Planting Bare Root Asparagus

One of my early garden favourites is asparagus. This year I added a second bed in my floating garden.

You can find multi-packs of asparagus bare roots in the nursery. I got mine at Walmart with 10 plants for $4.97. Because I do intensive gardening in my small beds, I planted my asparagus roots a bit closer than recommended. Here's what they say at HGTV.com.

Dig a 12 inches (30 cm) deep trench and mix compost into the bottom. Create a mound to support each root. Space them about 12-18 inches apart (30-45 cm) for optimal growth. Fill the trench and firmly (but gently) pack the soil over the roots. Watering or rain will help settle the soil.

The rule of thumb is don't harvest any asparagus the first year (some even say the second) after planting. The roots need to stored energy for productive harvests in future years. After the spears emerge from the ground they will continue to grow into large ferns. Do not cut the ferns back until they begin to wither in the fall. You may need to provide them with supports, especially in windy areas. The nutrients generated will be stored in the roots for the long winter's rest.

When it's time to harvest your asparagus, use a knife and cut the spears just below the surface of the soil. The roots will keep producing spears and harvesting can continue until mid-June. After that time let the remaining spears grow into ferns to rejuvenate roots. With just a bit of fertilizer and tender care each year, the long-lived roots will produce yummy veggies for years to come. -- Margy