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 61°F and 86°F. (Show °C/cm)
  • Space plants: 8 - 16 inches 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
  • Asparagus growing
  • Baby Asparagus Seedlings (approx 6cm/3in) ((c) Liz Hutchinson)

Plant crowns (roots) 20 - 40 cm apart and a few cm (1 inch) deep in well manured soil. The asparagus shoots grow in spring. Harvest the shoots which are bigger than 1 - 2 cm/half-inch in diameter. Leave the rest to grow into the leafy ferns (1.5 m/5 - 6 ft tall) which will feed the crowns to give a crop next year. In autumn the ferns will be covered in bright red poisonous berries.

Leave the ferns to die down in autumn, then trim off the dead stalks and pile on plenty of rotted manure/compost to give the roots plenty of food to produce new stems in spring.

Harvest by cutting off the stalk, close to the ground. From the third year you can get an additional crop by letting the first lot of ferns grow, then bending down the stalks to break them. A second crop of shoots will grow and can be harvested. Leave subsequent shoots to grow on to ferns. Asparagus does not like continuously wet and warm soil. It grows better where there is a cool or frosty season.

Culinary hints - cooking and eating Asparagus

Steaming is traditional, then coating with melted butter or hollandaise sauce.
Alternatively break in short lengths, and cook quickly in hot oil in a wok and sprinkle with soy sauce or balsamic vinegar.

NOTE: The asparagus berries are poisonous. Only the young shoots are edible.

Your comments and tips

04 Sep 21, bill (New Zealand - temperate climate)
we have a asparagus plant that appeared in a place in our garden where we had not grown any last year produced 1 or 2 very thin spears that went to fern this year there is one normal size spear just coming up should we class this as 1st or 2nd year
05 Aug 22, Anthony (New Zealand - sub-tropical climate)
The birds will eat the red berries on the female asparagus and they flick the seeds all over the place .. also could be you moved some soil from around the asparagus and moved it to another part of the garden .. not knowing seedlings was in the soil .. ive done this many of times . Oddly enough, you can transplant those new shoots (and roots) in another location .. give them away .. or just destroy them. i would class the new asparagus as first year despite the size of it .. mine normally take 2 -3 years before they are really a harvestable size . They will live to 15 years
07 Sep 21, (New Zealand - sub-tropical climate)
If it germinated approx 1 year ago it would be 1 year old. You need to really look after this plant with compost/manures/fertiliser and regular watering. You won't produce a decent crop until the 4th year. Also I suggest you have 3-6 plants if you want a decent amount of spears each couple of days.
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?
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
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
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.
29 Aug 20, Jenni Orr (New Zealand - temperate climate)
Want to order some crowns in Pukekohe. Where to order from?
01 Sep 20, Anonymous (New Zealand - temperate climate)
Google seed selling websites in NZ.
22 Aug 20, Chris McGeough (New Zealand - temperate climate)
Heads are just coming up but are being eaten by something very small that is killing each head off or leaving scars. Put some chook manure on a couple of months ago and wonder if its bugs in that? Any help would be great.
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