How to Grow Asparagus
More and more people are growing their own vegetables to be self-sufficient and to save money. With some help, you too can join in the movement.
Up next in Vegetable Gardening (24 videos)
Get your vegetable patch started with these gardening tutorials.
You Will Need
- Asparagus crowns
- A garden plot
- A shovel
- Water
- Time
- Seeds (optional)
- A computer with internet access (optional)
- A soil test (optional)
Steps
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Step 1
Buy crowns
Buy asparagus crowns at your local nursery or through a catalog.
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You can start with seeds, but seeds take longer to grow.
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Step 2
Find a spot
Select a well-draining site that gets at least partial sun. Full sun is not necessary.
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Step 3
Prepare soil
Make sure the soil is slightly acidic with a pH of 6.5. Eliminate all weeds from the area.
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For a soil test, check the USDA web site for a Cooperative Extension System office near you.
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Step 4
Dig a trench
Dig a v-shaped trench that is 6 to 8 inches deep and 6 to 8 inches wide.
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Step 5
Set the crowns
Plant the crowns 12 to 16 inches apart for thick spears or 8 to 10 inches apart for thin spears. Then cover the crowns with 2 to 3 inches of soil and add water.
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Step 6
Maintain
Slowly refill the trench throughout the growing season, but don’t cover the shoots as they grow.
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Step 7
Harvest
Harvest and enjoy plants started from crowns in the spring of their second year and plants started from seed in the spring of their third year.
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Genetics play a role in whether or not your pee smells after eating asparagus.
