Asparagus beds last 20 or more years and take quite a while to reach peak production. That creates a lot of pressure to get it right the first time!
I cover the asparagus growth stages, along with plenty of pictures and a detailed timeline over a full growing season. At the end, I have specific instructions (with more pictures) on how to plant asparagus crowns and what they look like throughout their life cycle.
Ive grown asparagus twice in two different climates – northern California and the Midwest. Ive reviewed a dozen different research papers and consulted experts in order to provide you with the most accurate information.[feast_advanced_jump_to]
Asparagus is a delicious and nutritious vegetable that can thrive for many years in your garden if properly cared for. However, it does require patience since it takes a few years before you can begin harvesting spears. So what does first year asparagus look like and what should you expect that initial growing season?
Asparagus Seedlings
If starting asparagus from seed, the first signs of life will be tiny seedlings emerging from the soil. These tender sprouts will have:
- Slender green blades just 1-2 inches tall at first
- Sparse, thin foliage – not full and bushy yet
- Upright growth habit
- It can take 10-14 days for seeds to germinate depending on soil temperature
- Seedlings are susceptible to diseases and pests at this early stage, so use row covers for protection
Asparagus seedlings need about 8-10 weeks to grow large enough to transplant outdoors Provide plenty of light and handle them gently during this phase
Transplanting Young Plants
Before transplanting, asparagus crowns or seedlings may appear as:
- Small cluster of stringy roots with no foliage – this is normal
- If leaves are present, cut them back to 2 inches
- Soak roots 1-2 hours before planting
- Dig trenches 6-8 inches deep for crowns
- Spread roots evenly and cover with 2 inches soil initially
- Water gently to avoid disrupting the roots
Early Spring Growth
In spring of the first year, young asparagus will begin growing rapidly. Look for:
- Bleached white or light purple spears poking through the soil
- Tight, furled tips at first, opening to pointed heads
- Spears quickly reach 6-8 inches tall
- Eventually ferns out with lacy, delicate foliage
- Spears are very slim, around the diameter of a pencil
- Do not harvest any spears the first year! Allow full fern growth to build energy.
Mid to Late Summer
By mid summer, first year asparagus puts its energy into roots and foliage:
- Ferny foliage grows 3-4 feet tall
- Does not produce seeds in the first year
- The crown expands underground
- Extensive fine, hair-like roots continue developing
Allow all foliage to mature and die back naturally in late fall once fully dried. The asparagus bed is dormant over winter.
What to Expect Second Year
In the second growing season, you may begin harvesting lightly:
- More spears emerge in spring, slightly thicker than the first year
- OK to snap harvest a few pencil-sized spears for 2-4 weeks
- Allow at least 80% to keep growing into ferns
- Ferns taller and bushier than the first year
- Patience leads to much larger harvests in years 3+!
Key Points of First Year Growth
To summarize the key events of a first year asparagus plant:
- Grass-like seedlings initially
- Transplant young crowns or seedlings into trenches
- Thin spears emerge and quickly fern out by mid-spring
- Lacy foliage fills in through summer
- Roots expand underground
- Foliage dies back completely in late fall
- No harvesting the first year!
Understanding the first year growth stages and resisting the urge to harvest spears allows the asparagus crowns to establish well for many productive years ahead. Proper care and patience those first two seasons ensures a thriving asparagus patch for the long term.
How to Grow Asparagus
Growing asparagus starts with selecting a permanent spot in your garden. Pick a sunny location where the tall ferny foliage won’t shade other plants. The ideal soil pH is around neutral, between 6.5-7.5.
You can start asparagus from seeds or 1-year old crowns available from garden centers. Crowns are the easiest approach for most home gardeners. Plant them in early spring once the soil is at least 50°F. Dig trenches 6-8 inches deep and spread the roots out before backfilling with soil. Space crowns 8-12 inches apart in rows spaced 3-4 feet apart.
Asparagus needs 1-1.5 inches of water weekly during the growing season. Using drip irrigation is ideal to keep the soil consistently moist. Mulching around the plants helps retain soil moisture. Apply a balanced organic fertilizer or compost in early spring and again after harvest.
Be diligent about weeding to prevent competition for water and nutrients. Monitor for common asparagus pests like beetles and aphids. In late fall, mulch the beds to insulate the roots from freezing.
With proper planting, care and patience the first couple seasons, you can enjoy many years of abundant, sweet asparagus harvests from your garden!
Dig a trench
Asparagus crowns are planted below the soil level in a trench, called a furrow. The crowns are placed in the trench then covered with a couple inches of soil, but the trench isnt filled to the top (yet!). After the first shoots start to come through the soil, then the rest of the trench is filled.
- Sandy soil: 8-10″ deep
- Silt and loamy soil: 8″ deep
- Clay soil: 5-6″ deep
Consider planting the crowns in a double or triple row, where the rows are 12 inches (30cm) apart. In this case, dig 2 to 3 trenches, 12″ apart on center. See “How to grow asparagus in less space” for more information.”
Right before planting, so the crowns in water for 30 minutes to an hour. Any longer and you might be risking some rot damage. This step helps hydrate the roots before planting even more than watering the soil (which you will also do after planting).
Crowns are placed in the furrows head to toe (bud to root) 12″ apart. There is no need to fan the roots out. According to the University of Minnesota, “Some older growing guides recommend this practice, which is often referred to as an “octopus formation,” but it is time-consuming, and research does not support the claim that it leads to improved plant health or vigor.”
If you are only planting a single row, you can space the crowns as close as 6 inches (15cm) without lowering the yield.
For more details on these high-density plantings, see “How to grow asparagus in less space.”
How to grow asparagus
Don’t Make This Mistake Growing ASPARAGUS! I Lost ALL Of Mine! ♂️
FAQ
What does asparagus look like when it starts?
Asparagus is planted in the spring. The simplest method is to plant one-year-old crowns purchased from local garden dealers or through home garden catalogs. Even though the young crown will appear to be a lifeless mass of stringy roots, it will begin to send up small green shoots (spears) shortly after planting.
What do I do with my asparagus the first year?
Do not harvest any asparagus for the first year. The plant should be allowed to get tall and leafy. Those delicate leaves capture energy that then goes down into the crowns. This is crucial for the plant’s robust development over time. You can start harvesting when the plants are three years old.
How long does it take asparagus to come up the first year?
The seedlings themselves require several weeks to reach two inches in height, the size right for transplanting into a growing bed. It takes three to four years for a young plant to develop the maturity needed to support annual harvests that last four to six weeks.
Why do you not harvest asparagus the first year?
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Root System Development:Asparagus plants, especially those started from seeds or younger crowns, require a full growing season to develop a robust root system.
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Energy Storage:The roots store carbohydrates that are essential for producing new spears the following spring.
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Plant Survival:Harvesting asparagus spears in the first year removes the plant’s primary food source and energy reserves, potentially stressing or killing the plant.
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Future Production:Allowing the plant to mature for at least two years before harvesting ensures a healthier and more productive plant in the long run.