Crop guide
Growing asparagus
Growing asparagus means matching type, timing, and spacing on the cited sheets. There is no single national planting date.
Growing guidance is general information. Timing, spacing, and care depend on cultivar, weather, soil, and local conditions. Check the sources and adjust the plan for your garden.
Steps (range, not a promise)
- 01Know the type on the cited sheet. Crown notes stay source-specific.
- 02Plant on the cited sheet’s timing. Regional dates stay on their own cards.
- 03Use in-row depth and spacing from one cited source.
- 04Log the bed so next season is not a guess.
Illustrative photograph — types, timing, and spacing stay on the cited sheets.
The season, on your ground
Save this bed — freeWhen to plantCareWhen to harvestGarden pests
What the sources say — at a glance
One source per card. Facts are not averaged.
Clemson HGIC 1300 (South Carolina)
Hardy perennial Asparagus officinalis. Start from 1- to 2-year-old crowns. 15–18 in apart. 6–8 in deep. Trench 12–18 in. 4–5 ft between trenches.
Details and limits (4)
Types
Clemson HGIC 1300 (South Carolina): asparagus (Asparagus officinalis) is a hardy perennial. Type notes — not a mill.
Types
Clemson HGIC 1300 (South Carolina): start asparagus from 1- to 2-year-old crowns.
Spacing
Clemson HGIC 1300 (South Carolina): set the crowns 15 to 18 inches apart and 6 to 8 inches deep. Trench 12 to 18 inches wide, with 4 to 5 feet between trenches. Cover the crown with 2 inches of soil.
Limit
South Carolina HGIC 1300. Crown depth and trench width stay Clemson. Not fertilizer.
Maryland Extension (Maryland)
Hardy perennial. One-year or one- to two-year crowns, or seed. Early spring; March or April. 18 in in-row. 4–5 ft between rows.
Details and limits (5)
Types
Maryland Extension (Maryland): hardy perennial. Can withstand winters with protection in colder areas (attributed). Type notes — not a mill. Maryland’s attributed winter wording — not a planting-safety promise.
Types
Maryland Extension (Maryland): start from one-year crowns, or from one- to two-year-old crowns. Can also be started from seed. Type notes — not a mill.
Timing
Maryland Extension (Maryland): one-year crowns in early spring. Crowns are usually shipped and set out in March or April. Maryland timing — not a national plant date.
Spacing
Maryland Extension (Maryland): 18 inches in-row by 4 to 5 feet between rows; or in wide beds of three rows with plants 18 inches apart in all directions. Crowns 15 to 18 inches apart.
Limit
Maryland asparagus sheet. Crown spacing stays Maryland. Not fertilizer.
UMN Extension (Minnesota)
Seed or one-year-old roots, called crowns. Early May to early June. Furrow 6–12 in. Buds about 12 in. Rows at least 3 ft.
Details and limits (4)
Types
UMN Extension (Minnesota): you can start asparagus from seed or from one-year-old roots, called crowns. Type notes — not a mill.
Timing
UMN Extension (Minnesota): asparagus is planted between early May and early June. Minnesota timing — not a national plant date.
Spacing
UMN Extension (Minnesota): dig a 6- to 12-inch furrow. In heavy clay soils, 6 to 8 inches; in very sandy soil, 10 to 12 inches. Buds of the crowns about 12 inches apart. If planting multiple rows, space the furrows at least 3 feet apart. Cover the crowns with 2 to 3 inches of soil.
Limit
Minnesota growing-asparagus sheet. Furrow depth stays Minnesota. Not fertilizer.
Illinois Extension (Illinois)
One-year-old crowns or plants, or seed grown a year in a production bed. As soon as the ground can be worked. Trench 12–18 in wide, 6 in deep.
Details and limits (4)
Types
Illinois Extension (Illinois): asparagus can be started from one-year-old crowns or plants, or from seed grown for a year in a production bed.
Timing
Illinois Extension (Illinois): asparagus should be planted as soon as the ground can be worked in the spring. Illinois timing — not a national plant date.
Spacing
Illinois Extension (Illinois): trench 12 to 18 inches wide and a full six inches deep. Crowns 9 to 12 inches apart. Cover the crown with two inches of soil.
Limit
Illinois asparagus page. Trench depth stays Illinois. Not fertilizer.
Make it yours
Save the bed in the Field Book so next season is not a guess.
Sources differ
When do you plant asparagus?
Compare timing on the cited sheets. Maryland: one-year crowns in early spring; usually shipped and set out in March or April. Minnesota: early May to early June. Illinois: as soon as the ground can be worked in the spring. Not a national plant date.
How far apart do you plant asparagus?
Compare spacing on the cited sheets. Clemson: crowns 15 to 18 inches apart and 6 to 8 inches deep; trench 12 to 18 inches wide; 4 to 5 feet between trenches. Maryland: 18 inches in-row by 4 to 5 feet between rows. Minnesota: buds about 12 inches; furrows at least 3 feet. Illinois: trench 12 to 18 inches wide and six inches deep; crowns 9 to 12 inches. Not one BioArva grid.
What to record in the Field Book
Save the bed with the crop and the date. You may add a photo and notes. Compare entries you have recorded with each other — not with a diagnosis from this page. If you want an identification, bring the record to local Extension.
Verified suppliers only
No supplier on this page
When a partner is listed, it will be outbound and disclosed. Nothing to buy here. Fertilizer, soils, and pesticides stay off this slot.
How we know — methodology. Ranges and assertions are cited per source, not blended.