General Culture:

Easily grown in average, medium, well-drained soil in full sun. Prefers organically rich soils that are evenly moist. Usually planted from roots (crowns). Roots take 2-3 years to produce a crop. May also be grown from seed, but this requires more expertise and care and takes about one year longer to produce the first crop. Plant roots or seed in early spring. Important to keep bed free of weeds.

Noteworthy Characteristics:

Asparagus is a perennial vegetable that produces edible shoots or spears which may be harvested in April-May. Plants are male or female. Males do not have to expend energy in producing flowers and fruit and typically produce better crop yields. Plants eventually grow into towering ferns in the summer and then die off after frost and are dormant during the winter. Female plants produce red berries in late summer that will drop in autumn and can cause self-seeding problems. 'Jersey Knight' is an all male cultivar (female plants are occasionally produced however) that features green spears that are 3/8" in diameter or more.

Problems:

This cultivar is resistant to rust, root/crown rot and fusarium. Asparagus beetles and Japanese beetles can be a problem in some areas of the U.S., but rarely of such magnitude as to require pesticide applications.

Uses:

Grow asparagus in the vegetable garden. Foliage can be used in floral arrangements.

© Missouri Botanical Garden, 2001-2009