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There is nothing like the flavor of fresh, home-grown asparagus. Asparagus purchased in stores and at farm stands can be quite expensive. Growing your own asparagus not only saves money, it is also very rewarding to see new shoots pushing their way through the soil each spring.
Asparagus is a genus of the lily, and its origin is in Asia Minor and the area of the Eastern Mediterranean, according to the web page "Asparagus", published by The Repertoire. Asparagus has been a favorite garden delicacy for many centuries. The early Romans and Greeks grew wild asparagus and also harvested asparagus found growing wild. The same article also says, asparagus was cultivated and eaten in sixteenth century Britain, and it was sold commercially in the seventeenth century.
Jersey Asparagus Farm's web page "HG Asparagus Information", published by Jersey Asparagus Farms Incorporated, provides some names and descriptions of asparagus varieties that are good choices for home gardening. Jersey Knight is recommended for warmer temperatures and produces a superior spear. Recommended for cool climates is the Jersey Giant which is an early variety. The website "Home Garden Asparagus Production", published by Douglas C. Sanders, Extension Horticultural Specialist, says the Mary Washington variety is the most common home grown variety, and it is resistant to rust. There are many other varieties of asparagus available through mail order publications and at garden centers. Be sure to choose a variety that is well-suited for your area.
Asparagus typically grows to the height of four to six feet, according to the book "Burpee: Complete Gardener", published by Macmillan. It is described as being a perennial that will produce for fifteen years or more if properly located and maintained. Asparagus does not do well in locations that do not become cool enough to receive frost, according to the same book. This is because it requires a period of dormancy beginning when the first frost arrives.
"Burpee: Complete Gardener" says that asparagus does well in full or partial sun with well-drained soil that has a slight acid content, and properly preparing the soil will ensure a good, healthy crop that will produce for years to come. If your soil is not of good quality, adding organic mulch or compost will lighten its texture and add valuable nutrients.
The following information adapted from "Burpee: Complete Gardener" provides details on planting, growing, and maintaining an asparagus patch.
Asparagus can either be grown from roots or seeds. Roots that are purchased for planting are typically one to two years old. Asparagus roots should be at least three years old before the first harvest, so if you want to enjoy the fruits of your labor sooner, planting roots is the best option.
Roots should be soaked in water approximately eight hours so they are better able to absorb moisture. When preparing to plant either seeds or roots, each row should be about one foot wide and about fifteen inches deep. Rows need to be approximately four feet apart. Each trench needs to have a mound of soil in the bottom that is about eight inches high. Roots should be placed on the mounds about eighteen inches apart and evenly spread out. The roots should then be covered with two inches of soil.
Seeds can be randomly scattered on the mounds of soil, covered with about a half inch of additional soil, and kept moist until the they begin to grow.
While the new stalks grow, the soil needs to be mounded around them as needed until the ground is level. The emerging asparagus stalks should be well-watered, since the roots will be deep within the soil after the stalks have grown enough for the ground to be level around them. At this point, it will not be necessary to water them as often. Allow the asparagus to wither away before cutting it down in the fall. This way all of the energy can be released back into the plants for the following season.
Asparagus grown from roots that were a year old when planted can be cut two seasons after planting, advises "Burpee: Complete Gardener". Roots that were two years old when planted can be picked the first season after planting. The same article says that asparagus can be harvested for two weeks the first season of maturity, the second season for three weeks, and the third season for four weeks. It adds that asparagus, about the diameter of a pencil, should be harvested by cutting at ground level when stalks reach a height of six to eight inches.
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