Asparagus Planting Guide

Asparagus are true perennials and are almost everlasting in the garden -  lasting well over 20 years!

Asparagus Crowns can be planted anytime from early August through to late November, and will reward you with deliciousness for years to come!

 

Asparagus Planting instructions:
- Select a nice and sunny permanent position, ensuring that all grass, roots, and Oxalis etc are completely removed... we don't want the Asparagus to be competing with weeds.

- It's important that the bed be raised 10-12cm above the surrounding garden to ensure good drainage.

- Prior to planting, work in some compost, well rotted manure, or a good dressing of blood and bone fertilizer.

- To plant the crowns, open up a 15 cm wide trench 7-8 cm deep and place crowns 45 cm a part with roots spread out in star fashion. Replace the soil covering the crowns. Keep your rows 60-80 cm a part.

 

Harvesting Asparagus:
In the first year cut spears for 2 weeks only – then allow plants to go to fern. Each year the cutting period can be extended until plants have become fully established.

Harvest the shoots which are bigger than 1-2cm in diameter, and leave the rest to grow into leafy ferns (they'll reach around 1.5metres in height!) which will feed the crowns to give a bumper crop next year. If you take away all of the shoots, you'll be taking away next years harvest.

Usually the cutting ceases in early December when plants are then allowed to run to fern.

In Autumn remove all fern when it has completely yellowed off.

 

Now that you're all clued up, make sure you scoot over to our Edibles range, and grab youselves some Asparagus Crowns before they're gone...