How to Use Asparagus as a Companion Plant

Companion planting is the art of planting vegetables, herbs, and flowers near each other to boost their yield and to keep pests and weeds at bay. Many different plants really complement each other in the garden, and using companion plants can help reduce your dependence on chemicals like pesticides and other harmful substances, as well. Here is how to employ asparagus as a companion plant.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Asparagus plants or "crowns"
• An asparagus bed or garden

1. Know that to grow asparagus successfully you need an area where you experience winter ground freezes or dry seasons during the summer. Asparagus plants can live 20 years or more, and most people start them with plant starts called "crowns" that are available at most nurseries and garden centers. The crowns should be one year old. Remember that this is a slow-growth plant, and that you can't harvest your asparagus until the third season after planting.

2. Consider that asparagus helps the growth of beets, lettuce and spinach, so plant it between the rows of these plants. It also helps create more parsley and tomatoes if you plant it near these plants, and it will help basil, as well.

3. Be aware that asparagus has no known enemies, so you can plant it throughout the garden.

4. Learn that asparagus likes full sun and well-drained soil. You should use a lot of manure or compost mixed with the soil when you first prepare your asparagus beds.