Growing Asparagus

Aspargus officianalis : Asparagaceae / the asparagus family

Jan F M A M J J A S O N Dec
                P P P  

(Best months for growing Asparagus in New Zealand - cool/mountain regions)

  • P = Plant crowns
  • Easy to grow. Plant as crowns. Best planted at soil temperatures between 16°C and 30°C. (Show °F/in)
  • Space plants: 20 - 40 cm apart
  • Harvest in 2-3 years. Plant 'crowns' to harvest earlier .
  • Compatible with (can grow beside): Parsley, Basil, Nasturtiums, Lettuce
  • Avoid growing close to: Garlic, Onions, and root vegetables

Your comments and tips

29 Dec 23, Tami (USA - Zone 9a climate)
I have asparagus growing well. I do get snow a couple days a year here in the high desert of California.
03 Jan 23, david (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
When is the best time to split crowns and replant?
05 Jan 23, Anonymous (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
In the winter while they are dormant.
02 Jan 23, John d braby (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
I've bought purple asparagus in a pot. There are 6 woody stems in the pot. Should I try to disentangle the root systems and plant each stem separately ?
06 Feb 24, (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Yes. Detangle the roots and plant separately.
05 Dec 22, Jennifer (USA - Zone 8a climate)
I am in southeastern coastal North Carolina and planted asparagus last Feb. They did awesome, and still are doing great, so I don’t know when to cut them back so they start growing next year. They are very tall and full. (Some of them are starting to turn yellow but only a few.) We haven’t cut anything since they were planted. Any advice on when to cut them back is appreciated.
11 Dec 23, Samantha (USA - Zone 8a climate)
What variety did you plant ? I am in south eastern NC 8a and I’m going to give it a whirl.
16 Dec 22, Mindi (USA - Zone 8a climate)
Wait until the ferns are fully brown and dormant to maximize the next year's harvest. https://www.gardeningknowhow.com › edible › vegetables › asparagus › cutting-asparagus-foliage-back-in-autumn.htm Tips On Cutting Back Asparagus Plants - Gardening Know How Once you have cut the asparagus back, add several inches (10 cm.) of mulch to your asparagus bed. This will help to smother the weeds in the bed and will help fertilize the bed for next year. Compost or well-rotted manure makes an excellent mulch for asparagus in autumn....
04 Nov 22, Joann Reifel (South Africa - Humid sub-tropical climate)
We actually live in Sierra Leone. We have had our plants for several years. We keep watering them through dry season (Mid Nov-April) so they won't die. Will they die if left alone or just hibernate? Also, should we trim fronds off at all or bend them over to reseed (they have multiplied on their own fairly well). And when should we add compost?
10 Nov 22, Anonymous (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
I cut my ferns off late winter (August), apply compost and fertilise and water well. I pick all spears until the end of Oct (2 mths) then I let the ferns grow. I water each week. I do another picking in Feb for 3-4 weeks. Then I let grow again. I water until end of Autumn. Then let the ferns die back. Cut off end of winter. I cut my ferns off water really well. apply 100-150mm of compost and fertilise and water well. Spears usually start shooting straight away (early Sept). I live Sub-tropical Australia.
Showing 31 - 40 of 557 comments

There is an article here about growing it. Go to the blue climate zone tab at the top of page, work out your climate zone. Go to Asparagus - the Monthly calendar tells you when to plant.

- Anonymous

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