Even though asparagus is always accessible, spring is the ideal season to grow this healthy vegetable. Crops are collected from late February through June, with April being the most significant month and the peak season for asparagus. By the end of May, the asparagus season is over in most areas. Information on Asparagus The stalks that shoot from the plant's apex develop into leaves that resemble ferns. In advance of the development of the fern leaves, the edible stalks are manually picked. It takes three years from planting to harvesting the first stalks, so growing your own asparagus requires patience. Because the plants only live for around 10 years, asparagus is one of the few crops that are planted as a perennial. 
Plants may be male or female. The female produces seeds, which not only prevent the stalks from growing but also overcrowd the beds. Males don't put as much effort into producing seeds, thus their stalks are bigger and more beautiful. New cultivars that solely yield male plants have been developed for more cost-effective harvests. several varieties of asparagus There are five different sizes of asparagus: gigantic, giant, enormous, regular, and little. The primary difference between these kinds of recipes is the color of the final product. This green variety, which may be anywhere from pencil-thin to rather thick, makes up the majority of the asparagus produced in the United States. White stalks are preferred in Europe because they are softer and more delicate. In the US, fresh white asparagus is hard to come by, although tinned white asparagus is often accessible (usually in jars). This cultivar has a stem that is fairly sturdy, violet or violet-colored, and is often seen in Italy and the United Kingdom. Several regions, including Europe, have wild asparagus growth. You'll probably need to look for it on your own as it's seldom seen fresh in markets outside of Italy and the south of France. 
Asparagus how to grow
Asparagus will grow quickly and easily. You only need to know how to plant it and maintain it. The long-term growth of asparagus depends on choosing a proper planting place since it is a perennial plant that grows in the same spot for many years. The sun should be considered while planting asparagus. Pick a location that receives at least eight hours of direct sunshine each day. While it may be able to withstand some shade, asparagus does best in direct sunlight. Is It Better To Grow Asparagus From Crowns Or Seeds? Asparagus may be grown from seeds or crowns. A far simpler and often more fruitful way to grow asparagus in your garden is from crowns. It also results in an earlier harvest. 
Planting Asparagus: A Guide Plants that produce asparagus have either male or female sexual traits. Men tend to favor masculine characteristics while gardening. Compared to their male counterparts, female plants are smaller and produce fewer spears. Even though there are many options, our farm has found the best success with the varietals Jersey Giant, Jersey Knight, and Purple Passion. Asparagus crowns are sown. The most effective way to plant asparagus is in a trench. Create a 6-inch-deep by an 8-inch-wide trench in the ground before you start planting. Place the crowns in the bottom of the trench, add water, and then cover with about two inches of dirt. 12 inches should separate rows and 18 inches should separate crowns. The best time to fertilize plants is in the late summer or early autumn, and compost is all that is required. After removing the mulch, surround each plant's base with a few inches of compost. The soil will gently absorb these nutrients, renewing the soil and crowns. It gives a plethora of new nutrients for the next spring crop if carried out in the late summer or early autumn. 
Asparagus growing season
Asparagus is available from February through June, with April being the most popular month. So the season for growing asparagus would be February to June. Fresh asparagus ought to be bright green and unshriveled. The delicate tips must be firm and tight, never limp, and must have a purple tinge. The cut end will be thick and fibrous due to the plant's response to the harm caused by cutting. This end is removed before cooking, although if the shoots are young, you may just lose a single inch. While asparagus may be kept in a produce bag in your vegetable bin, it is more likely to be damaged, bruised, or left out for an extended period of time. Trim the asparagus ends, place them in a glass of water, wrap them in plastic wrap, and place them in the refrigerator for up to two days (glass and all). Gardeners may grow asparagus almost everywhere, with the exception of the coldest and hottest parts of the country. For the subterranean perennial roots to undergo a period of dormancy, they need a season that is long enough to store enough energy for several fat spears. Since early harvesting reduces productivity and quality, you must wait three years to harvest asparagus grown from seed. Instead of planting seeds in the spring, use 1-year-old crowns (bare plant roots without leaves) so that harvesting may start the next year with certain restrictions. Pick male hybrids that yield more than more traditional varieties. Once fully grown, anticipate collecting around 12 pounds per crown. The quantity of asparagus you plant will depend on how much your family enjoys it, but a good starting point is five crowns per person. 
Growing asparagus in raised beds
When you want to plant asparagus in your home garden space is of the essence and you have some raised beds available but is growing asparagus in them really possible? Well yes. After being established, asparagus detests being moved. Pick a permanent spot in the garden for the crop to prevent having to move the whole crop later (bearing in mind that asparagus ferns may grow up to 5 feet tall in a single season). If the crowns seem and feel fragile, as is often the case with asparagus offered in a large basket or tub, soak them in water before planting. To avoid other plants from getting shadowed throughout summer, place mature asparagus plants on the northern or western sides of a garden. Start eight inches under the rim of the bed with well-draining soil. To allow for root growth, your raised bed should be at least 12 inches tall. Most asparagus planting instructions include digging trenches and mounds, but a raised bed allows you to avoid doing any of those things. Verify that the crown is pointing up. The little nodule above the roots is where the asparagus will sprout. There could even be a few times when little spikes appear. Around the plant's crowns, space the roots 12 inches apart. Soil should be piled on top of the asparagus to a depth of about 3 inches. Add 3 inches of more soil as the asparagus begins to grow and the spears reach a height of a few inches. The first two years of asparagus's growth need constant irrigation (about 1 to 2 inches of water per square foot per week). After they are established, plants only need 1 inch of water each week. During the growth season, asparagus is fertilized twice: once just before the first shoots develop and once in the middle. 
When to grow asparagus
Planting asparagus is easy, what isn’t easy is knowing when to plant and expecting the asparagus to grow. Plant asparagus crowns in the early spring as soon as the soil can be handled. When potatoes are planted, many gardeners also do so. Although asparagus is often grown from crowns that are a year old, it may also be grown from seeds. On the other side, beginning with asparagus crowns speeds up output and avoids the tiresome weeding that comes with starting from seed. Many kinds, including the open-pollinated "Purple Passion" and the hybrid "Sweet Purple," may be cultivated from seeds. Germinate seeds inside after the last spring frost, then move seedlings outdoors when they are 12 to 14 weeks old. Before planting, soak seeds in water for up to 24 hours. Plant seeds in damp peat or seed-starting soil in flats or peat cups. Place plants outside for a week after they are 12 inches tall to help them harden off. Transplant the seedlings onto a temporary garden bed after the last spring frost. Eliminate the less productive female plants and transplant the male asparagus plants that aren't producing berries to the permanent planting location. 
Prior to Harvest The plant's dead foliage should be cut in the late autumn and composted, but the spears shouldn't be harvested in the first or second year since the plant requires time to develop its root system. Asparagus needs a steady stream of plant food to survive. During the growth season, think about using organic fertilizer. Observe the guidelines provided on the product's package. Side-dress with compost and get rid of the dead ferns in the second year's spring and early fall. Maintain a thick layer of mulch over the bed. The bed should be fully productive by the third year, at which point you may start picking asparagus sparingly all season long.
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