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

11 Jun 11, Margaret (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
Dear Peter, we live in Piccadilly in the cool Adelaide Hills (a bit like Tassie weather in winter) and have enjoyed the produce from the same asparagus bed for 31 years feeding our family of 6 (now only 2 members still here). Over the years we have removed parts of some of the 6 original crowns in a bed about 1 metre by half a metre, and the asparagus spears keep coming up. However, raspberry canes are beginning to infest the bed, so I am about to start another asparagus bed elsewhere in the garden. Good luck with yours!
16 Oct 11, Jen (New Zealand - cool/mountain climate)
Dear Margaret, I just found your comment to Peter about Asparagus...... >This past week Ihave for the first time planted 2 seedlings of Asparagus with about 3 delicate fronds, but as I may be moving in the next year I planted them into a deep 420 cm HDPE pot with good potting mix, sheep and alpaca Dolomite and B&B... I did not know then that it takes 3 years till harvest!!! Do you know or have an opinion if I can transplat the seedlings into the ground at a later date, or should I just plant them out now and forget about taking them with me??? You seem to have had a lot of experience so I hope you don't mind my beginner question Kind regards Jen
20 Sep 10, Natalie (USA - Zone 8b climate)
Love to roast them in the oven, lightly tossed with olive oil and sprinkled with coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper.
29 Sep 10, Glenn Tanti (Australia - temperate climate)
hello il like to more how to grow Asparagus pls thanks
09 Oct 10, pete - north brisbane (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
i planted my asparagus about 4 years ago. it has not really performed well at all. it is well fed with rotted horse manure every year, and i cut the fronds back in late winter. this year about half the crowns died. would they have died because i cut them back or is it as i suspect just too warm here for asparagus? any advice welcomed
19 Oct 10, Tim (Australia - temperate climate)
My asparagus is coming into it's second spring after planting (crowns) and producing nice thick spears. I was planning on leaving the first few spears un harvested but just discovered that on one plant a spear that was about 80cm or so tall was broken in half (by fast running cats...) I've happily eaten the part that broke off but wondering if it's worth leaving the second half in the ground - will it still form fronds fronds etc or am I better off just cutting it out. It's the only spear that plant has at the moment and I already harvested one from it and I'm worried about removing too much. Anyone have any idea if it will still form fronds from the bottom half?
15 Dec 10, Trevor (Australia - temperate climate)
Yes Tim it will grow fronds from the lower half of the stem, as the same thing happened to me, good luck with the cats,
22 Nov 10, azdog (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
Cow manure is better in the sense of having the seeds broken down, but as everything has been processed several times, the 'goodness' in the manure is depleted somewhat. I use Sheep manure, as it is in handy pellet form, and also I compost chicken and Rabbit manure which breaks down nicely
20 Dec 10, jay (Australia - temperate climate)
thinking of starting some yummy asparagus in my garden for a family of 7. we are in south tasmainia and not shore if to cold,am i temperate or cold mountain.do all types of asparagus need the same conditions.would like to go for all three.thanks much
22 Mar 11, alverna (Australia - temperate climate)
Hi all, I am in Perth, WA. I have been given some Asparagus plants in pots, I think they are 1 to 2 year old crowns. My question is, do I plant directly into the ground, or do I shake all the soil off and just bare plant them?. Thanks, Alverna.
Showing 41 - 50 of 557 comments

I got an asparagus plant last year at a local farmers market, I put it in the ground and just left it. Well this year I have my first lot of spears.. and they are yummo...asparagus require little maintenance and a whole heap of patience!!

- Teash

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