When you're planning to grow asparagus, it's crucial to choose a good spot from the start, as your asparagus will have delicate roots when you first plant it. Therefore, it's best to find a good spot right away and not attempt to move the plants later. Planting in a well-drained area with full sunlight and minimal wind provides the best conditions for your asparagus. Asparagus thrives in most locations, so growing it in a raised bed works excellently. The soil can be sandy, but regular soil works just fine; just make sure to add compost or other fertilizer during the initial planting, as you ideally should let the asparagus be in the first few years.
You can plant asparagus from seeds if you wish, but be prepared for it to take several years before you can harvest.
How Do I Do It?
- Choose a sunny spot with minimal wind.
- Clear the area of weeds.
- Loosen the soil and add compost or fertilizer.
- Create trenches in the soil, with a depth of around 15-20 cm and a width of about 20 cm.
- Plant your asparagus crowns in the trenches with a spacing of 20-30 cm.
- Lightly cover with a few centimeters of soil and water thoroughly.
- Keep an eye on it during the first weeks and gradually mound soil over the plants as the asparagus grows taller until the trenches are barely visible.
- Water throughout the growing season.
- Do not harvest! Wait preferably for the first two years and let the plants establish themselves properly first.
What Do I Need?
To plant asparagus, you'll need in addition to the plants:
How and When Do I Plant My Asparagus?
You can start planting your asparagus as soon as the soil is completely thawed, around April-May depending on where you live. Begin by loosening the soil and clearing it of all weeds and stones if any. Then, it's time to add compost and sand, which is important as you ideally shouldn't disturb the soil after planting.
Once the soil is prepared, create trenches for your asparagus, with a depth of 15-20 cm and a width of 20 cm. Then, take your asparagus crowns and place them in the trenches with a spacing of 20-30 cm between them. Cover the plants with soil and water. Throughout the first year, you can mound soil around the plant until the trench you made is no longer visible.
How Do I Care for My Asparagus
During the first year, care for your asparagus by watering, weeding, and mounding soil, as it usually doesn't need much more than that. Asparagus doesn't require a lot of water, so watering once a week is sufficient. You can add more compost or fertilizer later in the summer, but it's not necessary. When fall and winter come, you don't need to do anything special, but it's a good idea to cover with a cloth if you have visible spears to protect them from frost.
How Do I Water My Asparagus?
Asparagus isn't a plant that needs constant watering, so once a week is enough unless it's an unusually dry period, then watering more often might be beneficial.
How Do I Harvest My Asparagus?
As mentioned earlier, you shouldn't harvest your asparagus in the first year, even if it looks like you have ready spears, the plant isn't strong enough to handle it. It's only in the second year that the asparagus has developed roots strong enough to withstand a harvest. However, you should only harvest once during the second year and not after midsummer to give the plants plenty of time to further strengthen. It's only after the third year that you can expect a bountiful harvest. However, it's important to always give your asparagus time after the final harvest to strengthen itself for the next year.
We wish you good luck with your asparagus!
