{"id":2319,"date":"2019-06-06T09:19:36","date_gmt":"2019-06-06T09:19:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gardener.guide\/?p=2319"},"modified":"2020-01-22T08:59:18","modified_gmt":"2020-01-22T08:59:18","slug":"14-hints-for-planting-taking-care-of-asparagus","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gardener.guide\/14-hints-for-planting-taking-care-of-asparagus\/","title":{"rendered":"14 Hints for Planting & Taking Care of Asparagus"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Asparagus is a wonderful vegetable. It is tasty and can be prepared in many different ways. In addition, the vegetable is full of many great nutrients. For this reason, growing your own asparagus sounds like a wonderful idea. However, when it comes to growing asparagus there are a few things that you need to know. This is a crop that does not produce until the third growing season. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you want to have a patch of asparagus in your garden you are going to want to plan ahead. You need to choose an area that has a lot of suns and is well irrigated. In addition, you need to make sure that the space that you choose is one that you are okay dedicating to your asparagus patch for many years because once you plant them the crop can come back again and again for up to twenty years. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here are some hints for planting and taking care of an asparagus crop. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Seeds or Bare Root?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

When it comes to growing asparagus you will find that most people will choose to start their asparagus patch by using bare root. The reason for this is because it takes a very long time to grow from seed.  With this being said, seed propagation is quite possible and is a bit cheaper than purchasing bare roots, especially if you are planning to grow a fairly large crop. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The seeds of asparagus are referred to as berries and they will become a bright red in color during the fall. When the tops fall off, they can then be collected. Once you collect them you will want to hang them upside down. They should be kept in a space that is warm and dry. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

After about a week they will ripen. Keep a bowl underneath them or tie a brown paper bag around the top of them in order to catch all of the seeds. These seeds can then be used to start your asparagus crop. You may also purchase seeds from a supplier that is reputable. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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2. Growing Areas<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Asparagus is a vegetable that is native to western Europe. It is a perennial plant and grows well in zones two through eight in the United States. As a perennial plant it will come back every year. In fact, the asparagus plant may be viable for ten to twenty years. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you are planning an asparagus patch it is important that you keep this in mind. You should plan on starting your asparagus inside or in a greenhouse anywhere from the middle of February up through May. you should make sure that you keep the seeds under bright lights. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The seeds should be soaked for a few hours before you plant them. You will want to plant each of the seeds about a half-inch deep in soil that is sterile. Plant each seed individually in two-inch pots. Once they have sprouted the seedlings can be transplanted. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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3. Transplanting<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Once you have started your seeds indoors or in a greenhouse you will want to transplant them to your garden area. The seedlings are ready for transplantation when they are about ten weeks to twelve weeks old. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When they are ready to be moved to the ground or raised garden bed it is important to make sure that there is no danger of frost in your area. Once the danger of frost has passed you should move the seedlings to your garden bed. The transplants should be planted roughly eighteen inches apart and about three to six inches apart. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For thinner asparagus spears you will want to plant the seedlings eight to ten inches apart and about four inches deep. For thicker stalks, you will want to plant the stalks about a foot apart and six to eight inches in the ground. This will provide you with a stalk that is thicker and heartier. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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4. Warmth and Sunlight<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

When it comes to growing asparagus it is important to make sure that you plant your crop in an area that gets plenty of sunlight. They will need at least six to eight hours of sunlight every day. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The plants need this much full sunlight each day in order to grow well. If the asparagus is in the shade too much they may not grow as well as they should. \u00a0Asparagus is a warm-weather plant, which means that they do best in soil that is warm. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can increase their growth by laying some black plastic over the garden soil several weeks before you are planning to transplant your seedlings. This will help to keep the ground warm and will lead to much better growth. You can also mulch around the asparagus with some dark compost, which will help to heat the ground more and keep the soil around the plants at the temperature that they desire. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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5. Diseases and Pests<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Root rot and asparagus crown are disastrous diseases that affect asparagus crops throughout the world. Crown rot is caused by three types of Fusarium. They are fusarium moniliform, Fusarium proliferatum, and Fusarium oxysporum. All three types of fungi can invade the roots of the asparagus. The fungi can also invade the tissue of the plant that carries nutrients and water from the root of the plant to throughout the stem and the leaves. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When a crop of asparagus is infected by one of these diseases you will notice that the plants start to rapidly die off. The crowns will start to turn yellow and begin to wilt. Once this occurs, the plants will become rotten and then you will see the plants start to die. You need to make sure that you are diligent in keeping your asparagus healthy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Proper weeding, making sure the soil has the right pH balance and keeping it well watered can help to ensure that your plants remain disease-free. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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6. Grow with Tomatoes<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

If you have had a garden for a few years or if you have simply researched the best way to grow vegetables, there is a good chance that you have come across information about what types of plants that you should grow together and what types of plants that should not be grown near each other. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When it comes to asparagus, one of the best plants that you can grow next to asparagus is tomatoes. The reason for this is because asparagus will help to repel nematodes that often attack tomato plants and can destroy an entire crop. In addition, tomato plants will help to repel asparagus beetles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can easily space your asparagus about a foot apart and then add a tomato plant to each end in order to help keep the beetles away. Planting tomatoes and asparagus together can help ensure that you will have a wonderful crop of both types of vegetables. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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7. Caring for Your Asparagus<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

As your asparagus plants are growing it is important to make sure that you cover the crowns of the asparagus with soil. You also want to make sure that you keep the soil and the crown of the plant moist. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You will need to add about an inch of water each week to your asparagus plants. It is also important to make sure that you fertilize your asparagus crop in the spring using one or two cups of organic fertilizer for every ten feet of row. Mix the fertilizer in gently. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is important to remember that you will not want to harvest the crop until the third growing season. You need to let the plant to set ferns so it will redirect the energy back to the plants. Cut the ferns down to about two inches tall during the late fall. During the third year of growth, you will want to harvest the spears regularly. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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8. Proper Soil Care<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

When it comes to growing asparagus one of the most important things that you can do is to make sure that the soil that you plant your crop in has the proper amount of nutrients. You will want to make sure that the soil has a pH balance of 7.0 to 7.5. In addition, the soil should contain plenty of nitrogen and other nutrients in order to produce the best crops. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can test your soil to make sure that it is not lacking any nutrients. Fertilizer can be used as well as compost or manure in order to add some needed nutrients to the soil. You should test the soil at least a few times each growing season to ensure that it has maintained its proper pH balance and has the proper amount of nutrients for your plants. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is also important to make sure that the soil is watered regularly as asparagus needs proper moisture in order to grow. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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9. Use Raised Beds
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When planting your asparagus, we recommend that you consider building a raised bed in your garden. Asparagus grows underground for the first two years of life, and the plant matures at around 36-months. At this time, it starts to produce spears that gradually appear at the surface.
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Therefore, building a raised bed around your asparagus is a great way to ensure that you speed up the harvesting season. Using a raised bed means that your asparagus gets a head start on the fruiting season, because the ground temperature warms up faster around the plant, waking it from its winter slumber.
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Use some reclaimed wood to build your flowerbed frame. We like using old pallets. If you\u2019re struggling to think of a place to find pallets, check out your local hardware store or receiving-yard of a supermarket. Break the pallets apart and use them for the frame. Fill the raised flower bed with the same soil you use for the rest of the garden. 
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10. Growing in Containers
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It\u2019s possible to grow asparagus in containers, provided that you give the plant enough room for the roots to spread, and the spears to grow. The majority of the asparagus plant grows underground, and you will never lay eyes on anything but the spreads as they start to appear above the ground during the harvest season.
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Therefore, we recommend that you use a container that has a minimum depth of 36-inches, and plant your asparagus seeds halfway down, before backfilling with the rest of your growing medium. Treat the container-asparagus in the same manner as your garden plants, and remember to water frequently.
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Ensure that your pot or container has sufficient drainage to keeps the asparagus from getting wet feet \u2013 a condition where the soil around the roots and stems waterlogs, causing the onset of rot and disease. We also like using material pots, as the airflow to the plant produces a significant difference in the quality and quality of the harvest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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11. Avoid Asparagus Beetles
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Most asparagus growers should experience no issues with pests during the growing or harvest season. There are not very many pests interested in eating your crop, but there is one that you need to look out for \u2013 the asparagus beetle. These beetles come in two different species \u2013 the common asparagus beetle, and the European asparagus beetle. 
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As you may imagine, the European asparagus beetle is the more destructive of the two because it has less natural predators. As a result, those plants infected with this beetle may experience tunneling into the stems and spears of the plant, resulting in undersized spears, or no fruiting during the season. 
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Remember to throw away any infected plants into the trash, not into your compost heap. Asparagus beetles will wait the winter out in the decomposing plants, returning to your garden the following season. You can control asparagus beetle infestations by pruning your plants and spraying neem oil on the tips as they emerge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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12. Asparagus Mulching Tips
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Mulching your asparagus helps to increase growth during the winter and summertime. Mulching stops the growth of other plants that may compete for the same water and nutrients as your asparagus, such as weeds. By mulching, you prevent the germination and spread of weeds in the soil. 
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Mulching also helps the soil retain its moisture, locking in nutrients and minerals for the asparagus. Always select an organic mulch for your asparagus garden that includes shredded bark, compost, aged manure, straw, hay, or grass clippings. These organic mulches release more nutrients into the soil as they breakdown and decompose. Organic mulches also come free of weeds.
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The best time to mulch your asparagus is in the early fall. Start your mulching using three to six inches of mulch around the same time that foliage begins to yellow, and you have to cut it back. Adding a further 2-inch layer of mulch during the growing season helps to improve harvest yield.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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13. Harvesting Tips
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In the second year after planting, trim a few spears from the plant over two weeks to stimulate the fruiting process. Then cut back to the soil surface and mulch. The following year, your asparagus plant should start to yield edible spears. 
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In the third year, pick for 6 to 8-weeks after spears first start to appear, and then stop harvesting after the spears start shrinking to the diameter of a pen. During the peak picking season, you should be harvesting spears between six and eight inches in length, with an inch in maximum girth. Don\u2019t keep picking past eight weeks, as you risk damaging the asparagus, reducing it fruiting the following season. 
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After the picking season ends, trim back the remaining spears, and then cover in a layer of mulch to the following year. Deep tilling of the soil is not necessary for preparation for the winter months. Cover the bed with a layer of straw if your region of the country experiences frost or snow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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14. Storing Asparagus 
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After harvesting your asparagus, we recommend that you eat them as soon as possible. When collecting your spears, wrap all of them in a rubber band so you can identify which spears picked in which session. Wrap the cut stems of the spears in wet paper towels, and store them in Ziploc bags in the crisper drawer of the fridge. Try to eat the spears within 5-days to avoid them turning soft and mushy.
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If you have a large fridge and can afford the standing room, then stand your spears up in a jar with the cut stems in an inch of water. Using this storage method, you can expect your spears to remain fresh for up to 2-weeks after harvest.
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Storing your asparagus at room temperature or in a root cellar is not a good idea. If you are running out of space, then we recommend canning or pickling your asparagus to preserve the spears, instead of letting them spoil and throwing them away.
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