Planting ASPARAGUS From Start To Finish [COMPLETE GUIDE]
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 12 มิ.ย. 2024
- Growing asparagus is something every gardener should do! Asparagus roots have a lifespan of 20-30 years, so if you plant them once, they'll feed you for decades! This is a complete guide from start to finish on planting asparagus bare roots, including final results.
I purchased asparagus bare root from a local supplier. The asparagus varieties I selected are Pacific Purple asparagus and Jersey Supreme asparagus. We are planting asparagus crowns of those varieties.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
0:00 Why You Should Grow Asparagus
0:47 Soaking Asparagus Crowns
1:46 Asparagus Crown Spacing Requirements
2:59 Selecting A Location To Grow Asparagus
3:44 Asparagus Planting Depth
4:53 Planting Asparagus In Raised Beds
6:04 How To Dig An Asparagus Trench
6:32 How To Fertilize Asparagus
8:06 How To Plant Asparagus Roots
11:03 When To Plant Asparagus
11:44 Asparagus Progress After 11 Days
13:10 When To Harvest Asparagus
14:44 Adventures With Dale
If you have any questions about how to plant asparagus, planting asparagus roots, growing asparagus roots in your garden, fertilizing asparagus, about the things I am growing in my garden, are looking for any garden tips and tricks, or have questions about gardening and organic gardening in general, please ask in the Comments below!
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34.1°N Latitude
Zone 8A
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Hi, I've watched a dozen or more video's on planting/growing asparagus and yours is by far the best, most informative one. Thank you. From TN zone 7.
I’m in TN zone 7 also, preparing my raised bed to plant this week … but guess who’s having a heat wave - ugh🤦🏻♀️
The most thorough garden guru on the net. Thank you for all you do! I have learned so much from you over the years.
This clip is the best for me so far, so detailed!!!
I really love the way you explain the process, you didn’t hide nothing, thank you.
HI there ftom NZ. I love your very clear and methodical approach. Follow this video when planting out Asparagus and you can't go wrong!!! Thanks.
We used to grow asparagus at our last house in NY and those plants were 25 years in the ground and still producing. Our dogs loved the raw trimmings off of the asparagus.
Excellent. 25 years is an amazing lifespan. Were they beginning to tire by that age?
They were still doing well, but I never really cut them off hard as I never took the thick stalks. We were in zone 5b WNY then and our soil was a sandy loam. I do not remember the variety, but is was green and we had two 15 foot rows alongside the south side of our shed.
I wish I had seen this before I started my bed last year. However, since I love asparagus and want a larger bed, I am glad I found this video now. I will use this information to locate, build, and prepare another bed to be ready to plant next spring. In the meantime, I will continue to support my little ferns.
Thank you for sharing such helpful information.
I am wrapping up my seed purchases, bareroot plants and have included asparagus for this years garden. I needed information on planting and care and you certainly delivered. that's why I came to you first. now I am excited. Thanks for the awesome information.
You’re welcome! Thanks so much for watching!
Wow this was exactly what I was hoping to find. I had always heard their are do's and don'ts to growing this and I fell like I understand I now know what to do. Great video.
I’m glad it was helpful. Thanks so much for watching!
Really enjoyed this video!! Very clear cut and logical approach, that included a number of very worthwhile details. Definitely time well spent!
Glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for watching.
What a great post you have shared! I’ve been (obsessively) researching asparagus planting (books and online), and your post is the most succinct and informative I’ve found. I live in SoCal which, I’m guessing, shares much with your garden zone. I look forward to following your upcoming posts. You are a natural teacher!
I’m happy to hear that! I try to make my guides a true start-to-finish tutorial with a follow-up. Many folks don’t take the time to follow up, so how can anyone know the method is successful? It takes more time to do it this way, but it produces better results. This follow up video may help you, too: th-cam.com/video/xgy9FeMXIFo/w-d-xo.html
Good explanation. In depth with no fluff. I always enjoy your videos.
Thank you! I'm glad you enjoy them. Thank you for watching.
I agree, lack of fluff is what attracts the many viewers. The Millennial Gardener channel is well worth our time. Happy Gardening.
Wonderful informational video and love your channel. Keep up the good work.
Thanks for watching!
Very nice video very informative exactly what I needed to know thank you very much.
Great video. Thanks for sharing such valuable knowledge.
Glad it was helpful! Thank you for watching! I appreciate it.
Can't wait to start mine! Thanks for the info.
Thanks for watching!
THANKS for the great video; answered all my questions
You're welcome! Thank you for watching!
Thank you so much!! Your video is awesome!! You are an excellent teacher!! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
Thank you! Glad it was helpful!
Liked the details for planting. Thank you.
You're welcome! Thanks for watching!
Thanks. Excellent instructional video👍
Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for watching!
Learned a lot, again. Thank you!! ♥️ Dale, his expression ..😂😂😂
Great video! Love your pup!
Dale is the best! Thanks for watching!
I have an asparagus plant in one raised bed. It is 6 y/o. I didn’t exactly follow direction when they first arrived. Hence just the one. However waiting now on thirty crowns. Excited to do this right this time.
I bet you'll have a lot more success this time. I only buried mine 2-3 inches. Once they're all up and several inches tall, I'll add another 2 inches of compost and a little 1-2 inch mulch layer. It's been 2 weeks and almost every one is up!
😢😢😢😮😮😮😮😮😮😢😢🎉🎉😂❤❤❤❤
🎉
Thank you sir for sharing how to plant asparagus
Thanks for watching!
Our Asparagus is 3 and 4 years old. Getting good spears!
very complete video about asparagus and interesting varieties that we don't know here. We grow asparagus for 12 years here and it's a pleasure for the springtime. Greetings for Europe
Thank you for watching! How are they producing after 12 years?
@@TheMillennialGardener Yes but we've lost some plants due to an insect (don't know the name in english:-). We had to plant it in a lot of sand because our soil is too wet (clay). We add organic fertilizer each springtime. We have a tool to cut it inside the soil when the head appears for white asparagus or we cut it green if outside. Have a nice evening
Great video👍 very useful information
Glad it was helpful! Thanks for watching!
Thank you. I have asparagus on order and i needed to know how to plant it. I hope your dog Dale isn't too disappointed that you weren't planting meat.
Excellent video.
Thank you very much! Glad you liked it. Thanks for watching!
As usual, your instructions are complete, detailed and easy even for the most green (npi) gardener to follow. I have a two-row, twenty-ft. asparagus bed (Jersey Giant) that I planted in ground about fifteen years ago. As you said in your instructions, I had to keep my harvest to a minimum for two years (I cut for two weeks only and then stopped) and then went full harvest ever since (six weeks). After that, I give them a feeding and allow the stalks to grow to full height (about four feet). To keep the strong winds from blowing them over, I use wire fencing on either side of the bed. To date, I get a supply of this delicious vegetable easily for a family of four. I notice that Dale is exceptionally attentive and intelligent, but we knew that already.
Great information. Glad to hear they're doing so well after 15 years. I wasn't aware that asparagus require staking. That's interesting. I guess I'll look into that when the time comes. I bet they're good candidates for Florida Weave. Dale is so smart it freaks me out. Every night after dinner, we have "dessert" that consists of some plain yogurt and nuts because we are boring people, and Dale gets his own bowl of plain, unsweetened yogurt for dessert. When I am making it, he comes over and literally checks for 3 bowls. I think he can count them. And when he sees there are 3, he runs to his bed and waits because he knows he isn't allowed to eat on the couch. His behavior is odd because he's so human-like it boggles my mind at times.
@@TheMillennialGardener I put up wire fencing on the outside of the two rows of asparagus after we had a rough storm several years ago and afterward all the plants lay flat on the ground. The wire keeps the wind from doing that and, so far, it's worked. I know how you feel about Dale: I had a black Labrador retriever who exhibited so much of the behavior you describe that I was convinced he was a reincarnated human.
If you found this video helpful, please "Like" and share to help increase its reach! Thanks for watching 😊TIMESTAMPS for convenience:
0:00 Why You Should Grow Asparagus
0:47 Soaking Asparagus Crowns
1:46 Asparagus Crown Spacing Requirements
2:59 Selecting A Location To Grow Asparagus
3:44 Asparagus Planting Depth
4:53 Planting Asparagus In Raised Beds
6:04 How To Dig An Asparagus Trench
6:32 How To Fertilize Asparagus
8:06 How To Plant Asparagus Roots
11:03 When To Plant Asparagus
11:44 Asparagus Progress After 11 Days
13:10 When To Harvest Asparagus
14:44 Adventures With Dale
I planted some last year in the back of my flower garden against the house where other stuff has not been happy. they came up well last year. we will see how they are this year. still have some snow on the ground here in coastal Connecticut
I got free Mary Washington seeds from Bakercreek 4 years ago and I harvested a few last year. Interesting plant . Thanks friend.
In Michigan can I plant in fall?
Yes I am I’m planting this spring a fun fact Delaware where I am living was once the asparagus capital it grows on the side of the roads in urban areas in may we ride around and harvest just need a keen eye for it my grand father taught me at a young age I’ve been doing it about forty years now
Just bought some crowns today! I'll be prepping my bed as soon as I can!
Mine is several years old but I wasn’t given good directions from our local county extension agent. Last year I had new beds built and two are 24” deep. They are 3’ X 12” bc it’s easier to reach the center and I’m aging…68 tomorrow! Anyway I’m going to start over using one of these deep beds. I think I’ll plant daffodils in the original bed. After all, it’s in my flower gardens! Thanks for your clear directions. I’m in the foothills of NC. Gets hotter here than my gf says it’s been at the beach and it can be colder as I’m up against Linville Gorge, Mt Mitchell and Grandfather Mtn
That's pretty cool I planted me some asparagus and I always enjoy it!
Very nice. How old are your plants?
@@TheMillennialGardener this spring summer will be my third year I'm expecting a very good harvest. They're the Mary Washington variety I think the department of agriculture developed these years ago very hardy plants. tastes nothing like what you get in the store almost sweet like candy.
@@davidcrowson4745 I believe they're an heirloom variety, or pretty close to it. Congrats on the upcoming harvest! Thanks for watching.
Thank you so much really enjoyed your video😊👍
Thanks for watching!
Wonderful~~ just I need it!!!🤗👍
Thanks for watching!
Nice job. Thank you sir
You are welcome!
Excellent video! I had no idea purple asparagus was more vigorous than the green variety.
It may depend on the variety. According to Handpicked Nursery, where I purchased my crowns, the Pacific Purple and Purple Passion varieties are more vigorous than the Jersey varieties. And the Jersey varieties are pretty highly regarded, too. I've never had purple asparagus. Everything I've read said they are sweeter than the green types, so why not? The only dangerous amount is none!
It's been a few years. Do the purple ones really taste sweeter? I'm thinking about starting an asparagus bed this year
13:14 LOL! I had ruled out growing asparagus because we really don't have anywhere (left) to put them, but now I am probably going to revisit that decision. I like the look of those purple ones!
You know, I need to keep an eye on Dale. He LOVES raw kale and broccoli. I bet he'd like raw asparagus while it's young and tender. I'm not going to show him what it is yet because he may decide to self-harvest my beautiful new spears coming up 😅 The cool thing about asparagus is it, quite literally, grows like a weed. You can probably shove it in a corner somewhere and it'll just do its thing. It grows wild in the woods in a lot of northern climates, so it will find a way to survive. With all the work I put into growing tricky things like tomatoes and figs, I need something easy that grows itself.
Where did you buy the asparagus?
@@MrUscuteguy1 I have them linked in my Amazon Storefront. They are a local company that sells through Amazon and I gave a little info at 0:49. The seller is Handpicked Nursery.
I love your videos thanks.
Thank you! I appreciate you watching.
Haha. Take my like for putting the "bubble" on your dog. Nice.
I'll take it! Thanks for watching!
Thank you this qas very good
I appreciate it! Thanks for watching!
Brilliant video thanks...🇳🇿
You’re welcome! Thanks for watching.
Thanks for such a detailed video on how to grow asparagus in your backyard. I really like the spacing Information, you shared for a raised garden bed. Are there any issues if I plant my asparagus crown in early to mid-summer? I live in south jersey zone 6b. I don't have my garden bed ready for Asparagus now and I am trying to avoid waiting till later fall or spring to start.
Dam great video. Thanks!
Glad you liked it! Thanks for watching!
Oh thank you!
You're welcome! Thanks for watching.
excellent video
Thank you!
great info... thanks
You’re welcome!
I planted asparagus several years ago and am looking forward to making my first harvest this year.
I also have a Jersey variety, but also Mary Washington, which I discovered produces seed. I collected a bunch last year and planted some a week ago’. They just recently sprouted so I should get more plants for free!
Good luck on your first harvest! Congrats! Thanks for watching.
I have asparagus all over the place from the seeding each year. It pops up everywhere.
Thanku great vid
You're welcome! Thanks for watching!
I’m up from you near Raleigh. What watering schedule do you follow for your asparagus in the spring and summer?
Love your videos. You are one of 3-4 gardeners I follow here.
Cheers
Would be cool to see and updated video on your harvest 😮
It takes 3-4 years to take an asparagus harvest. I had my first true harvest this year since it was Year 3, but it was too small to really appreciate. Asparagus is a long-term project. It takes time, but then it produces for a generation.
Really enjoyed this tutorial on asparagus. I now know how to grow a great vegetable the best way.... thank you 😀
Thank you for watching! I appreciate it!
How did you determine how many crowns to plant? Just getting into gardening and love your channel (so far, I've got tomatoes and 4 fig trees :D )
I loved the way you patted on the soil after planting them 😂
You have to get those soil voids out 😅 Thanks for watching!
@@TheMillennialGardener Will keep that in mind :D
I’m new to your channel and loving it. I’m going to plant asparagus and wondering if this bed gets watered like other raised beds growing vegetables?
In the beginning, yes, but I haven’t watered them in years. Asparagus roots are enormous, and it rains a lot where I live, so there is no reason to ever water them on the east coast when they’re 2-3 years old. You’d have to have historic drought to threaten them, especially if you mulch them well.
Looking good! I planted mine last Spring ,the Jersey Knights variety 2 year old crowns, can't wait to finally eat some this year, I read somewhere that the Jersey varieties are being discontinued though..
Really? I just purchased Jersey Supreme and I thought it was a newer "Jersey" variety. I'm good for the next 15-20 years, so I'm covered 😆
@@TheMillennialGardener yes me too lol ! I'm sure someone will grow it and prolong it , just a heads up but you probably know this , mine grew to almost 6ft tall and I had to put a string fence around it so they wouldn't fall over .
@@giankees450 6 feet? That I was not expecting. I've seen them get 4 feet tall but that's pretty amazing!
@@TheMillennialGardener a friend of mine grows that tall too!
Thank you for the encouragement to grow asparagus! I just planted purple asparagus in a raised bed in mid Feb. Last weekend we got a hard frost here in NC, and the brand new 4-6" shoots were decimated. Do you think they will recover? I'm sure you got a frost in Wilmington last weekend. Did you cover yours?
The same thing happened to me. I had a dozen spears that were 1-2 feet tall. They all got destroyed. I should have harvested them. The spears are tender. Cover wouldn't have helped, because it was a 24 degree hard freeze. It just would've froze through. In the future, if you're getting a hard freeze, it's best to just harvest the spears rather than have them go to waste, I guess. They will come back. The roots will send new spears.
Ya know it’s an authentic asparagus planting video when you’re still filming at dusk!!
Haha, ahh memories…
The challenge with filming these videos is it makes everything take 3 times longer. A 1-2 hour process turns into a half a day's work. But that's what it takes to make the videos, so hopefully it'll help a lot of people over the years.
@@TheMillennialGardenerI wasn't being rude, I was only reflecting on how long it took me to plant my asparagus.
I'm in the Triad of NC and the winter (February and March) was brutally cold and wet. I'm only now getting to put my new crowns in. It's a little late...wish me luck!
You will do well. Since you cannot harvest asparagus the first year, you should be just fine. Best of luck!
Nice job. I have 4-year-old plants that are doing very well but I was told to stop harvesting in mid-July to allow the plants to grow out and give energy to the roots. I wish you would have gone into the harvest more. When to stop harvesting or how much to harvest. Do you take some all summer and leave some when it gets hot. Thanks
My plants are only one year old, so I don't really have the ability or firsthand experience to go into that just yet. I will provide regular updates as to what to do second year when my plants emerge next season. I'll eventually have a fall update where I can touch on these things, as well.
Amazing video like all your other ones. After you plant the asparagus the first year, do let it come up and grow until the fall? Then cut it off? What if you feel you didn't get all the bare root asparagus to push through the dirt, do you replant the next year? I planted mine very close together in a raised bed very similar to your alignment but I don't think they all came up through the dirt above them. Should I wait a second year to see what comes up? How do I know if some of them rotted? I planted in January here in northern california. Thanks for any tips!!!
The first year, let your asparagus grow. Don't cut anything and just let it do its thing. They need to focus 100% of their energy on developing a root structure. The roots will grow in size and fill up any "gaps" if a couple bare roots didn't come up here and there. I think I had 1 that didn't come up, but it won't matter because that space will be absorbed by the others. You can perform a very, very light spear harvest the second season, but some people prefer to wait until the third season to harvest anything. Full harvests come at about Year 4.
I am right up in surf city. I could not find link to your supplier of crowns. Thanks, Betsy
This was very helpful as my crowns planted last year (zone 5) came up last year but not this year. It's April 11th and nothing. I think I planted them too shallow, but I did everything else like you said.
Any other hints or tips as to why asparagus fail the 2nd year would be welcome. 😊
Do you have a meat thermometer? Try taking the temperature of your soil 6-10 inches deep. If you are in Zone 5, your soil may still be too cool for the asparagus to come up yet. April 11 seems fairly early in Zone 5 as I imagine you’ll still be at risk of frost for the next 30-45 days, right?
Well, I started a new bed and once the new ones came up, so did the old ones. Now I have double the fun!
I may have missed it, but there was no mention of mulch? Thank you.
It sounds like it is too late in the year for me to plant in Zone 5. Regardless, would like to try to plant these two asparagus varieties you mentioned.
Thank you so much for your video. I have been video hunting for awhile and this one is very good!
You may be able to because Zone 5 is generally cool, but it is best to wait until early spring a couple weeks before your last frost date. I’m glad you enjoyed the video. I couldn’t find any videos that had a follow-up showing the spears breaking soil, so I wanted to take the time and make a complete video.
It’s late, but between not being able to find the asparagus in local garden centers and just not having time, I planted them today. If they don’t come up, guess I’ll try to find more crowns and hold onto them until the fall.
I planted 1yr plants. Can I harvest this year or wait until next year?
I have seeds, it’s July 27th 2023. I live in zone 6a. Should I go ahead and plant the seed in the ground this fall or wait until spring, our winters have changed with the climate & have been very mild. Or start the seeds in the greenhouse, most say start by February and transplant in the spring?
I planted my crowns and covered them with 3 inches if soil. They broke the surface very quickly and I covered them with another several inches of soil. They have continued to grow. Are they ok? They seem to love growing.I am not picking them but how much water should they get? I don't want them to dry up.
Great vid. I sowed 20 pots of Mary Washington in mid feb. They are all up and look fine but when it comes to planting out I won't be able to do it the way you show as the roots will be bound up in compost and not bare root like yours. Should I just plant as normal(i.e 12 in apart rows 18 in) without any ridge within the trench?
If you are starting them in pots, that means you'll be transplanting them as a rootball, sort of like planting a small fruit tree or a big tomato, right? If so, you'll probably have to plant them like you would a tomato. Once you get a rootball, pop them out, fluff the bottom of the roots a little and plant them in a hole. I don't see another way you could do it if I'm understanding properly.
Hi. Thank you for a wonderful video.
We moved north 7 years ago and unfortunately I left my asparagus behind. They were 10 years old by that time and producing well. I was very unsuccessful last year growing them and the company I bought them from sent me replacements.
I have them in tall bottomless pots because we only have narrow hardscape around the house. I don't know if growing them that way will work.
It's worth a try. The company I ordered from sent me more roots than I ordered, so I placed an extra in a simple 1 gallon container to se what it did. Within 9 days, it was up. It's around 4 inches tall, now. I'm probably going to give it to my father. They should come up with you quickly no matter what you plant them in. The question is, will they last long-term? It's definitely worth a shot. Asparagus can fit practically anywhere, though. You could even crow them as landscaping!
Can it be moved (like 6 months later) to an area where I decide to remove the landscape fabric and rocks?
Thanks for your reply.@@TheMillennialGardener
3 years old this year
Hi
Good evening
Very interesting to see your demonstration stepwise.
I need your Guidance..
Can I grow asparagus plant in India south regions (Bangalore) Can you suggest me please ..
I tried once by seedlings but couldn’t succeed..
Prabhu
Asparagus likes cooler climates. Usually, they grow best in zones 5-8, with some cold hardy varieties surviving as low as zone 3. I don’t know if any asparagus that does well in places warmer than zone 9. You can try, but it will be difficult if you’re in a a tropical area. They like a cool season.
Just received my 25 purple passion 1 yr roots - question - can I pre plant in large dishpans with several holes until my raised garden beds are ready - will they go thru shock when I finally get garden beds ready
Hi, I noticed he didn't reply but I was in your exact situation. I researched it and came up with wrapping the crowns in damp newspaper and keeping them in a cool location.
Love your channel , Have you seen any lila avocados out yet ?
Thanks. Not yet. It is been a very cold, below average winter and everything is late. Last year, I was hand pollinating my avocado in February. This year, we are over 3 weeks past that point and I don’t even have a single flower open yet. Everything is so late from this terrible winter.
@@TheMillennialGardener Thank you so much. I hear you on the cold winter. If you see some, please post about it.
Thanks for watching!
Can you use cuttings from plant to grow new plant?
I don't know the answer to that question. I've only ever seen asparagus grown from roots or from seed. Considering they grow from a rhizome, I would assume they're like a banana where you'd have to peel a "pup" off with the roots attached to start a new one, but I'm honestly not sure.
Need the link for veteran store please
Would you worry about contact dermatitis of asparagus on pets?
Is cypress mulch good to use in the asparagus plants to keep the weeds down will it interfere with the asparagus growing or able to pop the surface
Cypress mulch is fine. It is rot resistant, so it won’t break down as rapidly. That is good for weed suppression, but it won’t add organic matter as quickly as faster decomposing mulches, so keep that in mind.
Hello from Essex in the UK. Did you put the wood chip back on after watering or leave it off ? TIA 🤔😊
Thanks for watching! I did not put the wood chips back on yet. I want the asparagus to all pop up and get to be about 6 inches (15 cm) first. Then I will add a small layer of additional compost and then add the wood chips back.
@@TheMillennialGardener
Please make another video when it’s time to add another layer of compost . Thanks for the lovely video
With such a long time being invested before harvest how did you select a variety? Do you have some you can recommend? I like large diameter spears, that produce a lot. Live in zone 6a. Do you recommend 3 year old crowns, they cost a lot more.
It's not really a long time. If you plant asparagus in March, you'll be able to have your first *small* harvest the following spring, so it's really only 12-13 months til you can take a couple pieces. Then, you can take full harvests in subsequent years. Buy your asparagus based on the colors you want - there is green, purple and white. I wanted green and purple, personally. Out of those, I just read through numerous varieties and chose varieties described as vigorous and disease-resistant. I am not disappointed. They're both excellent and delicious. They're unreal eaten raw and fresh. I have my varieties linked in my Amazon Storefront in the video description under Bare Root Plants.
Will you be adding another raised bed on top of that first one, making the asparagus deeper?
No. My native soil is very sandy, so the roots will simply continue down into the native soil. Over time, the roots will get pretty large.
Can you plant strawberries between the rows? Would you change the spacing in order to interplant them?
I know a lot of people say that asparagus and strawberries are good companions, but after growing this asparagus, I can't see how that's possible. The asparagus is so vigorous and grows so large and dense that I can't see strawberries surviving. They'd be crowded out in no time, at least with my setup. If you're going to interplant asparagus and strawberries, you'll need to space your asparagus *several* feet apart. Spacing your asparagus 16-20 inches is going to have such dense ferns that they'll crowd out anything else. I think you'd need to space your asparagus crowns 3-5 feet apart to achieve that.
👍👍👍
Thanks for watching!
How du you grow White asparges?
How much asparagus will you harvest the third year from that sized plot?
And, what do you do with the growth at end of first year..prune it to ground level?
Tks.
It's hard to say. That's going to depend on countless factors. I got a few night's worth once the plot hit year 3. Asparagus is killed to the ground when it freezes.
Instructions from many suppliers, including Hand Picked say to use 30% sand mixture when planting asparagus. You state that you are using straight turkey compost. Is that preferable in a raised bed situation? Also did you plant the Jersey Supreme 12" apart in the rows, and the Pacific Purple 8" apart as recommended, and did you do half of each row in both colors vs. 1&1/2 of each row? Thank you!
What they're trying to say by adding a "sand" qualifier is that they require good drainage and no standing water. Compost holds moisture very well, but it also drains very well. It's the perfect medium, because it prevents your plants from drying out while also preventing standing water. I am also growing in raised beds, which makes standing water literally impossible. That's one the many benefits of raised beds: you never have to worry about a standing water condition. If you are growing in-ground and not in a raised bed, build yourself a compost mound/berm and plant the asparagus on a hill so water drains away.
All my asparagus crowns are placed a little closer together than recommended. I planted them in pretty high density. The exact spacing is detailed in the video. It certainly hasn't hindered them. They grow like weeds. My bed is half purple, half Jersey.
@@TheMillennialGardener Thank you so much for the detailed info. I am going to plant in a raised bed, so I should be good to go. I discovered that Hand Picked Nursery is 10 miles from me, so I'm going to pick up in person. In the interest of planting closer together, how many crowns would you recommend for a 4x10 bed?
While this video is one of the best on asparagus planting it is the only one I’ve seen (or from reading online) that didn’t recommend adding some sand.
Based on the overwhelming recommendations I’ll be adding sand but otherwise this was helpful and very well done.
@@MD-wk3gj I already planted without adding sand. I wonder if I can mix some in later on after the plants are established.
@@jenniferhayes5071 my understanding is the sand should be mixed in which allows the roots to move easier through the soil.
Since it’s already planted I wouldn’t think it’s wise to disturb the roots.
I receive my crowns today, I live in Al, zone 7b. When do I plant them and how do I keep them until I plant them?
I will be planting them in my garden that I let rest last year, good soil
You can plant them right away as long as your ground isn't frozen. If your ground is frozen due to all this cold we've been getting recently, you may want to wait until the first week of February since it's supposed to get much milder. But if your soil is workable, and it probably is given your location, now's a pretty good time.
Can asparagus grow in zone 9b where temps in the summer get into triple digits?
I don't know. You certainly can try. It may be getting kind of late to plant crowns, but you certainly have nothing to lose by running the experiment. Zone 8/9 seems to be the border of where "they say" asparagus can grow, but I'm growing an avocado tree in Zone 8, so I don't listen to what "they" say.
When we collect as full harvest do we collect all shoot??
You can harvest them in the sizes you prefer. Some people like them small and tender. Others like them larger and meatier. Harvest them as you see fit.
Have you ever used Mycorrhizal Fungi when planting?
I have not. My beds are pure compost, and I top them with mulch during the winter, and when it comes to my larger annuals like tomatoes and peppers, I pile mulch around them. They typically interweave with mycorrhiza, so maybe it's a similar effect.
@@TheMillennialGardener I’ve always used Mycos. Learned about it from James Prigioni’s channel.
@@winrockywin331 it's pretty expensive. I'd like to hear if you have success. I have a lot of tomato diseases here so maybe it's worth a shot. James doesn't seem to get a lot of diseases in his location. I used to live in NJ and diseases were pretty significant, though nothing like they are down here in NC. I could use all the help I can get.
@@TheMillennialGardener Yes I use it on all my plants with 100% success. It’s expensive but I only sprinkle a small amount directly on the roots. It’s a must for all my bare root plantings.
How about an update on the bed?
You can search "asparagus" on my channel. www.youtube.com/@TheMillennialGardener/search?query=asparagus
I planted my asperagus in early Spring but I don't have any spears just fern. What's up with that?
I learned that first year are mainly ferns, then gentle harvest 2nd and 3rd year if planting mature crowns
The spears turn into ferns. But thats ok, next season about march, watch for the shoots, they grow very fast. The ferns are the plant's way of making food for itself after the season is season.
nice drawings engineer.
I'm proficient in Microsoft Paint 😆
Can you recommend any online sources for asparagus crowns?
Yes. I have them linked in my Amazon Storefront in the video description under BARE ROOT PLANTS. The seller I recommend, HandpickedNursery, is a North Carolina military vet. The quality is unbelievable. All my asparagus and strawberries are from him.
@@TheMillennialGardener Thank you!
How do you grow White asparges?
White asparagus is no different than purple or green in terms of how to grow it, so you can follow this exact method and it'll work fine.
How do you fertilize your asparagus in subsequent years?
Is it too late to plant now?? May 11
It depends on your zone. If you're far north where you don't get hot summers, now is fine. If you're down south where summers are very hot and long, you may want to wait. Spring is generally best so it establishes during cooler weather.
Don't you think you need to increase the height of your asparagus beds?
No. My bed does not have a bottom. The roots will simply grow into the native, sandy soil.
Why do my plants come up mostly as little trees instead of spears
I don’t have raised beds I have 10 acres