General Information

  • Category- Vegetable
  • Binomial Name- Asparagus officinalis
  • Common Names- Garden asparagus, sparrow grass
  • Spread- 24-48 inches
  • Height- 36-72 inches
  • Average Production- 200-250 grams per plant
  • Days to Maturity- 1095-1460 days

Nutrition Values:

  • Calories: 20
  • Water: 94%
  • Protein: 2.2 gram
  • Carbohydrates: 4 gram
  • Sugar: 1.88 gram
  • Fiber: 2.1 gram
  • Fat: 0.12 gram

Vitamins

  • Vitamin A- 38 μg
  • Vitamin C- 5.6 mg
  • Vitamin E- 1.1 mg
  • Vitamin K- 41.6 μg
  • Vitamin B1- 0.143 mg
  • Vitamin B2- 0.141 mg
  • Vitamin B3- 0.978 mg
  • Vitamin B5- 0.274 mg
  • Vitamin B6- 0.091 mg
  • Vitamin B9- 52 μg

Minerals

  • Potassium- 202 mg
  • Calcium- 24 mg
  • Iron- 2.14 mg
  • Manganese- 0.158 mg
  • Magnesium- 14 mg
  • Phosphorous- 52 mg
  • Sodium- 2 mg
  • Zinc- 0.54 mg

*The values are standard average per 100 grams and might change a bit.

Environmental Requirements:

  • Soil- Sandy loam, well drained and rich in nutrients
  • Soil Moisture- 20%
  • Soil pH- 6.5-7.5
  • Soil temperature- 10 degree celsius
  • Sun Requirements- Full sun
  • Best Time to Plant- Fall or Spring (September-October or February-March)

Tips to Grow Asparagus:

It is easier to grow asparagus from asparagus crown than seeds.

  1. Arrange good quality of a year old nursery crown. Soak the crowns briefly in lukewarm water before planting. 
  2. Soil should be slightly acidic and well draining. It should be moist but not wet. Add some compost in the soil prior planting.
  3. The most common way to plant asparagus crowns is in a trench. Dig a trench about 12 inches deep and 12 inches wide and create a mound with soil and compost. 
  4. Set the crown on top of the mound, spreading the roots down the sides. The top of the crown should be about 6 inches below the soil line. Cover the crown with soil, and water well.
  5. When the trench is filled, we would recommend adding a 4- to 6-inch layer of mulch. During the second year, side-dress with compost in spring and early fall and cut down dead ferns in late fall. 
  6. It is very important to control weed growth around asparagus, especially in the first few years after transplanting a young crown. Apply a leaf or straw mulch.
  7. Do not harvest asparagus the first year you plant it. When the plant is mature, usually the third year after planting, it should be harvested whenever the spears are tall enough, typically between 8 – 10 inches.
Vegetables, Herbs