Growing Asparagus
This page talks about growing Asparagus. We will be using the Jersey King as our model. Usually Asparagus is sold as an immature plant that we would transplant into our garden. However, the one we are going to be using is grown from seeds. I have never grown Asparagus so this will be new territory for me. But I like learning new things. The picture at the right is the Jersey Knight. 01-14-2010Asparagus is a perennial vegetable that can thrive for 15 years or more. It likes a sunny or only partially shaded spot richly fertilized with compost or aged manure and limed to a pH of 7.0 or higher. Space plants or crowns 8" apart for slender spears to 14" apart for thick spears in a trench 6-8" below ground level. Space rows 3-5' apart. Keep free of weeds and irrigate.
To fill trench, add soil 3 times during the first few weeks as the plants grow, ending with a slight mound to prevent puddles. Heavy hay, straw, or leaf mulch may be applied in mid-summer. The "ferns" that grow feed the roots; don't cut them back until they die naturally in the Fall. Apply additional compost or aged manure each fall or early spring. Sow seeds indoors 12-14 weeks before transplanting out after frost danger; 1 seed per 2" cell or pot, 3/4" deep. Germinate at 75-80°F (23-27°C) day, 65°F (18°C) night. Fertilize seedlings only moderately when needed and wash fertilizer off of foliage. Control aphids and thrips with pyrethrin. After frost danger, plant seedlings similarly to crowns, but use a W shaped trench - plant the seedling into the 1-2" high middle point in the W - to keep the roots out of water in case of heavy rain. Plant the crowns in furrows 6-8" deep and 3-5' apart. Recommended spacing within the row is 8" apart for slender spears and 14" apart for thick spears. Plant crown in early to mid-spring. Lay the roots flat in the trench and cover with 1-2" of soil. Fertilize with a high-phosphate starter fertilizer or abundant compost. As spears grow, gradually fill in the trench with soil. The new bed will be ready for moderate harvest a year after planting, and full harvest every mid-late spring thereafter for many years. Harvest by bending spear until it snaps, or cut 1" below the soil. STORAGE: Store at 32°F (0°C) for 2-3 weeks.
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