Crops › Asparagus
How to grow Asparagus
in the UK
Sow March to April, plant out May, harvest April to June. About 730 days from seed to plate.
Now then, asparagus. It's a proper luxury, isn't it? Takes a bit of patience, mind, but once it's in, you've got spears year after year, proper chuffed you'll be. It's a perennial, so find it a good spot on the plot and it'll be your friend for decades.
Sowing
You don't usually sow asparagus from seed straight off, because it takes ages, like two years before you get owt. Most folks, myself included, buy one-year-old crowns in spring, usually March or April up here. You want to dig a trench about 20-25 cm deep, make a little mound of soil in the middle, and spread the roots of your crown over it. Space 'em about 30-45 cm apart, then cover 'em gently. It's a bit of a job but it's worth it for the long run.
Growing on
Once those crowns are in, the main thing is patience, to be honest. You'll see ferny growth appearing, and that's what you want. No harvesting for the first two years, you hear? It feels wrong, I know, but you need to let those plants establish a proper root system. Keep the bed weed-free around them, and they'll grow into big, ferny plants ready for future harvests. Think of it as an investment.
Looking after it
Asparagus likes a good drink, especially when it's settling in and during dry spells. Give it a proper mulch of well-rotted compost or manure each spring, that'll keep the weeds down and feed the hungry roots. Keeping it tidy and well-fed is the key to a long-lived, productive bed. Some folks plant tomatoes, parsley, or basil nearby, apparently they're good companions.
What goes wrong
Now, the usual suspects can cause bother, like slugs enjoying the tender new spears, especially when they're just popping up. Keep an eye out for the asparagus beetle too; those little stripy blighters can munch through the ferny growth. Violet root rot is a nasty one, but less common if you've got good drainage. Just keep an eye on things and deal with 'em as you spot 'em.
Harvest
Right, the best bit! From year three onwards, you can start harvesting. Cut the spears when they're about 15-20 cm tall, just below ground level with a sharp knife. Only harvest for 6-8 weeks, stopping by mid-June up here, to let the plants store energy. Like I say, it's best eaten the same day. For a glut, you can stand it in water in the fridge for a couple of days, or blanch and freeze it.
If you're planting crowns, make sure you really give the soil in the trench a good dose of well-rotted manure before you put 'em in. It's a long-term crop, so that initial feed makes all the difference.
Dates for your plot
Type the first half of your postcode and the plant-out advice shifts to your area's typical frost dates.
Varieties, and whether the club would grow them again
| Variety | Club verdict |
|---|---|
| Gijnlim This is a cracking early cropper, an all-male hybrid that gives you heavy yields right from the start of the season. If you're keen to get your first spears as soon as possible, this one's for you. | No club votes yet |
| Connover's Colossal A proper heritage favourite, this one's known for producing thick, chunky spears and being reliably good year after year. Great if you like a bit of history in your veg patch and a substantial spear. | No club votes yet |
| Backlim This variety is a good mid-season choice, giving you thick green spears that stand up well to common diseases. It's a solid, reliable performer if you've had trouble with disease before. | No club votes yet |
| Pacific Purple Fancy something a bit different? Pacific Purple gives you lovely sweet purple spears, though they do turn green when you cook 'em. A bit of a treat for the plate, and sweeter than the usual green types. | No club votes yet |
| Mondeo F1 If you're after a serious amount of asparagus, Mondeo F1 is an all-male hybrid that really delivers on yield. You'll be chuffed with how many spears you get from this cracking variety. | No club votes yet |
| Ariane Ariane is a French variety, famous for its superb flavour, which is what you want from your homegrown asparagus. It's a mid-season cropper, perfect if you appreciate a proper gourmet taste. | No club votes yet |
| Jersey Knight A good all-male maincrop choice, Jersey Knight is known for doing well even in heavier soils, which can be a bonus up here. It's a robust performer for a good, solid harvest. | No club votes yet |
| Stewart's Purple Another lovely purple heritage variety, Stewart's Purple is extra sweet and particularly good if you fancy eating some raw. It's a real treat and a bit of a talking point on the plate. | No club votes yet |
| Millennium Millennium is an all-male hybrid that's incredibly productive, giving you a cracking yield over a nice long season. If you want maximum spears and value from your bed, this is a top choice. | No club votes yet |
| Crimson Pacific For something a bit special, Crimson Pacific gives you deep purple spears that are super sweet and look fantastic. A lovely choice if you want to impress and enjoy a sweeter flavour. | No club votes yet |
Votes are members rating varieties in their Seed Tin, one vote per gardener. Tap a variety for the full page and where to buy.
Buy Asparagus seeds
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Cook the harvest
Perfectly steamed British asparagus spears served alongside a glossy, buttery hollandaise sauce is the definitive celebration of the short UK asparagus season. This iconic pairing needs nothing else to be utterly magnificent. Use the freshest spears you can find — ideally harvested that day from a local grower.
25 min · mediumA silky, vibrantly green risotto that uses both the tips and stalks of asparagus to maximum effect — the stalks are blended into the stock for flavour and colour while the tender tips are stirred in at the last moment. It is a labour of love that rewards patience with a truly spectacular result.
50 min · mediumA light, elegant pasta dish that pairs the grassy freshness of British asparagus with sweet dressed crab, chilli, lemon, and a generous amount of extra virgin olive oil. Ready in under 25 minutes, this is the kind of simple, seasonal cooking that celebrates the finest ingredients with minimal intervention.
25 min · easyAn elegant open tart filled with a silky crème fraîche and egg custard, topped with tender asparagus spears and ribbons of smoked salmon. It is the kind of dish that looks impressively cheffy but is entirely straightforward to put together. Serve warm or at room temperature for a spring lunch or starter.
70 min · mediumWatch for, and grow alongside
Companions: tomatoes, parsley, basil
Questions people ask
When do you sow Asparagus in the UK?
Sow Asparagus from March to April. Plant out May, after the last frost.
How long does Asparagus take from sowing to harvest?
Roughly 730 days, with the harvest April to June.
Which Asparagus varieties do gardeners grow again?
Club members rate every variety they grow. This page shows the grow-again votes for Gijnlim, Connover's Colossal, Backlim, Pacific Purple and more.
Track your Asparagus from packet to plate
Sowing reminders and harvest forecasts for your own frost dates, the Seed Tin, Scan Centre for any label or packet, and the Potty Mouth Garden Club. Free to start.
Allotment keeper in the North East of England, the voice behind the Tony C Smith YouTube channel, and the gardener who built GrowMore CookMore. Club numbers on this page update as members log their plots. Last updated 3 September 2026.