagus plants can last up to fifty years? I’d say that’s a good investment for the garden! This is also a really good reason for not skimping on the cost of the asparagus that you choose to grow – - spend a little extra to get the good stuff, it will last you, almost, a lifetime!

Asparagus is one of the few perennial vegetable crops. The shoots are picked as young spears in the spring. Later in the season the foliage matures into an airy, fern-like cloud which changes to a golden color in the fall. Because asparagus takes up a permanent place in the garden, but can be an attractive plant, many people with space imitations use asparagus as a border or hedge plant.

Asparagus spears are straight shoots with scale-like tips. Although green varieties are most commonly grown, there are also many purple varieties. Shoots continue emerging from the soil throughout the spring. As the weather warms, shoots end to et spindly and are left to grow into the mature ferny foliage.

Asparagus is a spring crop, preferring cooler temperatures and full sun. Plants can be started from seed about 4 weeks before the last expected frost. More commonly they are grown from crowns, which are the one year old base and roots of the plants. These are planted in a trench with the roots spread out over mounded soil. The trench is gradually filled in as the plants grow.

Provide a fairly rich soil with a pH between 6.0 and 7.0.

Water regularly, especially while young. It takes about three years for plants to mature enough for harvesting. Prior to that plants should be allowed to grow and feed themselves.
Top dress annually with compost or mulch. Keep the patch free of competing weeds/

‘Mary Washington’ is the most commonly found variety. It was bred for rust resistance.
‘Jersey Giant’ is rust and fusarium wilt resistant and yields early.
‘Brock Imperial’ offers high yields.
‘Princeville’ does well in warmer climates.
‘Purple Passion’ is a sweet purple variety.