Asparagus is a delicious and versatile vegetable that is easy to grow in the vegetable garden. The most common way to grow asparagus is by means of asparagus claws, these are small rootstocks that are grown at a grower. You plant these asparagus claws in your garden and the asparagus then grow from them. Asparagus claws last for 15 to 20 years, so it is an investment to enjoy your own grown asparagus for years to come. There is a big difference between growing green and white asparagus, you can read about that in the blog: green, white or purple asparagus: what are the differences. In this blog you will learn step by step how to plant asparagus claws in your own vegetable garden.
You plant asparagus claws from March to early May, which is usually the only time you can buy asparagus claws. When you have received/bought the asparagus claws you have to get started as soon as possible because otherwise they will dry out quickly.
How to plant asparagus claws?
Step 1: Choose the right location
Asparagus thrives in a sunny, well-drained location. Choose a spot in your garden that gets at least 6 hours of direct sunlight and has well-draining soil. Asparagus is generally grown on sandy soil. Asparagus does not like wet feet, so make sure the soil does not retain too much moisture. If you have clay soil, it is best to make a bed with a lot of sand in it to make the cultivation successful.
Step 2: Prepare the soil
Before you start planting asparagus claws, you need to prepare the soil. Dig a trench of +/- 30cm deep and +/- 50cm wide to remove weeds, stones and debris. If you want to plant multiple rows of asparagus, keep 1.5m between the rows. Make a small elevation of +/- 15-20cm in the middle of the entire length of the trench where you can place the asparagus claw and let the roots hang down a bit.
Step 3: Plant the asparagus claws
Place the claws 30-50 cm apart in the furrow and cover them with soil. Make sure that the claws are planted upright so that the asparagus can grow straight up. Then mix some compost or organic fertilizer into the soil that comes out of the furrow to increase the soil fertility. Then carefully tip the soil back into the furrow so that the asparagus disappear under the ground. Make sure that they stay in place.
Step 4: Maintain the asparagus
Once the asparagus claws are planted, you need to take good care of them. Water them regularly in their first year of growth, especially during dry periods, and keep the soil weed-free. After a few weeks, the asparagus will start to grow.
Step 5: Harvest the asparagus
Unfortunately, you can hardly harvest the asparagus in the first few years because it is not yet strong enough. The plant and especially the root must first develop for a number of years. You may not harvest anything in the first year . The second year 1 asparagus stalk per plant . The third year 1 time per week per asparagus plant and from the fourth year you can harvest in full until the longest day. You harvest green asparagus by cutting it close to the ground. Make sure you do not cut the asparagus too low, because this can damage the rootstocks and hinder the growth of the plant. You can cut white asparagus with an asparagus cutter. This is a job that requires some practice.
How many plants are needed for a weekly meal per person?
For a family of 4 (2 adults and 2 children), 10 plants are sufficient for a harvest from the end of April to June 21. This is 7 to 8 weeks of enjoying fresh asparagus!
Let's plant!
Planting asparagus claws is an easy and rewarding way to grow delicious asparagus in your own garden. It is an investment because you have to wait a few years for the first harvest but it is definitely worth it. In our webshop we have white , and green asparagus .
