How to Harvest and Store Asparagus

Immersing spears in cold water immediately after harvest and then refrigerating them will help maintain quality. Store asparagus spears at about 36°F (2°C) for up to 10 days. Wrap spears in a moist cloth or paper towel and place them in a perforated plastic bag in the vegetable crisper section of the refrigerator.

How long can you keep picking asparagus?
Does asparagus regrow after cutting?
What happens if you don't cut asparagus?
How do you pick asparagus so it keeps growing?
What can you not plant near asparagus?
Why are my asparagus spears so thin?
Does asparagus multiply?
What do you do with overgrown asparagus?
Does asparagus spread on its own?
Should you let asparagus go to seed?

How long can you keep picking asparagus?

When the spears appear in spring, harvest them when they are 6 to 10 inches above the soil line, but before the flower buds are open. Simply cut or snap off the spears at ground level. Continue harvesting for six to eight weeks, but no later than July 1.

Does asparagus regrow after cutting?

Now, let's get to the question: does asparagus regrow after cutting. The answer is yes because perennial plants return year after year.

What happens if you don't cut asparagus?

If they don't, asparagus beetles will lay their eggs in those ferns. Since the length of harvest season will vary from year-to-year depending on air temperature, harvesting should be stopped when the diameter of 75% of the spears becomes small (less than 3/8 inches). Another indicator is the number of spears harvested.

How do you pick asparagus so it keeps growing?

To harvest asparagus, simply cut the spears with a sharp knife or scissors at ground level. Stop harvesting spears when the diameter of the spears decreases to the size of a pencil. After harvest, fertilize your asparagus in early summer.

What can you not plant near asparagus?

There are two main crops to avoid growing alongside asparagus: Alliums. Alliums like leeks, garlic, and onion sharing the soil with asparagus are said to stunt its growth. That doesn't mean you have to choose between them: Just plant any alliums a good distance away from asparagus beds and they'll be fine.

Why are my asparagus spears so thin?

Thin asparagus spears appear for a number of reasons, but the root cause is ultimately the same: the asparagus crown lacks the rigor to create bigger shoots. ... Improper Feeding – Asparagus are somewhat heavy feeders and need all the food they can get in order to build strong spears the following year.

Does asparagus multiply?

Asparagus plants are long-lived and vigorous. When asparagus plants are growing in a sunny site with good drainage, proper irrigation, and adequate nutrients, the plants multiply and become crowded over time. A mature stand of asparagus plants produces spears over several weeks, and even up to eight weeks.

What do you do with overgrown asparagus?

Once you have cut the asparagus back, add several inches (10 cm.) of mulch to your asparagus bed. This will help to smother the weeds in the bed and will help fertilize the bed for next year. Compost or well rotted manure makes an excellent mulch for asparagus in autumn.

Does asparagus spread on its own?

Asparagus also needs space, about 4 to 5 feet for each plant. They won't spread out much the first couple of years, but once established they will quickly fill in. ... Unlike many plants, the roots of asparagus crowns can withstand some air exposure, and you will usually find them for sale loose.

Should you let asparagus go to seed?

Since you will only have the leaf buds of asparagus on your plate, you don't have to let the plant go to seed. The ferns with berries tend to bend towards the ground and touch the wet soil, which can spread a fungal disease in the plants.