Growing Asparagus

Aspargus officianalis : Asparagaceae / the asparagus family

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

(Best months for growing Asparagus in USA - Zone 5a regions)

  • S = Plant undercover in seed trays
  • T = Plant out (transplant) seedlings
  • 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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31 May 13, karen (Australia - temperate climate)
have you had a reply to your question?? as I also would like to buy some crowns, and could do with some tips on growing them down the range.
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22 Apr 10, Chris (Australia - tropical climate)
bec, horse manure is notorious for containing lots of seeds which will sprout and grow if used in a garden. It's a great way to introduce weeds - I write from bitter experience! It needs to be thoroughly composted so the heat destroys the seeds before applying.
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03 May 10, Selina (Australia - tropical climate)
Yes agree also. I had a similar terrible experience with horse manure myself and still paying for it. Is cow manure better? I've heard that you don't get the weeds because they have more than one stomach.
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09 Oct 10, pete (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
i use horse manure without problems, however having said that i get it from a trotting stable where the trainer only feeds his horses on rice based horse feed. If you collect it from a paddock it will contain weed and grass seeds. as for cow manure - its much better because they have two stomacs and regurgitate and chew their cud breaking down the food much better than a horse can.
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10 Jul 10, (Australia - temperate climate)
You couldnt have said it any better....I too thought horse poop was a good thing until I seen how many weeds I was pulling out of my vegie patch.
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22 May 10, Lizzy Battese (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
I would like to know where to get asparagus seeds or crowns.
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27 May 10, (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
Lizzy, most garden shops will have crowns available around mid/late-winter as they are planted then. I know Kmart gets them in plastic bags about that time, together with strawberry plants.
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04 May 11, Alexis (Australia - temperate climate)
Hi Lizzy - hope my reply (a year later!) is still useful: Diggers Club (google them to find their online shop) sells both seeds and crowns of several interesting varieties. I sowed some of their asparagus 'fat bastard' seeds (that's their real name!) into seed trays three weeks ago here in Melbourne, and they've just germinated. (April sowing doesn't look like it's recommended by this site, so I'll see how they go surviving the winter in their seed trays. Here's hoping!)
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04 Jun 11, Pat. R (Australia - temperate climate)
you can buy online from diggers club: happy planting!
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15 Jul 10, peter (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Seeing as asparagus takes so long to be ready to harvest, can any one give a guide as to how much room to devote to them? We need enough for two. Any ideas?
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Showing 31 - 40 of 560 comments
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The transplanted ones will depend on how they were treated last year - whether they were left to build up energy reserves for this year. If you had plenty of spears grow into ferns then they should produce this year. Probably also depends how old the old crowns are. Last year while I was growing mine from 12 mth crowns to 24 mths I use to put about half a cup of fert in 9 L of water and feed them each month - only had 3 crowns. I also put manure/compost on in august. I have crowns that are coming up to 3 years old - that is from when seeds were planted - they have been shooting spears for a few weeks now - I have cut them back and manured and watered them. My seedlings which will be 12 mths old in Sept - I have not cut them back yet or put manure on them yet - will probably do that in about two weeks time. I have not watered them for the last month - they are not growing at the moment. As for manure - chicken is the richest in N followed by cow and then horse manure. I read the other day horse is about 1.75% N. Whatever manure you can get and add some fert if you like. We have had only one week of cool weather so far this winter - that is night temps down to 6-8 degrees.

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