Regardless of whether you start with seed or asparagus crowns, you should amend the soil with compost and a balanced organic fertilizer. Add rock phosphate to promote root growth and ensure the plants will get the phosphorous they need.

Plant the crowns the minute the ground is workable. The asparagus will quickly grow into lush green spears.

Prepare the Soil

Asparagus plants grow best from 1-year-old dormant crowns (also called “ferns”) purchased at nurseries or mail-order companies. Planting them eliminates the year of tedious weeding that comes with starting from seed, and speeds up production overall.

Asparags need a sunny location and rich, well-drained soil. Before you dig, take a soil sample to your county extension office and have it tested for acidity (the soil should be about 6.5 or 7.0) and nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium.

Amend the soil with plenty of organic material, such as garden compost or well-rotted manure, if necessary. Mix in an all-purpose organic fertilizer and rock phosphate, a naturally occurring mineral that promotes root growth, before planting. Annual top dressings with a good compost also help keep the soil rich and productive. If you choose to start your asparagus from seeds, sow them indoors in spring and transplant outside when they are 12 to 14 weeks old.

Prepare the Crowns

Asparagus is a perennial crop, so you’ll get a lot of future harvests from a single planting. Most gardeners plant crowns rather than seedlings because the former require much less maintenance and have a head start on producing spears.

Choose a permanent location for your asparagus bed, preferably one in full sun and free from trees and bushes that might shade the plants. Asparagus thrives in well-drained soil, but if yours is heavy and clay-like, adding some sharp sand or grit to the bed will improve drainage.

When you’re ready to plant, mix a shovelful of compost and a cup of all-purpose organic fertilizer into the trench. Using the trench method of planting is the best way to encourage strong root growth. As the roots grow through the soil, add more soil to the trench over the course of a few weeks. Adding a layer of mulch in the fall will suppress weeds and help keep the bed weed-free as the crowns develop.

Plant the Crowns

If you receive asparagus crowns in the mail and aren’t ready to plant them, open the box and keep the bundles of roots slightly damp in a cool, dark place for up to a week. They can also be stored in the fridge, if necessary, as long as they’re not allowed to dry out.

The best time to plant asparagus is in early spring while they are still dormant, but you can also plant them in late fall (provided the ground hasn’t froze yet). When planting asparagus crowns, choose male plants rather than female ones, as they don’t produce berries and can be up to three times more productive.

After the crowns have been planted, mulch the bed with a light layer of compost or other organic material to smother any remaining weeds (asparagus is a notoriously difficult weed) and to help retain soil moisture. Asparagus plants are perennials and can gradually drain nutrients from the soil, so a little fertilizer will work wonders in boosting yields.

Water the Crowns

Asparagus is a perennial crop that can keep producing year after year if properly cared for. To do that, it needs a lot of sun and fertile, well-draining soils. It also benefits from being planted in the early spring, right after it’s possible to work the soil.

Work in large amounts of compost before planting to help power up the soil and encourage nutrient uptake. Asparagus grows best in a soil with a neutral to slightly acidic pH of about 6.5, so amend the soil if necessary.

The asparagus bed should be weed free, especially the first year after crowns are established. The shallow roots of asparagus can be damaged by hoes, so weed by hand or use an organic mulch like an opaque weed mat. Maintain a weed-free bed by applying a thick layer of compost or well-rotted manure each winter and summer, and by incorporating horticultural grit to improve drainage if needed. Keep the soil nutrient rich by feeding asparagus with a general fertilizer in the spring.