How to Grow Asparagus from Crowns Successfully

Knowing how to grow asparagus from crowns provides a harvest that can last up to twenty years with one planting. Crowns will allow you to enjoy a harvest in two years, whereas seeds can take three or four years to mature and produce a harvest. This is efficient in terms of time and labor. You will be able to enjoy delicious spears much sooner by using crowns.

When it comes to asparagus, it all begins with choosing the right location. Select a spot with full sun and well-drained soil. Avoid low-lying areas that may have accumulated water. Before planting, check the soil's pH level. Asparagus prefers a slightly alkaline environment. Decisions here affect not just next year's harvest, but potentially decades of harvests to come.

Once established, asparagus is extremely low-maintenance. In the first couple of years, it will require some attention. After that, your bed will produce with very little work on your end. We're going to cover planting care and the high points of harvesting. Take care of this business, and you can enjoy fresh asparagus for a lifetime.

Proper soil preparation will significantly impact your long-term success with asparagus planting. A simple pH testing kit can be purchased at any garden store. Asparagus prefers a pH between 6.5-7.0 for optimal growth, so if your soil is somewhat acidic, you will need to supplement it with lime. Soil that is too alkaline needs sulfur. This helps the crowns take up nutrients effectively.

Clay and sandy soils require differing preparation. Heavy clay will require the addition of compost to improve drainage. Sandy soil needs organic matter to hold moisture. Incorporate these amendments deeply into the bed. Asparagus roots will grow down several feet with time.

Select the sunniest area in your garden. Asparagus requires six to eight hours of sunlight each day. More shade will produce fewer spears. Stay clear of trees or buildings providing shade. Morning sun dries dew fast, helping to avoid fungal diseases.

Adequate spacing allows each crown to expand and move freely. Space crowns 12-18 inches apart within rows. Keep rows 4-5 feet apart. This ensures air circulation and makes harvesting easier. Crowded plants compete for nutrients and have thin spears.

Excavate your trench according to your soil type for optimal results. For sandy soil, you want to dig deeper twelve-inch trenches to retain moisture. For clay soil, dig six-inch trenches to a shallower depth, ensuring the soil does not become waterlogged. It's important to take your time on measuring the depth before planting. The varying depth is crucial in protecting the crowns from rotting.

Outline the bottom of each trench with fertilizer before placing crowns. Use one cup of 10-10-10 fertilizer per crown and distribute it evenly on the bottom of the crown. This immediately nourishes roots. Keep crowns from erupting fertilizer to avoid burning.

Arrange crowns from the head to toe in the trench with the buds facing upward. Place the buds around twelve inches apart. Allow the roots to fan out naturally. Ensure the buds are placed two inches below the final soil level for optimal growing space.

Continue to backfill soil as spears get taller. Initially, cover off crowns with two inches of soil. Once your spears reach six inches high, add one to two inches more soil. Continue that process every seven to ten days. Fill the trencher to the desired level when finished.

Watering asparagus varies depending on the type of soil and climate. Sandy soils require watering every three to four days as they dry out quickly. Clay soil holds moisture, so water weekly. Hot regions require more frequent watering than cooler ones do.

Select fertilizer types according to growth phases. Use a balanced 10-10-10 fertilizer when planting and in early spring. Switch to high-phosphorus formulas during root development. Use compost tea every month in the summer for fern growth. Avoid options high in nitrogen during harvest time.

Keep an eye out for indicators of excess water and nutrient issues. Yellow ferns are a sign that there may be excess moisture in the soil or a nitrogen deficiency. Thin spears are likely indicative that phosphorus may be deficient. Brown tips would indicate salt build-up due to over-fertilizing. Wilting means that immediate watering is required.

Change care with the season. Watering can be increased in summer heat and reduced in fall as the plant goes dormant. Apply the final fertilizer in early September. Suspend fertilization in the winter months. Begin light feeding when spears re-emerge in spring.

Select mulch types that suit your garden. Straw mulch insulates crowns and drains well. Shredded leaves will not only suppress weeds, but as they break down, they will also provide nutrients to the soil. Wood chips will last longer but require additional nitrogen. Compost mulch suppresses weeds while delivering nutrients to plants.

Proper application of mulch helps protect plants. Add two to four inches in early spring when the soil warms. Maintain three inches from the crown to deter rot. Replace annually when materials break down. Remove for a short time in spring to warm soil.

Carefully consider weed management methods. Hand pull when the soil is moist. Shallow hoeing will remove weed tops and avoid damaging roots. Consider using chemical-free methods such as corn gluten meal or flame weeding. Please do not use herbicides near edible spears.

Seasonally adjust mulch to ensure optimal function. Place NEW mulch down after the June harvest. Create six inches of winter mulch for crown protection. In the spring, remove winter cover slowly as temperatures increase. Maintain summer mulch to reduce compaction and weed growth throughout the summer.

Try to avoid harvesting spears in your first year, even though it is tough. Let all spears grow into full fern foliage. This begins to build up energy reserves in the crown. Cutting spears at this time will permanently weaken the plants. It may be challenging to be patient, but you will be rewarded with decades of harvests to come.

Provide consistent care to promote fern development. Water weekly unless naturally occurring rain produces approximately one to two inches. Stake tall ferns if they are planted in windy areas. Inspect foliage regularly for the possibility of asparagus beetles. If you see asparagus beetles or pests, use neem oil immediately.

Prepare plants for the winter as the climate dictates. Areas with snow require straw mulch over the crowns of the plants after the first frost. Regions that do not receive snow will use a lighter mulch to help prevent the crowns from rotting. Cut back the dead ferns to one inch above the soil.

Be cautious when transitioning into harvesting in year two. Remove winter mulch gradually in the spring. Harvest only spears thicker than a pencil and keep the harvest to a maximum of two weeks. Starting to harvest gradually is more comfortable for the developing crowns.

Once firmly established, asparagus beds & crowns will provide you with twenty-plus years of production. In any event, the long-established nature of these crops makes this effort worthwhile. If you've planted the crowns, patience is truly a virtue, as the years of fresh spears and spears from your own bed will pay off. Your care today makes tomorrow's yield possible. Very few garden vegetables can match this long-term supply.

Keep in mind, never have first-year spears, regardless of how great they look. This sacrificial step builds crown strength. Crown strength leads to​ a lifetime of crown weakness or crown strength. Your discipline now will ensure future years of healthy harvests. This one rule will determine your long-term success.

Three basic aspects support success with asparagus: preparation of the soil, care throughout the seasons, and patience. If you get those right from the start, your mature beds will be exceptionally low maintenance. Mature, established plants require only the most basic maintenance. The efficiencies of the mature plant reward your initial investment of time and effort.

Use the following methods for self-sustaining asparagus beds. The amount of work required is reduced as the plants mature. Established, mature crowns can better resist pests and diseases. They may thrive with virtually no care at all. For decades, you can harvest with little to no effort or care.