Fresh asparagus is a spring delicacy, especially when it comes from your own garden.It is also an easy crop to grow in eastern North Carolina. Because asparagus is a perennial plant that comes back from the roots year after year, gardeners who plant an asparagus patch now can expect to harvest from it for at least 10 to 15 years.
Because it is a perennial, extra effort must be taken to get asparagus plants off to a good start, to ensure long term productivity. To understand how to grow and care for asparagus there are a couple of terms you need to know. First, the new shoots of asparagus which are harvested to be eaten are known as spears. When spears are left to grow, they develop into tall stems that leaf out with delicate, airy foliage. This growth is known as fern, and asparagus plants produce a lot of fern during the summer, which reaches 4’-5’ tall. The spears and fern grow from the crown of the asparagus plant, the thickened solid mass found just below soil level, from which the roots grow down and the shoots (or spears) grow up.
Find out more about planting and caring for an asparagus patch in your own yard - read the rest of the article on the Pender Extension website: http://pender.ces.ncsu.edu/index.php?page=news&ci=LAWN+167
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