"Connover’s Colossal": a traditional cultivar with good yields from selected crowns. One of the most sought-after vegetables, asparagus is not difficult to grow if kept well fed and weed free.

The delicately flavoured young shoots of asparagus are one of the great luxuries of the vegetable plot, much of the mystique surrounding their cultivation is unwarranted.

Asparagus does not need traditional wide raised beds, nor is it the luxury crop often assumed. The plants have very decorative ferny foliage and may be grown in single rows in the kitchen garden, or even in groups in a flower border. All-male varieties have revolutionised cultivation - they are much more prolific than traditional kinds, earlier in their lives, and do not waste energy on producing seeds.

Awarded the RHS Award of Garden Merit.

Recommended by the National Institute of Agricultural Botany 

Choosing a site:
Avoid frost pockets and exposed areas. Do not replant on an old asparagus bed as diseases may be a problem. Asparagus will grow on most soil types provided they are well drained. On heavy soils consider creating raised beds, acidic soils may need liming. Soil preparation is essential. Clear the ground of weeds. On heavily compacted soils consider double-digging, otherwise cultivate to a spade’s depth, incorporating well-rotted farmyard manure.

Planting: Sow indoors in Late Winter to Spring
Soak the seeds in water overnight. Sow seeds singly into modules at a depth of 1.25cm ( ½ “) They will germinate in 10-14 days at 20-28°C (60-85°F) After 12-14 weeks, they will be ready to be transplanted outdoors. Do this no earlier than four weeks after the last spring frosts, (approx early June). Fork over the prepared area and dig a trench 30cm (12in) wide and 20cm (8in) deep. Work in well-rotted manure in the bottom, cover with 5cm (2in) of the excavated soil and make a 10cm-high (4in) ridge down the centre of the trench. Place the crowns on top, spacing them 30-45cm (12-18in) apart (right). Leave 45cm (18in) between rows and stagger the plants. Spread the roots evenly and fill in the trench, leaving the bud tips just visible. Water in and mulch with 5cm (2in) of well-rotted manure.

Cultivation:
Asparagus beds must be kept weed free - best done by hand as the shallow roots are easily damaged by hoeing. Mulching discourages weeds and retains moisture. Apply a general fertiliser in early spring and repeat once harvesting has finished. To avoid top-growth breaking off in wind and damaging the crown, use canes and twine either side of the row for support. Allow the foliage to yellow in autumn before cutting it down to 2.5cm (1in).

Harvesting:
Do not harvest for the first two years. In the third year, pick from mid-April for six weeks. To harvest, choose spears that are thicker than a pencil. Cut with a sharp knife 2.5cm (1in) below the soil when they are no more than 18cm (7in) tall. In warm weather, harvest every two to three days for best quality spears.

Troubleshooting:
The main pests to affect asparagus are slugs and snails, and the larvae and adults of the asparagus beetle. Thin spindly shoots may be due to inadequate moisture, especially with young crowns. In established beds the cause is more likely to be overcropping or competition from weeds. Late frosts will cause distorted growth: protect with a double layer of fleece.

Companion Plants:
Tomato, Parsley and Basil