How to Plant California Asparagus

Planting asparagus is a rewarding venture because buying these vegetables in the grocery store can tend to be quite expensive. If you are an avid gardener and have the appropriate space, you will be able to take care of your asparagus relatively easily once you have planted the initial bed. If you can obtain asparagus crowns from a local grower or from the California Asparagus Commission, these are by far the best ways to begin your asparagus beds.

Things You'll Need

• California asparagus crowns
• Sandy loam or loamy soil
• Small trowel
• Manure

Instructions

1. Make sure the area you are going to plant the crowns in has sandy loam or loamy soil and will be able to drain well.

2. Place manure on the area that you will be planting the crowns about six months before you plan to plant.

3. Dig several eight-inch trenches about five feet apart. The amount of trenches you dig depends on how many crowns you have to plant.

4. Place the crowns into the trenches, making sure to leave approximately a foot between each crown.

5. Spread the roots of the crowns as evenly as possible throughout the trenches.

6. Cover the crowns with about one to two inches of soil, and water the trenches to get rid of any air pockets that may have been created during planting.

7. Continue to cover the plants with an inch or so every few days until the soil becomes flush with the surrounding area. Do not cover the points (the part of the plant that is growing out of the ground) when you are putting the soil over them.

Tips & Warnings

• Planting should commence in later winter once the last hard frost has occurred.

References

• The Westside Gardener
• North Carolina State University, Department of Horticultural Science