Get asparagus growing tips, questions answered and see what an asparagus bed looks like in the fall after it’s left to grow.
When I posted the above photo of our asparagus patch in desperate need of harvesting (I hadn’t been out there for about 3 days, but that’s all it takes during harvest season!) to Instagram and Facebook, I got a number of comments.
All of which made me realize I should show what this bed looks like in summer after the asparagus has been left to grow, as well as answer a few questions and give some growing tips.
I love growing asparagus and hope you will try it if you haven’t. It’s a plant once and forget it (almost) perennial vegetable. Meaning once established, it will produce for you every year with minimal work. That’s pretty great, isn’t it?
Asparagus Growing Tips & FAQ
Here are a few of the questions I always get from visitors to my garden and readers who’ve seen photos, with the answers along with a few growing tips I’ve learned through the years:
- How long can you pick asparagus? Asparagus is harvested only for about 2-1/2 to 3 months in spring and then you need to let the spears grow, which produces fronds or leaves (or whatever they’re called). Alternately, to get a fall harvest you can let the spears grow in spring, cut them all down in August and then harvest the spears in September and October.
- Why do you have to stop picking? Harvesting for only a season of time is important to the health and longevity of the plant – letting it grow feeds the roots and creates bigger and stronger plants.
- How hard is it to grow? It takes awhile to grow a decent asparagus patch – you don’t really harvest much of anything for the first 3-4 years after planting. But it is a perennial plant that only requires basic maintenance: keep weed-free, water regularly, feed in spring with a top coating of barnyard compost, and cut down the brown fronds in the fall or winter.
- How much should I plant? This patch of 2 20-ft. beds is now 8 years old and provides too much asparagus for our family – I find other people to give some to – I should’ve planted less.
- How come the spears are all different sizes? In my years of growing asparagus I’ve found that the spears are never all the same size – there will be thick spears and super thin ones from the same root. And from the first month of harvest to the last. The adage to stop harvesting when most of the spears are “smaller than a pencil” doesn’t really work for me – I use the 6 weeks rule.
Finally, a reader asked, “Do you grow only asparagus in this bed?”
It’s probably because there seems to be a lot of bare ground in the photo above. The answer is yes, it’s all asparagus (besides a few nasturtium I let reseed at the front of the beds) because:
- The roots of asparagus don’t like competition.
- And this is what asparagus looks like in summer:
They grow to a HUGE 6-ft tall ferny hedge at the height of the summer!
The nasturtium like it and I allow a few to grow at the front of the beds to provide beauty and bee food, but that’s about it.
And when people see my garden in July, the #1 question I always get is “what is that?” pointing to the asparagus hedge because hardly anyone knows what asparagus looks like as it grows. I didn’t before I started growing it – and it is amazing, I think!
In spring, I reap baskets like this shown almost weekly (the asparagus more often, of course)- the prolific asparagus with early rhubarb stalks.
Both of these are perennials for the vegetable garden and growing these perennial plants assures that we always have something to harvest in early spring, whether we’ve planted anything or not.
Do you grow asparagus? What growing tips would you add?
Ready for more information and a TON of recipes for asparagus and rhubarb, two of early spring’s best crops?
- The Ultimate Rhubarb Guide: Grow, Harvest, Cook & Preserve
- Ultimate Asparagus Guide: Grow, Harvest, Cook & Preserve
Vicky says
Hi, I’m about ready to rip up my asparagus since its year 4 and not doing at all well and it takes up alot of precious space. each year i look at my dismal results and think of the other crops i could have planted, but then i saw your suggestion for a fall harvest. This could be a game changer as we love asparagus but only need enough for two of us. We would love a more spread out harvest. But that is only if we can make it happier and more productive generally!!
We are in the south east of UK (zone 8?). We made a shallow raised bed for our asparagus and dug over the soil underneath before filling it. but in hindsight our soil is clay and probably not very hospitable for asparagus once the roots reach down past the lovely compost in the raised bed. Its claggy and damp and cold in winter and liable to bake hard in summer. Do you think making a deeper raised bed would be of benefit or is there something else at play?
Jami says
Gosh, I feel your frustration, Vicky. My bed wasn’t that deep – I think we used 5 inch boards (which are 4.5 in reality) and our soil is heavily clay as well. I did dig down like you did to probably a food before adding horse manure, soil, and compost mulch. Did you plant the roots 15-18 inches down and then fill in as they grew?
Once I did all that they seemed to be fine with the soil below the amended, so I’m not sure that would be the answer. What kind of harvest are you getting from it? I would probably leave it alone since asparagus take so long to establish, and give it maybe two feedings of a quality compost/mulch yearly instead of the one I do to see if it will take off.
Hopefully it’s just a slow starter!
Yolli says
Hi I just grow asparagus thru seeds it still in the pots and planning to transplant it in the container , Iβm doing container gardening ,can asparagus survive in the container and if when to cut off the over grown plants , please
Let me know
Jami says
I’m pretty sure you can grow them in containers, since I grow them in raised beds. As long as you live in a climate that’s okay for growing them.
You leave the fern tops until they turn brown in the winter and then cut them off. Since you’re starting from seed, you won’t be able to harvest spears until the plants are four years old, though. They need that much time to grow strong.
Roberta says
I like your ideas. If we transplant into a raised bed how long before you can harvest.
Jami says
Since they are established plants and hopefully you’ll be able to get most of the roots, I’d give it two years before doing a light harvest. In the third year you can harvest fully from when the spears come up for a couple months as long as the spears are big enough (bigger than a pencil).
Roberta says
We have a large asparagus patch that is full of weeds & grass
Do you have any tips on how to get rid of weeds
Jami says
Oh, that’s a tough one, Roberta, as asparagus doesn’t do well with competition like that.
If it were me, I’d dig up the asparagus roots as much as possible and then dig or kill (with black plastic) all the weeds and grass and then start again, but in a raised bed with an edge that might help to keep the grass out.
Layer with thick cardboard and bring in clean soil and mulch.
It would take work, but you’d be rewarded with a healthy patch again.
SarahPerry says
Hi I know this is an older blog but I am ready to set up my asparagus bed and am hoping you can advise me a bit…I read depth and spacing etc to plant. But Iβm in hot Texas and wonder if the asparagus needs any relief from the heat with afternoon shade etc? Also how deep do the roots go after planted and established? Hoping you can replyπThanks Sarah
SarahPerry says
Also do you have a blog about rhubarb? Also interested in starting that too?
Jami says
Yes! I have Ultimate Guides to growing and using a lot of fruits and veggies – here is the Ultimate Guide to Rhubarb. There is also an Ultimate Guide to Asparagus and you can see all the Ultimate Guides here.
Jami says
Hi Sarah – I check all my comments no matter how old the article, so happy to help!
Asparagus loves sun, so I’m not sure about the shade issue. The bigger issue is temperature and being in Texas that is going to be an issue. What I’ve read is that you need to find the varieties that are suited to hotter climates and that will go into dormancy through drought and not cold in winter. I think if you googled “asparagus varieties for hot climates” you’d get some answers.
As for the roots, they aren’t as deep as they are wide, which is why you plant them relatively far apart so they have room to spread. The roots need about a foot deep. I’ve grown them in a 5-inch tall raised bed that I dug down to get the 12 inches, and now I’m going to grow them in a foot tall raised bed since there is a bedrock base.
Hope that helps!
Michele says
I just pinned this for when I get my own asparagus beds started. So helpful! Also, I just linked up for the first time this year! Thanks for hosting, Jami!
Mindy says
Whoa!!!! I had NO idea asparagus got that big! Clearly, I’ve never grown it. And now, I’m even more sure that I don’t have the space! I can’t get over how big the greenery gets. I wish I was in the neighborhood, I’d take some of the harvest off your hands. π
I was checkin’ out my rhubarb yesterday. I only have one plant, but I think he’ll be ready to make somethin’ yummy in about two weeks. I can’t wait!
What a surprise to see a picture of my yard! Thanka so much for the mention! The blog has turned full on garden-themed over the past couple of weeks, so I have several link-ups this time. Now, off to check out what’s goin’ on with everyone else…..
Connie at Bird and Seed says
Asparagus are crazy! I love your basket full of asparagus and rhubarb. How old is your rhubarb? If I can plant some soonish to insure a decent harvest this time next year I totally will- my garden at the moment is sad and I’d love to be able to pick something!
Jami says
I think the rhubarb is 6 years old – we tried it in a couple of areas before setting it next to the asparagus bed (which is 8). It does take a couple years to get established, but then will produce regularly for you with almost no maintenance – love that π
Green Bean says
You have rhubarb!!! Mine is in its second year. I’ve read conflicting reports as to whether I can harvest this year or whether I have to wait until next. I think I’ll take off a few stalks.
I love your asparagus bed! I am TOTALLY making one next year. I’ve been putting it off for years but you have inspired me.
Jami says
I think you’ll be safe with a couple of stalks – as long as you leave some to grow and feed the roots. π
Vickie says
Wow, I didn’t know you can get a fall harvest from asparagus! That’s exciting, because I love asparagus and just hate that I can only eat it fresh in the spring! Thanks for that information. Also, thanks for hosting the linky party!
Shelly says
I’ve never knew asparagus grew like that, it really gets huge! We have rhubarb ready to harvest too. I’m thinking of making some dairy free rhubarb ice cream with it. What’s your favorite way to use rhubarb? I think I need some new recipes to try.
Jami says
I love, love Rhubarb Chutney with pork, Shelly – it’s amazing (and I never thought I’d say that!) – it’s in our preserving section in the recipe index. I want to get some more rhubarb recipes up this year, since I sadly do not have some of our favorites yet – so stay tuned. π
Kimberly says
Thank you for hosting!!! We would love it if you would stop by our party.
Have an amazing week! Lou Lou Girls
Natalia says
Wow, I am so impressed with your asparagus and rhubarb–gorgeous! I have tried growing rhubarb twice, to no avail. π Who can’t grow rhubarb? Me, apparently. π
Thanks so much for hosting this link up–I posted today’s list of free homesteading/DIY/etc e-books that I searched up just this morning. I hope you and other readers find something there you like. All the best in your lovely garden…