Growing Asparagus

Fresh asparagus is a spring delicacy, especially when it comes from your own garden. Growing asparagus though is quite different from growing most vegetables because asparagus is a perennial plant, meaning it comes back from the same roots year after year. Other vegetables, such as tomatoes, broccoli, corn, and lettuce, are annuals. They must be grown from seed and planted each year. Because it is a perennial, extra effort must be taken to get asparagus plants off to a good start, to ensure long term productivity. In southeastern NC, gardeners can expect at least 10 to 15 years of harvest from a well tended asparagus patch. The following tips will help both novice and expert gardeners to establish and maintain a healthy and productive asparagus bed in their own backyard.

Read more! The entire article is available online here from the Pender County Cooperative Extension website: http://pender.ces.ncsu.edu/index.php?page=news&ci=LAWN+59