How To Grow Asparagus In Texas

Jerry Parsons and Sam Cotner, Extension Horticulturists
Texas AgriLife Extension Service

Asparagus is a highly productive vegetable best suited to cooler areas of Due north and Due west Texas. Grown for the stems or spears, a well tended planting yields eight to 10 pounds or more than per 100 square feet of bed or 24 to 30 pounds per 100 feet of row. For well-nigh home gardeners, i row is adequate.

An asparagus planting lasts 15 to 25 years without replanting if information technology is well cared for and the climate is suitable. It does not practice well if summers are extremely hot and long and winters are mild.

Asparagus is grown from one-twelvemonth-one-time plants or "crowns" planted in January or February. Crowns grow from seed planted in flats or peat cups in October for January transplanting, or they are transplanted from an existing asparagus bed. To get healthy, vigorous plants, buy i-year-quondam crowns from a nursery or garden center or order them from a seed catalog. It takes 1 year to abound a good crown.

It requires three years from the time the crown is planted until the bed is in full production. Buds arise from the crown when conditions are favorable and develop into edible spears. If these spears are non harvested and are allowed to continue growing, they develop into "fern-like" stalks.

From these "ferns", the mature found manufactures food and stores it in "storage roots." This reserve supplies the energy necessary to produce spears the post-obit twelvemonth.

Asparagus does best in a deep, well-drained soil with full sunlight.

Soil Preparation

Since an asparagus planting lasts many years, good seedbed preparation is essential. The soil should exist free of trash, soil insects and weeds such as johnsongrass and bermudagrass before planting.

In belatedly fall, spread a 3-inch layer of organic matter such as manure, rotted sawdust or compost over the beds. Till or spade to a depth of ten to 12 inches and plough the soil so all organic matter is covered. Asparagus grows well in high pH soils only does not do well if the soil pH is below half dozen.0. Examination the soil before planting the beds and add lime if needed to arrange the pH to six.5 to seven.0.

Fertilizing

Before planting new asparagus beds, till in 2 to three pounds of 10-20-10 or a similar analysis fertilizer per 20 anxiety of row or as directed by a soil exam report.

For established beds scatter one to 2 pounds of ten-20-10 fertilizer per 20 feet of row before growth begins in the spring, late Jan or early Feb in most areas of Texas. Add an additional i to ii pounds per xx anxiety of row after the terminal harvest. If available, use a nitrogen fertilizer such as 21-0-0 at this time. Water the fertilizer into the soil. Low fertility tin can cause gristly spears.

Varieties

Martha Washington, UC 157, Jersey Behemothic and Mary Washington tests accept shown hybrid asparagus varieties produce more than the standard varieties, simply they are not widely available to habitation gardeners.

Planting

Since asparagus will exist in the aforementioned place several years, it is of import to select the correct spot. Asparagus plants make a adept border effectually the edge of a garden or along a fence.

After asparagus beds are tilled, mark rows four to half-dozen feet apart. Dig a furrow 4 inches wide and six to 12 inches deep. Place the crowns in the furrow, cover with ii to 3 inches of soil and business firm the soil around the roots. Practise not fill the entire furrow at once. Plant crowns 6 to 12 inches deep in loose soils and 4 to six inches in heavier soils.

Identify crowns 12 to 14 inches autonomously. Planting too closely can cause small-scale spears. Wider planting results in larger spears only lower total yield. Control weeds but do not injure the crowns. Fill the furrows gradually as the shoots grow. This covers modest weeds, and they dice from lack of light. By the end of the first season, the furrow reaches its normal level (effigy 1). Deep planting of the crowns allows tillage with garden tools or tiller (practice non till also deep) without damage to crowns.

Watering

Asparagus plants like frequent, deep watering. H2o the beds thoroughly every bit needed. Allow the top 1 inch of soil to dry before watering again. The fourth dimension varies from 3 to 5 days depending on temperature. Asparagus roots reach 10 feet deep if the soil is adequate and moisture is bachelor.

Intendance During the Season

Continue weeds pulled or hoed from the beds. Asparagus beds require picayune care afterward the kickoff 2 years. Control weeds without dissentious the spears. In early on season, till the soil when fertilizer is applied before the spears begin growth (figure 2). Control weeds during the flavor by raking lightly or mulching. Afterwards the last harvest, cut back all top growth. Apply fertilizer and till lightly 1 to 2 inches to kill weeds.

Cover the bed with a iii-inch layer of clean straw, compost or other mulch material, h2o thoroughly and allow to grow the rest of the year. This helps insure a good harvest the side by side year (figure 3).

After the first hard frost/freeze of autumn, cutting fern tops off at ground level and mulch with manure. In southern areas the fern may not be killed by a freeze and should exist removed in tardily November. Whatsoever spears which sprout may be removed and eaten.

Harvesting

Harvest asparagus spears from established beds for about 8 weeks. Do not harvest also before long from a new planting.

Harvest spears when they are 4 to 10 inches long. To prevent spears from condign fibrous, harvest at to the lowest degree every other day. The fibrous condition is acquired by overmaturity or inadequate fertility. Spears with loosely formed heads are overmature.

Cut asparagus spears ane to 2 inches beneath the soil level. At least one-half the length of the spear should be to a higher place the basis. Never cut the spear within two inches of the crown to avoid damage to the developed buds. Never cut asparagus spears higher up the ground and allow stubs to remain (figure iv). Discontinue harvest when spear diameter becomes less than three/8 of an inch.

Reprinted courtesy of Texas AgriLife Extension Service.

Source: https://dallasgardenbuzz.com/2014/12/30/growing-asparagus/

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