How long did you grow yours before harvest? Mine aren't up this year yet, and seem to be fine last year. I thinks its 2-3 years now.

The harvest was from an established bed that I estimate to be around twenty years old. It is in a sheltered area that I would consider to be a microclimate that warms up quickly in spring.

I still have a bed from which I harvest that belonged to my grandmother, been in that location at least fifty years. That is in a more exposed location and nothing is up in it yet. Also, none of the wild stuff that I harvest in the highway ditches is up yet either. Yours should be be up soon especially if you got any of the rain today, just be careful to avoid overharvesting from fairly young plants.

I have one-year-old purple asparagus plants as well, and they are just starting to sprout. I will not harvest from them heavily for at least five years and will only snitch a few stalks here and there after three years. The plants need to develop and size up first.

Asparagus plants are incredibly hardy and once established are hard to kill off. I do mulch mine with leaves for overwintering but as long as they get adequate snow cover I do not think even that is necessary. Think of all the wild stuff that grows in the highway ditches and does just fine.

Thanks for posting, and good luck!
-Tom

That's awesome Tom. I got about one bunch on Sunday myself. First harvest this season. Mine are in year 3, but I started with 2 year old roots. I've only have some that are nice and fat like yours too. I have not considered harvesting them short. But nothing beats fresh asparagus. They're so sweet and tender!

So glad to hear that they last for 15-20 years. Can I ask how much they multiple? And how fast? I planted them about 1.5 foot apart and just wonder if I would ever have to divide them up.

icekream - Good to hear of your harvest, nothing beats that first meal of fresh asparagus.

I have to admit that I do not know that much about the asparagus plants' growing and spreading habits. I believe that established bed has several very large plants as the spears sprout in obvious concentrations. Plants were originally spaced when planted but there is no organization anymore. The bed has probably doubled in square footage over the years due to spreading plants, and I noticed this year that spears are coming up in the lawn edge now. Every year I also see a few tiny, wispy little spikes from new plants that must be starting from fallen seed. I guess my point is that other than topping and mulching for winter, weed control once or twice a year, and occasional fertilizing once or twice a year, the bed has been pretty much worry-free. I have spent more time on harvesting over the years than on maintenance. :)

Harvested four times now, have been eating a LOT of asparagus and have given a bunch away. Have started harvesting from the other old bed as well, but still nothing showing in the highway ditches yet. They will sprout soon.

"I planted them about 1.5 foot apart and just wonder if I would ever have to divide them up." - I wouldn't bother worrying about it, going to be a long time before that is an issue, if ever.

Enjoy your crop!
-Tom

Thanks Tom. I can't wait until I can harvest every day and get about a bunch. I get half of the bunch twice a week. They do grow so fast that if you missed the harvest, there goes that shoot. So glad to know that they're low maintenance.

I find beds to be low maintenance but make every effort to keep rhizomatous grasses out. They can quickly become a nightmare and adversely affect the plants and the harvest.