Growing Asparagus

Aspargus officianalis : Asparagaceae / the asparagus family

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

(Best months for growing Asparagus in USA - Zone 8b 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

Your comments and tips

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08 Sep 08, marcus (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
how much water does growing asparagus need, and how often should they be watered?
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24 Oct 08, gareth (Australia - temperate climate)
i have planted asparagus 3 months ago and they havent sprouted is this normal or not coz on the packet it said ready to harvest in 8 weeks
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14 Nov 08, Alice (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
I planted seedling asparagus 2 years ago and now have of a 120 cm. wall of ferny top grow. What do I do with it now? A friend suggested I should cut it all down level with ground and cover it with 10cm of stable manure. Does this sound sensible to the experts?
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05 Dec 08, Eileen (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
I planted my asparagus during the winter months, they now have ferny tops, what do I do with them now, I planted 2.
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07 Dec 08, Chris (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
Eileen (and Alice). Leave the ferns until they die down in winter, then you can clear them away, or just flattern them before topping up the bed with rotted manure and/or compost.
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07 Dec 08, Chris (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
Alice, I would only use rotted or composted stable manure, unless you want a fine crop of barley/wheat/grasses/whatever seeds the horse ate. They all germinate beautifully from fresh stable manure.
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09 Mar 09, Michele (Australia - tropical climate)
I would like to have a go at growing asparagus here in the tropics. Would seed be best or could I get crowns from somewhere
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28 Jul 09, Valerie (New Zealand - temperate climate)
It's only the end of July and my asparagus is already sprouting. Should I pick it or leave it alone? It's in it's third year and I haven't picked any for the last two spring/summers
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08 Aug 09, Teash (Australia - temperate climate)
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!!
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23 Aug 09, Dave (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
Just trying aspar. I use multi-later dig free gardens (Ester Dean Style). proposed Aspar. bed approx 2.4 x 1.8 x.6 deep Q?. How close can I plant crowns for maximum use of this bed? thanks Dave.
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Showing 11 - 20 of 574 comments
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If you click the climate zone above and put in Tropics it says Plant May to July. Bunnings usually have crowns from Sept onwards. A hard job to grow from seed in hot weather. Read some of the comments here about growing them. There are only a couple of varieties really grown in Aust - any will do. Look up seed companies for varieties.

- Mike

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