ASPARAGUS

Growing Asparagus Successfully

Native to the seacoasts of Europe , North Africa and Asia , asparagus is a very reliable perennial veggie for the home garden, and more delicious than anything you can buy in a store or eat in even the best of restaurants! Every spring asparagus sends up edible shoots followed by a flush of tall fluffy fern like foliage that will reach 5' at maturity. The site you choose should be a permanent one as asparagus will produce for up to 15 years.

HOW MANY PLANTS TO GROW ? – 10 Plants will supply one person.

SPACING: Dig a trench 1' deep and 1' wide the length of however many plants are needed. Space the plants 18” apart. Space rows 3' apart.

PLANTING: Plant crowns anytime from Jan. – March. Fill trench with 4” of compost or your own amended soil. You may add organic fertilizer in the trench at this time. Lay the crowns in the trench with tips facing up and roots spread out. Cover with 2” of soil. As the crowns grow, cover with 2” of soil until trench is completely full. Water thoroughly.

MULCH : After your plants have pushed new growth, mulch well to suppress weed growth. This is very important to reduce competition from weeds which will sap energy from asparagus.

FERTILIZER: In late winter/early spring but before the spears have started emerging, each year apply a high nitrogen fertilizer. If plants start to yellow this is an indicator they are nitrogen starved. Another application of a good high nitrogen fertilizer such as EB Stone's Fish Emulsion should be added at the 'Ferny' stage, in late summer or fall.

DORMANCY: Asparagus will go dormant in winter. Once foliage collapses and turns brown, cut all branches to ground level and clean debris around the base.

HARVEST : Delay harvest until the second year after planting. The first harvest should last no more than three weeks, since the plant needs energy to form its fleshy storage roots. In the third year you may harvest shoots for 6-8 weeks and every spring thereafter you may harvest for up to two months. Cut shoots with a sharp knife 1” below soil level when they are 6-10” high. Morning harvest is preferred because the spears then contain a maximum amount of water and stay fresh longer.

Enjoy!

 

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