Time to plant Asparagus in WA

Name: Baileys Fertilisers
Address: Perth, Western Australia
Telephone: (08) 9439 1688

Author

Baileys Fertiliser

Published

4 August 2020

Vegetable & Herbs

There's nothing more satisfying than snapping fresh Asparagus spears out of the veggie patch for dinner as you need them. This nutrient-packed veggie is low in calories and a great source of fibre, folate and vitamins A, C and K.

Many people have never seen Asparagus growing, but cultivating your own at home is very easy and rewarding, the hardest part being the patience required while you wait for your first usable harvest. Don't expect to be eating homegrown asparagus in your first season, instead wait till the spears have reached the thickness of your pinkie, usually in their second year when the crown has developed. From then on though, you can expect a seasonal crop for up to 15+ years! Happy days.

Asparagus is a herbaceous perennial plant, and each winter the foliage dies back and the crown and roots store energy until the warm weather returns. New shoots are produced in spring from these energy reserves. If allowed to develop, the spears grow into tall fern like fronds, which produce energy and intern develop the underground crown.

Asparagus plants can be grown from seed, seedlings or more commonly dormant crowns, and late July, August or early Sept is the best time to plant.

Soil Preparation

Asparagus likes friable, organic rich, well-draining, slightly alkaline soils, within a pH range of 6.5 - 7. It also likes deep soils, with roots growing to as far down as 1 meter. They require a sunny position, at least 8 hours a day, so choose a spot and prepare your soil a week in advance to planting accordingly.

If you have sandy soils, build up in preparation with plenty of Baileys Clay & Compost, which contains a blend of Soil Solver kaolin clay, mineral silts, mature compost and composted chicken manure.
If you have heavier, clay soils, you'll need to mound your planting areas and dig in plenty of organic matter, such as Baileys Soil Improver Plus, to loosen the structure and ensure the soil is well draining.
Alternatively, Asparagus can be grown in very large, deep pots or raised beds, filled with a quality growing media such as Baileys Veg & Herb Premium Planting Mix. Potted plant are usually grown from seedlings instead of crowns, and keep in mind lifespan will be significantly shorter than in ground. Additional organic fertiliser can be added to the bottom of pots for these hungry feeders.

Planting

To plant, dig a trench approx. 35 cm deep and add a 10 cm layer of more mature compost and aged animal manure thickly down the bottom as Asparagus are hungry feeders.
Back fill with amended soil for another 10 cm to cover the compost or manure and create a slight mound in the center of the trench.
Position the crowns onto the mound, spreading roots which should be pointing downward and spaced 40 cm apart.
Back fill with more organic rich, amended soil, with crowns positioned 7-10 cm below surface.
Mulch well with an organic mulch or straw mulch to retain moisture and water well.

Fertilising & Maintenance

Asparagus should be fertilised with an organic based, high nitrogen fertiliser in spring prior to spear emergence and again at the end of harvest. Use Baileys Soil Matters Garden or Veg & Herb Fertiliser.
Keep the area weed free and well mulched.
At the end of the growing season, cut and remove old brown fronds to the grown, add a thick layer of Soil Improver Plus and keep moist but not wet over winter in preparation for the following season.
Apart from slugs and snails in spring there are few pests and diseases that trouble Asparagus.

Harvest

As previously mentioned, no spears should be cut during the first season, instead allowing the tall fronds to grow freely and the crown to establish. In subsequent years, harvest only those spears that are thicker than a pencil and about 20 - 25 cm tall. Cut with a sharp knife just below ground level and eat fresh or cooked. Allow thinner spears to develop into fronds, particularly later in the season.

Growing from Seed

An economical way to grow Asparagus is by seed, or with seedlings instead of crowns.

There are male and female Asparagus plants. The males have better quality spears and the females produce small red berries in autumn. Collect the berries when they're ready to produce seed and sow them.

If you do grow from seed or seedlings, 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, following the maintenance tips above.