Asparagus is considered to be a gourmet vegetable. It tastes wonderful. As vegetable is quite expensive to buy, why not grow your own? You can plant ready made crowns in April.
How To Grow Your Own Asparagus?
What to do:
- Choose a sheltered, sunny spot and ensure the soil is free-draining
- Prepare beds for planting in the autumn, by removing weeds and digging in plenty of well-rotted manure. A week before planting in the spring, fork in some general fertiliser granules.
- To plant, dig a trench 20cm deep by 30cm wide, and add a 10cm mound of soil running down the length of the trench.
- Place crowns 30cm apart, on top of the mound and spread roots out either side. Cover crowns with 5cm of fine, clod free soil. As stems grow, gradually fill the trench with soil. Aim at completely full trenches by autumn.
- Avoid harvesting spears for two years after planting and allow ferny stems to develop. Cut these to 5cm above the ground in autumn.
- To harvest, cut spears when they are 12cm long, removing them with a serrated knife, 7cms beneath the soil.
What You Need to Grow Asparagus
- Spade
- Asparagus crows
- Sieve
- Watering can
