They should look firm and fresh, not withered or mushy. If given too bright light, the plant will yellow. Most of them live in the Midwest or the North. You should not begin harvesting your asparagus spears until the third year after they are planted. Remove the whole weed with a hand trowel, taking care to pull out the roots to prevent regrowth. Female asparagus plants form red berries. Fertilize your asparagus fern. How to Take Care of Asparagus Plants Prepare the soil. In the spring, it will begin to grow shoots when the soil temperature reaches 50 degrees. Don't let the roots dry out before planting. Asparagus roots form a tightly woven mat, from which it is challenging to remove weeds. Frequently water the plant afterwar Lack of nutrients 1. Check asparagus regularly for disease and insect damage. Allow the top 50% of the soil to dry out before watering. It’s very important to dry washed spears thoroughly; moisture can lead to mold. When given proper care, asparagus plants can live and produce for up to 30 years, reports University of Illinois Extension. Asparagus spears will be ready for harvest shortly after the soil temperature reaches 50°F (10°C) in early spring—that’s when spears will begin to emerge. Work the soil a foot or more deep; growing asparagus in raised beds is a useful way to achieve the proper depth. Planting asparagus should be carefully planned out. Fusarium wilt can be a problem with older varieties, but you can avoid it by planting resistant hybrid varieties. Each spring, this perennial produces abundant spears ready for harvest. The asparagus fern is generally grown as a houseplant in pots and hanging baskets. An asparagus fern requires more water in the hot summer months, and likes drier soil during the cold winter months. You should purchase a soluble (liquid), all-purpose fertilizer. Wait until foliage turns yellow or brown and the plant becomes dormant before pruning. The top of the crown should be approximately 6\" below the soil surface. So it's worth your time to take care of your plants, keeping the crowns healthy and vigorous to ensure a bountiful harvest each year. Asparagus is a heavy feeder, and you should also give it a dose of fertilizer in mid-spring when it is actively growing. You can do this in late winter or fall. As shoots begin to appear, add more soil until the trench has been filled back up, level with the soil surface. The final product is smooth, white and virtually fiber-free, provided the harvested spears are immediately chilled to prevent the fiber from forming. Julie Thompson-Adolf is a master gardener and author with 13+ years of experience with year-round organic gardening, seed starting and saving, growing heirloom plants, perennials, and annuals, and sustainable and urban farming. Butter a casserole dish. Soak the seeds in warm water for a few hours to hasten germination and then plant them .5 inches (1.8 cm) deep in a seed-starting potting mix in small pots with one or two seeds per pot. Keep watch for them as the spears emerge in spring. During the growing season, asparagus prefers a temperature of 70 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit during the day and 60 to 70 degrees at night. Let me show you the best way to extend the life of your asparagus and keep it from drying out. Autumn is the only time of year to plant asparagus in the South. Put a layer of asparagus on bottom then add soup. Compost or well rotted manure makes an excellent mulch for asparagus in autumn. Asparagus plants are slow to mature, taking three to five years to really fill in and mature, but it's worth the wait. Use a lightweight mulch, like leaves or compost. Keep the asparagus bed free of weeds. If grasses or other perennial weeds get established in an asparagus bed it is almost impossible to reclai… Leaving the ferns through the winter can cause disease and insect problems, such as rust. Asparagus originated in Asia, the Middle East and Eastern Mediterranean regions. The Spruce uses cookies to provide you with a great user experience. Newer hybrid varieties are bred to produce only male plants that don't produce seeds, so they need a little less space, as they'll spread only through the growth of the existing crown. Also get rid of any weeds and large stones in the area before planting. The newer varieties have resistance to fusarium and rust. Asparagus is one of the first vegetables that is ready to harvest in the spring and also one of the few perennial vegetables grown in the garden. The top of the crown should be about 6 inches below the soil line. How to Plant Asparagus in the Fall. Start asparagus seedlings from seed from early February to May by planting them indoors in pots under a grow lamp or in a greenhouse or cold-frame. My Asparagus Looks Like a Fern, What Should I Do? You can do this in early spring before the shoots appear, or in the fall after the fronds have died back and been cut to the ground. If harvested over a longer period, the plants may be … If you use a knife, be careful you don't also slice the later shoots that are still underground and haven't yet poked through. During the first year, regular deep watering helps the roots to establish. Add mulch to the asparagus bed to control weeds. Asparagus plants grow best in full sun. It hasn’t grown a lot but I’m okay with that. Later in the season, the foliage matures into an airy, light-green, fern-like cloud, which changes to a golden color in the fall. I have an Asparagus setaceus plumosain my bathroom and it has been there for a couple of years, gets no direct sun, and is a nice dark green. 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