Asparagus Growing Guide
Asparagus officinalis
Crop Rotation Group
Miscellaneous ●
Soil
Fertile, well drained, and free of persistent weeds.
Position
Full sun to partial afternoon shade.
Frost tolerant
Long-lived hardy perennial. Beds can produce for decades.
Feeding
Mulch with 5cm (2 in) of rich compost or rotted manure every winter.
Spacing
Single Plants: 45cm (1' 5") each way (minimum)
Rows: 45cm (1' 5") with 45cm (1' 5") row gap (minimum)
Sow and Plant
Transplant seedlings in late winter or early spring. A few varieties can be grown from seed.
Our Garden Planner can produce a personalised calendar of when to sow, plant and harvest for your area.
Notes
After the stems die back in early winter, cut them off at ground level and compost them. Remove weeds, apply compost and mulch, and your yearly maintenance is done.
Harvesting
Begin gathering spears the third year after transplanting, cutting all spears that appear for a month in early spring. In subsequent years, harvest for 6 weeks each spring.
Troubleshooting
Cutting new shoots just below the surface often helps control problems with asparagus beetles, which often lay their eggs on tender shoots near the soil line.
Planting and Harvesting Calendar
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Pests which Affect Asparagus