To harvest, cut asparagus spears with a sharp knife or snap off the spears at, or right below, ground level with your fingers. 7 Major Reasons You Should Try Dry January, What Our Senior Home Editor Wants Right Now, This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. Even more, this versatile green is rich in B vitamins, vitamin C, calcium, and iron, making it a healthy (and welcome) addition to any meal. Dig a trench for asparagus crowns in early spring, after the last frost date has passed for your area. Stick to an all-male asparagus variety if high yield is your main goal. Cover spears with mulch or newspaper when freezing nights are predicted. Watch for spear emergence within a week. BEST ANSWER: Hi Jeff, I have been growing Jersey Knights for about 20 years. Asparagus is extremely nutritious and has many health benefits! Finish covering the asparagus roots with soil and water thoroughly after planting. Snap off 8- to 10-inch spears that are less than 1 inch in diameter before the buds open. Now, here's everything you need to know about growing asparagus, whether you start from seed or spear. Work the fertilizer into the soil at a depth of 6 inches. The crop comes slightly later than Jersey Giant so you can extend your season by planting both. Cut the dead growth back in the early spring, after winter has passed. Next, place crowns at the bottom of the trench, water in, … The following spring, transplant the males to the permanent bed. Put the asparagus crowns in the trenches, spacing them 12-18” apart and spreading out the roots. There's a reason why many of us turn to asparagus in the spring and summer months: It's one of the first crops of spring harvest, and the fresh-picked spears are more tender and tasty during the growing season. According to most historical accounts and online sources, the wild ancestor of asparagus was foraged and enjoyed principally by the ancient Greeks, and later the Romans around 200 B.C.E.. Beginning around that time, it was bred from a feral plant into the widespread, globally … If you want to grow white asparagus, which has a slightly milder flavor than green asparagus, blanch the spears by heaping up soil or mulch over the bed before they emerge. As asparagus matures, it crowds out most weeds and sends long, fleshy roots deep into the earth, so watering is less critical. Leave winter-killed foliage, along with straw or other light mulch, on the bed to provide winter protection. While the idea of growing asparagus may be overwhelming, it shouldn't be: Asparagus is a great starting point because it's one of the few perennial vegetables that'll grow fresh spears year after year with little space and effort. Asparagus prefers well-drained, fertile soil with a pH of 7.0 in full sun or part shade. It was brought to America with the earliest colonists where it escaped from gardens and … Spacing Plant crowns 31-46 cm (12-18″) apart. Place asparagus crowns about 18 inches apart in the trenches with the buds pointing up. The spears are not heat resistant, but Jersey Giant is well adapted to the South, as is evident by its inclusion on the recommended varieties list of ten Southern states' university extension services (sweeping from Arkansas across to Georgia and Virginia, and every state in between). Complete the harvest before July 1. Do not pack or compact the soil, as this makes it difficult for young asparagus spears to emerge. Jersey Giant Asparagus prefers well … The Jersey Supreme is more uniform than other hybrids of asparagus and it grows well in soil that has at least some sand in it. These “all-male” asparagus varieties — including ‘Jersey Giant, 'Jersey Supreme’ and ‘Jersey Knight' — produce up to three times more than … Select and prepare your asparagus bed with care — this crop will occupy the same spot for 20 years or more. The Jersey Giant Asparagus is a male hybrid garden plant. Missouri Botanical Garden: Asparagus Officinalis 'Jersey Knight', The Ohio State University Extension: Growing Asparagus in the Home Garden, How to Grow Artichokes and Asparagus Together. Asparagus can be grown in part or full sun. Buy one-year-old crowns from a reputable nursery that sells fresh, firm, disease-free roots. Female plants produce berries; males plants do not expend energy on berries so they can be up to three times more productive than female plants. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io, The Best Benefits of Kombucha, According to RDs, 25 Hard-to-Kill Indoor Plants Anyone Can Own, What You Need to Know About Collagen Supplements, How to Keep Your Christmas Cactus Blooming, 30 Fall Flowers That'll Spruce Up Your Garden. Best for high yield, fine flavor and the largest succulent spears. But be prepared, this is no ordinary vegetable crop. Spears begin emerging at 50 degrees Fahrenheit. Varieties of Asparagus ‘Jersey’ Series – This all-male series of hybrid asparagus varieties include ‘Jersey Giant,’ a hardy plant that performs well in chilly climates. Apply 1/2-pound of an ammonium nitrate fertilizer per each 50-foot row at the end of the harvesting period. It is possible to grow asparagus from seed, but doing so significantly increases the time you'll need to wait to harvest. The 'Jersey Giant' variety is an all male hybrid that is highly productive and very vigorous. Some varieties of asparagus, such as Jersey Knight and Jersey Giant, produce all male or primarily male plants, so they’re more productive — male plants yield more harvestable shoots because they don’t have to invest energy in producing seeds. Resists fusarium wilt, crown rot and rust. Organic 3 year roots crowns for your garden. Do not cut the spears below the soil. If young spears turn brown and become soft or withered, they may have been injured by frost. The all-male types can produce more spears, but the male/female plants can potentially make seeds and multiply. … Soak the crowns in compost tea for 20 minutes before planting. Very adaptive, and easy to grow. It produces medium to large (7-9"), green spears with purple bracts. Best for high yield, fine flavor and the largest succulent spears. The season begins in May and can continue through June. Amend your soil the fall before planting asparagus crowns to boost potassium and phosphorus. The crowns thrive in sandy loam soil, but they will grow in other soil types. Water regularly during the first two years after planting. It is also disease resistant. This plant takes time to grow, but the results are well worth it. Remove weeds from the trenches regularly. © Copyright 2020 Hearst Communications, Inc. Asparagus spears are highly perishable, so place them in a bowl filled with icy water immediately after picking. The Romans, especially, prized the vegetable. Don’t harvest any asparagus spears during the first two years that plants are in the permanent bed because they need to put energy into establishing deep roots. Fill asparagus trenches with 2 to 3 inches of soil every few weeks as the plants begin to grow. Prepare a planting bed for your asparagus —simple raised beds work best — that's about 4 feet wide by removing all perennial weeds and roots, and digging in aged manure or compost. They are packaged six roots per bag. Make trenches 5 inches deep and 6 to 8 inches apart. Timing Plant 4 weeks before the last average frost date. It … It takes patience to start your asparagus patch from seed, but there are advantages to gain from the extra wait. Apply 20 pounds of 10-20-10 fertilizer or mature compost per 1,000 square feet of soil. For the biggest crops, purchase all-male plants. Plant once, harvest for years: growing asparagus in a well-maintained bed can provide you with sweet, slender veggies for up to 15 years. Place the crowns in the trenches 1½ to 2 feet apart; top them with 2 to 3 inches of soil. Good Housekeeping participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites. How to plant Asparagus roots crowns for sale, easy to plant, fast to grow, garden, gardening delight Requirements Full sun, rich soil. Why trust us? There are two types of asparagus: all-male varieties like Jersey Giant, Jersey Supreme and Jersey Knight; or male/female varieties like Mary Washington. Planting deeper than 5 inches may result in reduced yields. Set the crown on top of the mound, spreading the roots down the sides. Seed-grown plants don't suffer from transplant trauma like nursery-grown roots, and you can buy a whole packet of seed for the same price you'll pay for one asparagus crown. Drain off the water and seal the spears in plastic bags. It can be productive for 20 or more years if given proper care. Can produce up to twice the yield of standard varieties. Jersey Giant F1 hybrid - this variety is a good choice for cold climates although it is perfectly happy in other climates too. I have been using straw as a mulch (my straw comes from my goat barn, but have used fresh as well), the asparagus pushes through it no problem, the grass does not, with first and second year plants i put a small stake where the plant is, as these … Leave those that are smaller than a pencil. We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back. Gardeners often grow asparagus from year-old crowns to speed crop production. The spears can be up to 7 to 9 inches long and they grow profusely on vigorous plants. Add 2 pounds of 0-20-0 superphosphate or 1 pound of 0-46-0 triple superphosphate to the bottom of each 50-foot row. Even though it takes asparagus plants three years to fully mature, it'll be well worth it when you have a bounty of nutritious spears at your disposal. Most seed-grown asparagus plants eventually out-produce those started from roots. Melissa King began writing in 2001. Fertilize in spring and fall by top-dressing with liquid fertilizer (such as compost tea) or side-dressing with a balanced fertilizer. (Ardent asparagus lovers recommend tripling these quantities.). Female flowers have well-developed, three-lobed pistils; male blossoms are larger and longer than female flowers. ‘Jersey … With an all-male variety, 25 plants are usually adequate for a household of four; double that amount for standard varieties. Starting asparagus from one-year-old crowns gives you a year’s head start over seed-grown plants. Asparagus does best in lighter soils that warm up quickly in spring and drain well; standing water will quickly rot the roots. Cold-hardy, and overwinters to zone-3. ASPARAGUS ROOTS, Jersey Giant – Asparagus officinalis FULL SUN Native to most of Europe, North Africa and many parts of Asia, Asparagus has been cultivated for thousands of years. Asparagus is one of the more permanent vegetable crops in a garden. Cover the fertilizer with a 1-inch layer of soil. The most common way to plant asparagus crowns is in a trench. Planting Asparagus Planting asparagus is best done using the trench method. Planting: Dig a trench 8 inches deep and wide enough to accommodate the outspread roots (about 10 inches), then space the asparagus 18 inches apart. 'Jersey Giant' is the most winter hardy of all the Jersey Hybrids and it is widely adapted to temperate and cool climates. After removing any visible weeds, apply mulch to smother any remaining weeds, which compete with the young spears and reduce yields. When the seeds sprout, lower the temperature to 60 to 70ºF. Leave four feet between rows. Asparagus beetles, which chew on spears in spring and attack summer foliage, are the most prevalent problem. A bed of asparagus plants provides an abundance of stalks for several weeks and keeps producing for many years. In early spring, harvest spears every third day or so; as the weather warms, you might have to pick your asparagus twice a day to keep up with production. A 25-foot row should yield 7 to 12 pounds of asparagus. Store spears for up to two weeks in the refrigerator at about 40 degrees Fahrenheit. It is hardy even in sub zero weather and will crop for up to 20 years. Control by hand picking; spray or dust seriously infested asparagus plants with an insecticidal soap. A very productive plant: yields 2-4 times more spears than older varieties. A great way to get the earliest cash crop in town or to extend your garden season. The roots will get covered in a purple mould, the leaves will turn yellow and quickly die. If you get a really bad attack of this then that section of asparagus is … If your asparagus bed does become infected by disease organisms, your best option is to start a new bed in a distant part of the garden, using newly purchased or grown plants. 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