Aspects: Clumping herb, edible shoots, full sun, moist well-drained soil
Plants are subject to problems from pests, weed, and diseases;
Pests include asparagus beetle and spotted asparagus beetles, asparagus aphid; row covers and rotenone (what’s this?) can prevent beetle damage;
see this link for more pest info Diseases include rotting and wilting from Fusarium, asparagus rust and needle blight; plant resistant varieties and remove all foliage in the fall after it dies back.
Keep heavily mulched to control weeds
Mature plantings yield for 10 to 15 years or longer, and each year’s harvest can last about tow months.
Modern asparagus varieties are male hybrids, which live longer, yield better, and do not produce seeds.
Mature asparagus plants have feathery foliage; female plants produce small hard red berries.
Extremely hardy; requires an annual rest period either from cold or drought; provide rich well-drained soil, and annual applications of compost or well rotted manure; ideally soil should be at pH 7; keep well watered all season long, including after shoot season is over.
Propagation: Most gardeners buy crowns but asparagus can be grown from seed but will naturally produce some female plants.
Plants should not be placed too close together, at least 8-14 inches apart within rows, and rows 3-5 feet apart; overcrowding causes lower yields and thinner spears.
Harvest and storage: Cut or snap spears off at ground level; does not store well and is at its best when brought right from the garden to the kitchen.
