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

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22 Mar 21, Anonymous (Australia - temperate climate)
12-15 (?)
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22 Nov 20, Shona Mardle (New Zealand - temperate climate)
My 3rd year for asparagus, so first year picking with abundance. I seem to have a lot of tall skinny spindly hard shoots. I have been cutting them off. Why are they growing? Is it something I am doing wrong? Does the plant need them?
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23 Nov 20, Anonymous (New Zealand - temperate climate)
Mine are 3-4 years old. What I do now. Cut old ferns off late August (sub- tropical) then apply a few hand fulls of rooster booster from Bunnings per crown. It is only 4-3-3 organic fertiliser. I then put a 6
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19 Nov 20, Kate (New Zealand - temperate climate)
Hi - I planted asparagus crowns in early September. I'm in mid Canterbury. Nothing has come up yet at all. Is it likely my crowns rotted or do I need to be more patient! Thanks
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19 Nov 20, Anonymous (New Zealand - temperate climate)
Read up about how to plant the crowns. They would only need a light watering each second day. Dig around one to see what is happening. Put in good friable soil not clay soil.
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14 Nov 20, cheri (USA - Zone 7b climate)
How much sun do asparagus plants need? I live in zone 7.
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16 Nov 20, Anonymous (USA - Zone 5a climate)
Can handle full sun but will grow in situation where sun in morning and shade in arvo. Google and read up about it.
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08 Nov 20, Jean (USA - Zone 9b climate)
I live in Nipomo ca 9 b why can’t s as I grow asparagus from crowns?
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09 Nov 20, (USA - Zone 9b climate)
Sounds like you live in arid desert country. If so it might not grow in those conditions. If you have better conditions than desert you could try. Google about growing it.
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19 Oct 20, SUSIE (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
CAN ASPARAGUS BE PLANTED IN NORTHERN NSW
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Showing 121 - 130 of 566 comments
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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!

- Margaret

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This planting guide is a general reference intended for home gardeners. We recommend that you take into account your local conditions in making planting decisions. GardenGrow is not a farming or commercial advisory service. For specific advice, please contact your local plant suppliers, gardening groups, or agricultural department. The information on this site is presented in good faith, but we take no responsibility as to the accuracy of the information provided.
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