Asparagus is a wonderful vegetable to grow in your garden, it lasts for up to 20 years providing seasonal asparagus. Asparagus likes deep, friable, rich soil. If you've got heavy, clay soil, you'll need to mound the plants up or dig in plenty of organic matter so that it becomes nice and well drained. They love soil with a pH of about 6.5 to 7. Dig a deep trench, about 75cm, for the long roots - the deeper the better. Then add organic matter.
Asparagus is very hungry and needs plenty of organic matter such as cow manure, sheep manure, or old chook poo. Scatter it thickly down the bottom of the trench because they will absolutely lap that up.
An economical and easy way is to grow Asparagus from seed. Asparagus seedlings are not easily available in Australia. If you do grow them that way then after planting leave for about two or three years for a strong root system to develop. Don't pick any of the crop, just let it grow naturally. Another way to grow them is by using the Asparagus crown, with its long, fleshy roots. The crown of the Asparagus is where the spears will grow.
Asparagus is easily grown from seed, the seed is collected from red seed pods that develop on the female plants. The female plants although provide seed pods they tend to be less productive in providing asparagus spears.
If you have a small garden or space to grow Asparagus then we recommend removing the female plants. We recommend starting your Asparagus seeds in small seed raising pots and transplant once the leaves reach around 15cm tall.
Asparagus likes fertile well drained soiled and lots of manure. Each year the leaves and stems will yellow, indicating time to cut them down to the ground and add lots of manure and wait for the spears to appear.
Cut Asparagus spears before they start to open and produce leaves and flowers. Asparagus will provide a continuous supply of spears during the cooler months. It's high in potassium, great for fibre, low in salt, and a terrific, healthy vegetable to grow. There is nothing nicer than growing your own crop and taking it fresh to the table.
Over time your Asparagus will grow and thicken each season and after 5 years you should be able to harvest spears similar to the main image in this article.
Shop now and buy your Asparagus seeds in Australia (excluding WA) today, and get Asparagus growing in your garden.
