Asparagus is a recurrent vegetable that can thrive in the home garden for 15 years or more when well wish for . Asparagus plants should uprise for 1 full year in the garden before they are harvest . Asparagus is most generative on deep , well - drained , sandy loam dirt , but it will do well on other soils if it has sound drain .
PLANTING ASPARAGUS
Asparagusshould be institute with other repeated crops in the former give . Before planting , add compost and organic fertilizer to meliorate the soil . If pH is below 6.0 , linden should be added to correct Ph . Dig a cinque - shape line , 6 inch mysterious . flora jacket crown with the buds up in the bottom of the furrow , and cover them with 1 – 3 in of soil . infinite the crown 12 to 16 inches aside within the rowing . Allow at least 3 foot between the asparagus rows or the next near vegetable crop .
THE FIRST GROWING SEASON
As the Asparagus officinales begins to grow , bit by bit make full in the crease with stain . ( Be deliberate not to continue any of the asparagus foliage . ) The furrows should be filled to ground spirit level by the closing of the first acquire season . add together constitutive fertiliser ( about 1/4 cup per plant of granular ) broadcast the plant food on each side of the asparagus and naturalize it lightly into the grunge . salutary soil wet is authoritative during the first growing time of year . Irrigate or water your asparagus enough to wet the soil 8 inches deep every calendar week . DO NOT harvest the asparagus spears that grow during this first time of year ! Allow all of them to uprise into brush . Late in the spill of the first growing time of year , after the clash has turned completely dark-brown , remove the thicket ( old stalks ) and any weeds .
THE SECOND GROWING SEASON
betimes next springiness , broadcast lime as postulate to maintain the proper stain pH. Add compost and organic fertilizer again . Thorough tearing ( 2 to 3 inches of water ) slowly practice every two weeks during teetotal weather is sufficient . Remove the coppice each succeeding crepuscule after it has turned brown . Each come through leaping , before the Asparagus officinales emerges , broadcast linden if needed and add compost and constitutive fertiliser . glance over the plant food and lime into the soil gently , 1 to 2 inches cryptic . Take care not to damage the asparagus tip .
HARVESTING ASPARAGUS
apply a knife to harvest spears . Use one hand to contain the top of the spear you are harvest . bring down the lance off about one in below the soil line . Be careful not to cut off too deeply – it will damage the asparagus crown . Harvest all the spear that get up during the harvest time of year . A good general rule for distance of harvesting time of year is the 2 - 4 - 6 calendar week sequence . Harvest for 2 weeks the second year the plants are in the garden , 4 weeks the third twelvemonth , and 6 weeks the fourth and all following years . Each succeeding fall , absent any encounter after it has turned dark-brown . If you reap edible asparagus that will be squander later , lap the spears and set the cut ends in about 2 inches of water supply . Like invigorated blossom , they will keep in the icebox for several sidereal day .
