Just like how asparagus can be grown from their seeds, they can be also grown from their roots. To grow asparagus from their roots,
1) Choose and prepare your asparagus bed carefully
Asparagus can be grown in either spring or fall and you have your first shoots in the following spring. Your chosen asparagus bed will occupy the exact spot for more than 20 years. Based on this, you have to think deeply and carefully when making your choice about the location of your bed.
Asparagus requires a lot of sunlight for it to produce the most vigorous plants and this leads to a minimization of diseases. Asparagus plants can’t cope with competition and so, no other plant should be planted on the bed with it as the yield will be adversely affected if other crops are planted in the same bed with it as they hate weeds.
Read also: Growing Asparagus plants in containers
It is ideal to grow asparagus in raised beds to prevent them from getting accidentally squished probably by a wheelbarrow. Raised beds can be easily weeded. It’s much easier to grow and harvest asparagus in raised beds. Prepare a planting bed that can be about 4 feet wide by eradicating all perennial weeds and roots and digging in a lot of compost or aged manure.
Related: Do Asparagus Plants Multiply? Here is What You Need To Know
2) Select/prepare fertile soils
Fertile soils are ideal for growing asparagus. It is important the soil is light and can drain well. If it doesn’t drain well, the standing water will rot the roots. With the soil being fertile, the roots will grow well and become established. Good organic soil works absolutely well and the same with well-aged compost as long as the soil structure is light sixth good water and nutrient retention.
3) Get your asparagus roots and prepare them for planting
If you wish to have a high yield, it is best to get a male asparagus root. You can decide to get about 10 to 12 asparagus roots or even more. You can grow a one-year-old asparagus root. This automatically gives a year’s head start over the seed-grown plants. Growing a two-year-old crown, have it at the back of your mind that they are prone to transfer shock and will fail to produce faster than 1-year-old crowns.
Related: How To Harvest Asparagus Step By Step Guide
Once you purchase your crowns (roots), plant them immediately, and if not immediately, wrap them in slightly wet sphagnum moss until you are set to plant. However, ensure to soak the roots before planting probably for about 15 – 20 minutes. Dig deep and wide trenches.
The depth can vary based on the variety and local conditions. Proceed to create a mound of dirt for each of the crowns and place the crown roots evenly around the mound. This way, the crowns are topping at about 4 inches under the bed top line.
Ensure the crowns are placed in the trenches 1.5-2 feet apart. It is important that the crown mounds are spaced enough to prevent the crowns from touching one another. The space gives them enough room to grow well over the years and build a base for good crops.
Read also: How To Regrow Asparagus From Store-bought Asparagus (Step By Step Guide)
Conclusion
In this article, I looked at how to grow asparagus from roots. I hope you will find the article helpful. Let me know if you have any questions. If you want to learn how to grow asparagus from seeds and Cuttings, read our step by step guide to growing asparagus from seeds and Cuttings here.
