Growing Asparagus

Aspargus officianalis : Asparagaceae / the asparagus family

Jan F M A M J J A S O N Dec
        P P P          

(Best months for growing Asparagus in Australia - tropical regions)

  • P = Plant crowns
  • Easy to grow. Plant as crowns. Best planted at soil temperatures between 61°F and 86°F. (Show °C/cm)
  • Space plants: 8 - 16 inches apart
  • Harvest in 2-3 years. Plant 'crowns' to harvest earlier .
  • Compatible with (can grow beside): Parsley, Basil, Nasturtiums, Lettuce
  • Avoid growing close to: Garlic, Onions, and root vegetables

Your comments and tips

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27 Oct 22, DIEDRE BRAY (Australia - temperate climate)
Hi, should asparagus be staked. Every time my asparagus matures the stems always blow over.
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30 Oct 22, (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
I have a patch about 1.5m x 1m and I put a few stakes around the edges with 2-3 ropes up the stakes to keep them tidy.
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27 Aug 22, LYNETTE J HOULIHAN (Australia - tropical climate)
I bought and planted 4 (2 green, 2 purple) Bunnings asparagus seedlings in a very large trough/planter. I have very healthy looking plants (look like dill) about 45 cms high. Do I Just leave these or is there something I should do. Thanks.
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02 Sep 22, (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Just water and fertilise them. Will take 3 years before you start to produce a reasonable crop. Read up about growing them.
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02 Sep 22, Veronica (Australia - temperate climate)
Leave them to grow. You can stake them if you prefer. Once they die off, trim off the dead bits. Definitely mark where they are, as they will probably disappear. Do not harvest for at least 2 years.
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07 Sep 22, LYNETTE J HOULIHAN (Australia - arid climate)
Thanks.
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25 Jul 22, Maura (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
Thank you. I will wait until spring next year, even if fronds are browning. I have picked and eaten the emerging early spears. And I have covered the plot with heavy shade mesh on a frame, to avert any frost damage. This is the first time in 5 years that the spears have come up in July!
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11 Jul 22, Maura (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
Have just cut down old fronds. Noticed a few new asparagus spears coming up. It is still winter, and as we get frosts here in Ballarat, should I cover the crowns with some mesh do that they don’t get burned, or just accept the loss until spring flush?
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12 Jul 22, Anonymous (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Pays to read the notes here. It does say they like cold and frosty weather. Don't cut fronds until end of August.
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18 Jul 22, Maura (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
Thank you. I cut down the ferns because they were browning. Thought it was correct. That asparagus like cold and frosty weather, do the early emerging spears not get burnt by frost at -3C?
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Showing 21 - 30 of 338 comments
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Are they two years old from seed or crowns?I believe the ferns die in the colder weather but not in sub-tropics /tropics. I'm sub tropic and they have not died in the last 3 years. I even stopped watering in early May this year and we have had a very dry time since then. I would cut the old ones out. Pick some of the new spears and eat. Depending on how many spears you are getting probably stop picking in about 4 weeks and let grow for next year. You have to let the crown grow in the first 2-3 years. In future from about Nov or so let the spears go to ferns-even while you are picking leave a couple go to ferns. Leave the ferns there until mid August-the ferns are growing the crown and storing nutrient in the crown for spears next year. Then cut them off and put 50-75mm of compost or aged manure on them and start watering them. And by compost I mean fully broken down organic matter or manure. Not mulch.

- Anon

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