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Growing Asparagus
Asparagus are available at Wairere around August each year and are sold as Bareroot Crowns. Asparagus need a dedicated bed in sunny, well-drained position rich in organic matter.
Preparing the site
Dig the site over and aerate the soil and incorporate a whole heap of organic matter, for example a good compost, well-rotted organic matter, sheep pallets, etc. Asparagus loves its food so keep the organic matter happening.
Planting
Plant your Asparagus from August through to December in the early morning or evening, so Crowns are not exposed to full sun.Dig a trench to about 30 cm deep, then add some soil back to this so that you can splay the roots over the fill and plant the crown below the soil surface approx. 10 cm deep and 30-50 cm apart. Rows should be 50 cm apart.
Re-mulch each winter and keep the bed nice and fertile.
Harvesting
Don't pick any spears in the first year and only pick a small number in the second year and let them go to seed; then in the third season you should be in full production.
Pick daily when spears are about 15-20cm long, and before the tips open - use a sharp knife to cut the spears off at ground level, leave crowns undisturbed in the ground, and they will come away again.
When the spears are slower to appear and are thin, after about 6 weeks of harvesting, stop picking altogether.
On going care
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Wairere Nursery
826 Gordonton Road, R D 1, Hamilton 3281 Ph: (07) 824 3430 Email: