Asparagus
Asparagus is one of the first crops of Spring and often greeted by customers with smiles and relief that winter is over. This is a perennial crop best not harvested until its third year to improve production in later years. Plants can last for 20 years or more, with some Iowans reporting they are able to revive their grandparents’ asparagus beds! Some cultivars come in purple to provide some distinctiveness. The season is short-lived and the need to weed asparagus beds should not be underestimated.
Initial Costs
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Considerations:
- Harvest in third year
- Mulching
- Weeding
Cream of the Crop Resources:
Farm Answers – Organic Vegetable Production Manual
South Dakota State University: Open Prairie – Growing Asparagus
