- Light. Asparagus plants grow best in full sun. Without enough daily sunlight, you will wind up with thin spears and weak plants that are prone to problems.
- Soil. For a long-lived perennial like asparagus, it pays to take the time to improve your soil. ...
- Water. Asparagus needs regular watering, especially while young; give it 1 to 2 inches of water per week during its first two growing seasons; give older plants about 1 inch ...
- Temperature and Humidity. During the growing season, asparagus prefers a temperature of 70 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit during the day and 60 to 70 degrees at night.
- Fertilizer. When preparing your asparagus bed, add compost and an all-purpose organic fertilizer to the trench, as well as rock phosphate, a natural mineral powder that promotes root growth.
How do you take care of asparagus?
A final bit of asparagus care might involve very gently raking in the fertilizer. After you have made your final cut of the year you are going to leave the asparagus to grow on. It will grow into a plant up to 1m in height with fairly wispy fern like foliage. These asparagus ferns catch the wind.
How do you get rid of weeds in asparagus?
Remove weeds when preparing the bed, and keep weeding while the asparagus plants are young. Asparagus roots form a tightly woven mat, from which it is challenging to remove weeds. Add mulch to the asparagus bed to control weeds. Do not add any other plants to the asparagus bed—they dislike any competition for nutrients.
How do you prepare the soil for asparagus?
For a long-lived perennial like asparagus, it pays to take the time to improve your soil before you plant it. Work in plenty of organic matter and make sure the soil pH is in the neutral 6.0 to 7.0 range. Also get rid of any weeds and large stones in the area, before planting.
How do you harvest asparagus?
For healthy, well-established asparagus plants, patience is key. You can harvest a few spears in the third year of growth. The plants are not fully mature, so harvest for two weeks, then let the new spears grow undisturbed after that initial harvest. Fronds will unfurl from the spears, creating the pretty, airy foliage that feeds the plant.
How do you maintain an asparagus bed?
Mulch around the plant with compost or grass clippings to help retain soil moisture and reduce weed growth. During the first 2 years after planting, asparagus plants need 1 to 2 inches of water per square foot per week. If you are not receiving adequate rainfall, you will likely need to water.
What do I do with my asparagus in the spring?
Here's how to take care of your established asparagus bed in the early spring:Cut down all the brown fern tops. ... Weed and clean out debris.Top the bed with a 1-2 inch layer of garden compost.Optional: layer the compost with a weed suppressing mulch like straw, grass clippings, etc.
Do asparagus plants need to be cut back?
Ideally, asparagus should be cut back in the fall but it is important that you wait until all of the foliage has died back and turned brown or yellow. This will normally happen after the first frost, but it can happen without frost in areas that do not receive frost.
How long does an asparagus patch last?
A well-maintained asparagus patch will easily last between 10 and 20 years minimum. In order to get this long life and good harvests, though, your asparagus patch will need a bit of tending through the growing season when it is not producing spears for eating.
When should I burn my asparagus?
In spring, it is best to remove them from the field and burn or compost them elsewhere in order to minimize asparagus insect pests like asparagus beetles and pathogens that have been overwintering in the ferns.
What is best fertilizer for asparagus?
The best fertilizer for asparagus will feature a balanced formula that contains equal amounts of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, such as a 10-10-10 or 15-15-15 blend. Beginning in the fourth year, apply fertilizer after the final harvest in late spring or early summer, instead of a spring application.
What do I do with asparagus the first year?
Enjoy Your Asparagus Every Year Don't harvest your harvest during the first year. Just let the plants grow to give the crown a chance to become well established. You can start lightly harvesting your asparagus during the second year.
Should I let my asparagus flower?
Ferning out in asparagus is actually a good thing, as it indicates that photosynthesis is being promoted, therefore, nutrition production and absorption increases. During the ferning process, the majority of the energy produced is stored in the roots to facilitate new growth the next year.
How do you pick asparagus so it keeps growing?
2:095:13Harvesting Asparagus - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipA good rule of thumb is to end harvest when three-quarters of the shoots are less than 3/8 of anMoreA good rule of thumb is to end harvest when three-quarters of the shoots are less than 3/8 of an inch in diameter which is about the size of the tip of my pinky finger.
Can I mow over asparagus?
Answer: The asparagus foliage can be cut back to the ground after it has been destroyed by cold temperatures in fall. However, it is generally recommended that the dead foliage be allowed to stand over winter.
Is grass clippings good for asparagus?
Asparagus loves a deep, loose mulch. Although pine needles may work for this purpose, they make the soil more acidic as they decay. Asparagus grows best in alkaline soil, so I'd suggest you use shredded grass clippings, decaying straw, well-rotted sawdust or compost as the mulching material.
How often should you water your asparagus?
Asparagus needs 1–2 inches (2.5–5 cm) of water every week. Generally, the best way to make use of daily watering for asparagus is water the soil enough that it is consistently moist. Then, consistently mist asparagus rows to maintain soil moisture.
What do you do with asparagus plants?
Asparagus needs regular watering, especially while young; give it 1 to 2 inches of water per week during its first two growing seasons; give older plants about 1 inch per week. Give them a good start when you first plant them and you'll have fewer problems in future years.
How do you trim asparagus?
How to Trim Asparagus. The best way to trim asparagus is also the most obvious way: with a chef's knife and cutting board. Line up all of the spears in a row and slice off the ends all at once. You should cut right where the stalks turn from white into green.
How do you store asparagus?
Asparagus tastes best when cooked the day you buy it. If that's not in the cards, store them as you would store cut flowers: Trim the bottoms and stand the spears up in a glass or jar with about an inch of water. Cover with a plastic bag then refrigerate them for up to 4 days.
Can you freeze asparagus raw?
Technically, you can freeze raw, fresh asparagus by just placing the spears in a freezer bag and sealing tightly. However, I don't recommend freezing asparagus without blanching it first. Asparagus easily loses color and texture, and the additional step of blanching prevents these losses.