Growing Asparagus

Aspargus officianalis : Asparagaceae / the asparagus family

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

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

  • P = Plant crowns

August: frost tender

  • Easy to grow. Plant as crowns. Best planted at soil temperatures between 16°C and 30°C. (Show °F/in)
  • Space plants: 20 - 40 cm 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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15 Jul 10, peter (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Seeing as asparagus takes so long to be ready to harvest, can any one give a guide as to how much room to devote to them? We need enough for two. Any ideas?
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11 Jun 11, Margaret (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
Dear Peter, we live in Piccadilly in the cool Adelaide Hills (a bit like Tassie weather in winter) and have enjoyed the produce from the same asparagus bed for 31 years feeding our family of 6 (now only 2 members still here). Over the years we have removed parts of some of the 6 original crowns in a bed about 1 metre by half a metre, and the asparagus spears keep coming up. However, raspberry canes are beginning to infest the bed, so I am about to start another asparagus bed elsewhere in the garden. Good luck with yours!
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16 Oct 11, Jen (New Zealand - cool/mountain climate)
Dear Margaret, I just found your comment to Peter about Asparagus...... >This past week Ihave for the first time planted 2 seedlings of Asparagus with about 3 delicate fronds, but as I may be moving in the next year I planted them into a deep 420 cm HDPE pot with good potting mix, sheep and alpaca Dolomite and B&B... I did not know then that it takes 3 years till harvest!!! Do you know or have an opinion if I can transplat the seedlings into the ground at a later date, or should I just plant them out now and forget about taking them with me??? You seem to have had a lot of experience so I hope you don't mind my beginner question Kind regards Jen
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22 May 10, Lizzy Battese (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
I would like to know where to get asparagus seeds or crowns.
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04 Jun 11, Pat. R (Australia - temperate climate)
you can buy online from diggers club: happy planting!
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04 May 11, Alexis (Australia - temperate climate)
Hi Lizzy - hope my reply (a year later!) is still useful: Diggers Club (google them to find their online shop) sells both seeds and crowns of several interesting varieties. I sowed some of their asparagus 'fat bastard' seeds (that's their real name!) into seed trays three weeks ago here in Melbourne, and they've just germinated. (April sowing doesn't look like it's recommended by this site, so I'll see how they go surviving the winter in their seed trays. Here's hoping!)
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27 May 10, (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
Lizzy, most garden shops will have crowns available around mid/late-winter as they are planted then. I know Kmart gets them in plastic bags about that time, together with strawberry plants.
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22 Apr 10, Chris (Australia - tropical climate)
bec, horse manure is notorious for containing lots of seeds which will sprout and grow if used in a garden. It's a great way to introduce weeds - I write from bitter experience! It needs to be thoroughly composted so the heat destroys the seeds before applying.
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10 Jul 10, (Australia - temperate climate)
You couldnt have said it any better....I too thought horse poop was a good thing until I seen how many weeds I was pulling out of my vegie patch.
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03 May 10, Selina (Australia - tropical climate)
Yes agree also. I had a similar terrible experience with horse manure myself and still paying for it. Is cow manure better? I've heard that you don't get the weeds because they have more than one stomach.
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Showing 301 - 310 of 338 comments
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In cooler climates asparagus normally yellows and dies back in the winter as you say. in the spring if the spears are left they will grow on to form the big ferny tops that we are familiar with. The plant uses these tops along with manure or compost to regenerate the roots in readiness for next springs crop. You could try bending these over so they are bruised and nearly broken off to force the plant into dormancy. If you cut them off the plant may just send up some more spindly spears.

- John

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