How to Plant an Asparagus Bed

Asparagus tips are edible both raw and cooked.

A rich source of vitamins, asparagus is a perennial vegetable used in a variety of cuisines and as a side dish at mealtime. Asparagus is harvested in the spring and early summer and then allowed to continue growing so fern heads develop. The ferns collect the needed nutrients for winter so the plant continues producing the following year. Asparagus needs at least 8 hours of sunlight each day and a well-drained growing area to produce a quality harvest each year.

Things You'll Need

• Tiller or shovel
• High-phosphorus fertilizer
• 1-year-old asparagus crowns

Instructions

1. Till the soil in your asparagus bed to a depth of at least 8 inches. Work in a high-phosphorous fertilizer while you are turning the soil. Remove large rocks and debris as you work.

2. Dig a trench 6 to 8 inches deep for each row of asparagus. Space furrows at least 4 feet apart for multiple-row beds. Trim any rotted or dead sections of roots from the asparagus crowns. Space the asparagus crowns 18 inches apart in the furrows. Spread the roots of the crowns and make certain the top is pointing upwards.

3. Position the crowns so the roots of one crown are not touching the roots of another. Cover the crowns and roots with 2 to 3 inches of soil. Do not fill in the furrow, or you will bury the crowns too deeply, and they may fail to produce. Water the crowns thoroughly.

4. Add 2 to 3 inches of soil each week as the asparagus crowns grow. Once the furrow is filled, discontinue the soil additions. Keep the asparagus watered well during the growing season.

5. Grow out the asparagus and allow the fern heads to develop the first year. The stalks produced during the first year are inedible. The fern heads help the plant collect the nutrients needed to produce healthy stalks next year. Once the first frost hits, cut back the asparagus to a height of 2 inches. Mulch well to protect from the winter weather.

6. Remove the mulch in the spring when the asparagus sprouts. Harvest your asparagus starting the second or third year after planting. Continue fertilizing with a high-phosphorus fertilizer each year.

References

• University of Minnesota Extension Service; Growing Aparagus; Deborah L. Brown; February 1999
• Ohio State University; Growing Asparagus in the Home Garden; Carl J. Cantaluppi; 1994
• Virginia Cooperative Extension; Asparagus; Diane Relf, et al; May 1, 2009