With proper care and patience, you’ll have a bountiful spring crop of this perennial vegetable for decades. Asparagus prefers well-draining, neutral soil with lots of sunlight. Not enough sun makes the spears thin and weak. Consistently water the plants, especially when taking root; drip irrigation is a great way to achieve this. Give them 1-2 inches of water per week the first two seasons, then about an inch a week thereafter. Keep the growing area free of weeds and rocks.

As far as pests and diseases, the main challenge to healthy plants is the asparagus beetle. Cutworms, aphids, asparagus rust, purple spot and fusarium wilt can also be an issue. Watch for signs of these problems and plant disease-resistant varieties.

You can start asparagus seeds indoors in late winter for spring transplanting. Soak the seeds overnight, then plant them about a half-inch deep in a drainable tray filled with seed-starting mix. Keep the soil moist and well-lit at temperatures between 70 and 85 degrees; a heat lamp or mat may be necessary. Seeds may need up to eight weeks to fully germinate and sprout.

Many people grow asparagus from year-old root crowns, which reduces the time until the initial harvest. You can plant these or transplant seedlings after the final spring frost. For crowns, choose an area with full sun and create furrows 6-12 inches deep. Plant the crowns “head to toe” in the furrow with the buds about 12 inches apart, then cover them with 2-3 inches of soil. You can finish filling the furrows when the ferns emerge.

For container planting, you’ll need a pot at least 18 inches tall and wide with good drainage. Use a high-quality potting mix and water it whenever the top layer of soil has started to dry out. Note that container asparagus has a much shorter lifespan than in-ground asparagus.

Fertile soil is a must for good asparagus. When planting, add compost or an all-purpose fertilizer. From there, topdress the soil with fertilizer each spring before new shoots start to grow, then again in mid-spring. Rock phosphate or a high-phosphorus fertilizer can help with initial root establishment. Do soil testing to determine if more frequent fertilizing or certain micronutrients are needed.

In milder regions, the only winterization necessary is pruning, which we’ll discuss in the next section. For colder climates, add 4-6 inches of organic mulch over the crowns, then stop watering. Remove the mulch the following spring.

For new growth to happen in the spring, you must remove all remaining dead stalks and foliage so only 2-3-inch stubs are left. Doing so in the late fall or early winter will prevent pests from taking up residence over the winter. You might consider leaving them up in snowy areas over the winter for insulation.

In most cases, you won’t be able to harvest asparagus until the second or third year. Spears should be at least the diameter of a pencil; cut or snap them off just above the soil line. The harvesting season will be about two weeks in years 2-4, then 4-6 weeks in later years.