When to Plant Asparagus Crowns

Growing asparagus in the home garden can save you money and ensure that the plant is not tainted with pesticides or herbicides.

Asparagus is the first spring vegetable to be harvested. It is a perennial plant that grows from crowns planted underground. The long thin stalks are the stems of the plant and will grow feathery leaves and a flower if allowed to continue growing in soil. Starting asparagus by seed can take many seasons before you ever get one edible little stalk. Asparagus beds are best begun with crowns in spring which provide a root system that the plants will rise from for up to 15 seasons.

Crowns

Crowns are the bottoms of established plants. They are usually one-year-old crowns but you can purchase older ones if you are eager to start harvesting. Usually one-year-old crowns will need at least three years before you can harvest any spears. Most crowns come mail order, although some nurseries carry them. Make certain they are disease free and have no rotten spots. Order in fall so you can be assured of receiving them in time for planting.

Site

Asparagus grows in almost any type of soil as long as it has excellent drainage. Compost incorporated into the soil will increase the tilth and drainage and add plenty of nutrients for the roots to collect. It never hurts to use a tiller or garden fork and break up the soil to a depth of at least 12 inches and rake out any rocks, roots or other debris. Asparagus should not be planted where corn was once planted or where another asparagus bed was to prevent spreading diseases.

How to Plant Crowns

Early spring, from April 15 to May 15, is the best time to plant asparagus crowns. Dig trenches 6 to 8 inches deep and 4 feet apart. If the soil wasn't amended earlier, mix 2 inches each of manure and sand into the bottom of the trench. Spread the roots out into the trench and fill in around them to the top of the crown. Fill in the trench the rest of the way as the plants grow up through the soil until the top of the trench is even with the rest of the soil line. This will take most of the spring before the trench is filled in.

Care

Every fall or spring the asparagus bed should have a layer of manure applied at the rate of 50 lbs. per 100 square feet. In very early spring before shoots emerge, spread a fertilizer with the ratio 1-1-1 or other balanced formula onto the soil around the plants. Use straw or grass clippings as a side dressing for nutrients and to control weeds. Spears that come up after July 1 should be allowed to leaf out to accumulate plant sugars for the roots to ensure an adequate harvest the next year.

References

• University of Minnesota: Growing Asparagus; Deborah L. Brown
• Iowa State University Department of Agriculture: Asparagus; Henry G. Taber, Vince Lawson; June 2008
• Purdue Horticulture: Growing Asparagus in the Home Garden; B. Rosie Lerner
• Gardening Know How: Planting Asparagus- How to Make an Asparagus Bed