Asparagus in the Garden: Plant Once, Harvest for 15 Years

Asparagus is the definition of garden anticipation: you don't harvest at all for the first two years – but a well-established bed then delivers fresh spears every April and May for 10–15 years.

Green or White Asparagus?

• Green asparagus is the recommended choice for the garden: no mounding, no digging, just cut above ground. More flavorful and quicker in the kitchen (no peeling needed!)
• White asparagus requires elaborate earth mounds and manual labor – only for enthusiasts with space to spare

Planting

• Timing: March/April, one-year-old plants ("crowns") from the nursery
• Site: full sun, deep, sandy and loose – waterlogging is a death sentence
• How to do it: dig a 30 cm deep trench, work in compost, set the crowns spider-like on small mounds of soil (40 cm spacing), cover with just 5 cm at first and gradually fill in the trench over the course of the year

The Rule of Patience

• Years 1 and 2: don't harvest! The plant is building its root system. Let the ferny foliage grow and only cut it back at ground level in late autumn
• Year 3: harvest for 2–4 weeks
• From year 4: full harvest – but traditionally only until June 24 ("Johanni"/Midsummer's Day), after which the plant needs to recover for the following year

Harvest

• Cut green asparagus as soon as the spears are 20 cm tall – in peak season that means checking daily
• Freshly harvested asparagus squeaks when you rub the spears together

Kitchen Tip

Asparagus loses flavor by the hour after harvest – the head start of your own bed is unbeatable. Surplus can be blanched and frozen or preserved as asparagus soup.