1
Find out if asparagus grows well in your region. Asparagus does best in areas that have either cold winters, during which the ground freezes, or very dry summers. It's a hardy and adaptable plant, but it's much harder to grow in areas with mild winters and wet summers, such as the Gulf Coast of the United States.
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2
Decide whether to start your plants from seeds or crowns. Asparagus seeds require 3 years to grow before they are ready to be harvested. During their first season the seeds germinate and sprout, and after that they need 2 years to establish their long, spongy roots deep into the soil. When you plant crowns, you skip the first season and go straight to the rooting stage, so you only need to plan 2 years in advance.
3
Asparagus seeds have a low germination rate, so it's more difficult to know exactly how many plants you'll end up with. However, the seeds that do get established tend to turn into hardy plants that last longer and produce more spears than plants that came from crowns.
- Asparagus crowns that are marked "2-year crowns" supposedly allow you to harvest spears just one year after planting. However, the process of transplanting asparagus plants after they've already established their roots can damage them, and they typically still need two full years in the same soil before they reach full production.
4
Choose a planting spot for your asparagus. Since asparagus can keep producing spears for up to 25 years, choose a spot you're ready to devote to asparagus for a very long time. The area should have the following characteristics:
- Full sun. Asparagus does best in sunny conditions. Since it comes up early in the spring, it's ok to choose a place near trees that won't yet have their leaves. Just make sure the asparagus bed isn't shadowed by a group of trees or a building.
- Well-drained soil. The soil should be loose and have excellent drainage. Asparagus planted in waterlogged soil will rot.
- Space for a raised bed. This is optional, since asparagus do fine in the ground, but it's easier to keep their bed free of weeds and completely drained when it's raised.
5
Buy asparagus seeds or crowns. Asparagus seeds and crowns can be purchased at home and garden stores, nurseries or online. Seeds are available all year round, but crowns are usually for sale very early in the spring, right before they should be planted.
- Asparagus plants are monoecious, meaning that each plant is either male or female. The female plants put energy into producing seeds, so they don't produce as many spears as the males. Some varieties of asparagus have been engineered to produce only male plants. If you choose one of these, you'll only need to plant half as many crowns as if you choose a mixed variety.
- Asparagus seeds aren't usually separated by sex, so the female plants are weeded out once they sprout.
- Choose a rust-resistant variety, such as one of the many "Jersey" varieties or a "Mary Washington."
- If you're buying crowns, pick healthy-looking crowns that are a grayish-brown color, large and plump. Buy them just a day or so before planting them.
- Purple asparagus and other heirloom varieties are available at nurseries. You can create white asparagus by shielding the spears from the sun with soil.
