Planting Asparagus
It finally feels like spring is upon us! our first products are arriving from partner farms and suppliers for processing and shipping in our warehouse.
First up: domestic bare root raspberries, blackberries, and asparagus. Roses will be arriving next week.
Asparagus are a unique plant with pliable tuberous roots attached to a crown from which the spears grow. We don’t plant them vertically, like most bare root perennials. Instead, asparagus are planted horizontally in a trench.
General planting instructions:
Choose a location that is not afflicted by standing water.
Make a trench about 4 inches wide and 6 inches deep. The trench should be as long as the number of roots you have to plant, multiplied by about 10-12 inches. Purple passion roots can be planted closer together at about 8 inches apart.
Plant your roots on their side, lengthwise. Cover with about 2 inches of soil. Once the spears start to appear, add another couple of inches of soil. Continue to bury your roots as the plants grow until you reach ground surface level.
Asparagus are perennial in zones 3-8. Like most perennials, they take some time to settle in, so you’re doing the right thing by getting them started sooner than later! But trust us, they are worth the wait, and they can last for many years to come. You can begin harvesting asparagus a year after planting.
For detailed planting, cultivation, and harvesting instructions (including soil maintenance and fertilization), please see this thorough guide from our partners at Nourse Farms.
