In the days of year round vegetables the allure of home grown vegetables has been somewhat diminished. But, if you have ever eaten homegrown asparagus freshly cut from the garden you will know it is a delicacy well worth enjoying. I even recommend avoiding asparagus out of season and only eat home grown, freshly cut asparagus. You can’t beat the real thing.

Important Tips for Asparagus

Growing asparagus needs a certain amount of patience. In the first year you can take very little from the plant. However, if properly prepared, asparagus beds can provide a long running output of delicious asparagus stems for the kitchen.

How To Grow Asparagus

• Choose a well Drained patch of soil. Asparagus hates to have its roots sitting in damp and boggy ground.
• The best time to plant roots is in March.
• If you have heavy soil work in some grit to improve the drainage of the soil.
• Measure out beds 1m (3ft) apart
• Make 2 ridges about 1 feet apart running down length of bed
• Drape the crowns over the ridges so that the roots hang down the slope
• Shovel the topsoil back over them, making a raised bed as you do so.

• In the first year, you will see the first shoots, but, these should not be cut, you will not be harvesting until the next year.
• In November cut back the growth once the leaves turn yellow.
• In the first spring, limit yourself to 2 cuttings.
• In the second spring stop cutting on June 1st – allowing plenty of time for regeneration.
• Then in the following year you are free to cut until mid June.

Try These Asaparagus Types

Pacific 200 produces uniform spears that can even be eaten raw.

Guelph Millenium is a late season cropper that tolerates lower temperatures.

Ariane is a commercial variety with purplish bracts.

Forcing Asparagus.

• If you left the plants rest in June, and heavily manure them, you may get a second crop in September.
• If you take them inside a greenhouse and provide heat at the base you can get a crop until October / November but this is more difficult.

• Asparagus from Thompson & Morgan