Three Year Old Asparagus Plants

Asparagus Basics

• Asparagus is a part of the lily family. If properly cared for, an asparagus plant can produce spears for up to 15 years. During the peak of the harvest season, a shoot can grow 10 inches in 24 hours, and spears may need to be harvested daily. Once the harvest is over, spears unfurl into fern-like fronds and produce red berries. These berries are actually food that will fuel the plant during the next growing season.

Asparagus Nutrition

• In terms of nutrition, asparagus is one of the best foods you can have on your table. At four calories per spear and with no fat or cholesterol, asparagus can be a healthy addition to any meal. They are a good source of potassium and fiber. They are also a significant source of folic acid which has been shown to prevent spinal abnormalities in babies. In addition, asparagus is an excellent source of thiamine and B6.

Planting Asparagus

• It is best to start with one-year-old asparagus roots, also called crowns. To prepare the soil for planting, dig 1 foot down and mix manure, compost or peat moss with the existing soil. At the bottom of your planting trench mix 15 to 20 pounds of 5-10-10 or 5-10-5 fertilizer per 100-foot row. Cover the fertilizer with 1 to 2 inches of the compost and soil mixture before placing the crowns in the trench and covering them with soil. Trench depth varies widely for different regions so you might want to contact your local university or garden center for advice when you get ready to plant.

Caring for Asparagus

• Asparagus plants cannot be harvested until they are three years old. Some suppliers sell three-year-old crowns, but they are a little more expensive. If you don't mind waiting for your asparagus, planting a one-year-old crown is best. In the meantime, there isn't much to do but wait and watch the plants go through their normal life cycle. Once the plants turn three, harvest them lightly, about once every one to two weeks. After the harvest is over and as the plants begin to fern out, apply ammonium nitrate or ammonium sulfate fertilizers in a band on the outside of the row. To create a fertilizer band, dig a furrow a few inches deep, sprinkle fertilizer evenly in the furrow, cover with soil and irrigate.