How to Grow Asparagus
Planning the Site
When planning the site for growing asparagus, you should remember that they usually grow by themselves and it is inevitable that they will cover other plants from the sun. Therefore, it would be better to have the asparagus planted separate from other plants. You should also remember that asparagus love the sun. So set a site where they will have adequate sunlight. Finally, plan ahead how many asparagus plants you want to grow to be able to set your limits on how big your site would be. Lastly, choose a soil that is conducive for planting. Soil having a pH of 6.5-7.0 would be ideal. In planning the site, you should always consider these conditions.
Preparing the Site
Create a bed for your asparagus. Dig a V-shaped trough that is 6-7 inches deep. It is important to prepare this bed ahead of time and supplement it with manure, composts and other materials that may help enrich the soil of your bed.
Required Materials
The required materials in growing asparagus are your basic gardening tools. Now it is quite impossible to grow an asparagus straight from seeds just like with the other plants that belong to the lily family. The best way to start is to buy 1-year-old crowns. In choosing the crowns, look for the ones that are healthy and sturdy looking. Do not choose crowns that appear limp. After purchasing, it would be best to plant them right away, but be sure that you have already removed the rotten roots from the crown if there are any.
Watering Requirements
In the first two to three weeks, water the asparagus with 2 to 3 inches of water. After that span of time, you may water them once every week. If rain has not visited, then water more frequently.
Nutrients Required
Asparagus love the sun. It is very important to let your asparagus plants have full sun exposure. Keep on supplementing the soil with rotten manure, composts or materials that are rich in potassium and phosphorous.
Seasons
Though it can be grown any time of the year, the best time for growing asparagus is during springtime.
Expectations/Results
It is very important that when growing asparagus you need to be patient. An asparagus crop can be harvested in its third year. Do not be tempted to harvest it on the first and second years since that will yield not so good results. The third year will be the golden year for harvesting it for the first time. The prime years of growing asparagus would be when it would be 6-8 years old.