Crops › Asparagus
How to grow Asparagus
in the US
Sow March to April, plant out May, harvest April to May. About 365 days from seed to plate.
Shown for zone 6. Zone table further down.
Asparagus is a cracking crop, takes a bit of patience, you know, but it’s proper rewarding once you get it established on your plot. It's a long-term commitment, like, but fresh spears from your own backyard are just something else.
Sowing
Most folks buy crowns, to be honest, but you can sow asparagus seeds. It's a bit of a longer game, mind. You'll want to sow them indoors, about 1 inch (2.5 cm) deep, in seed trays or individual pots, about 6-8 weeks before your last frost date. Keep them warm, around 70-75°F (21-24°C), and once they sprout, make sure they get plenty of light. Timing for sowing varies quite a bit by USDA zone, from January in warmer zones like 9 and 10, right through to May in colder zones 3 and 4, so check your local timings.
Growing on
Once your seedlings are big enough to handle, prick them out into individual pots. When they're sturdy and all danger of frost has passed, you need to harden them off gradually over a couple of weeks before planting them out. Plant your young asparagus plants or crowns about 12-18 inches (30-45 cm) apart in trenches, about 6-8 inches (15-20 cm) deep. Fill in the trenches bit by bit as the plants grow, creating a small mound.
Looking after it
Asparagus needs consistent moisture, especially in its first year, so keep it well-watered, you know. A good layer of mulch, like compost or straw, will help suppress weeds and keep the soil moist and happy. Feed them with a balanced fertilizer in spring and after harvest. And remember, don't harvest in the first year, let the plants establish proper.
What goes wrong
Keep an eye out for slugs, they love young asparagus spears, so put out some traps or barriers. Aphids can be a bother too, a squirt of soapy water usually sorts them out. Growing marigolds or nasturtiums nearby can help keep some pests away, like I say, it's all about working with nature. Healthy plants usually fend for themselves.
Harvest
You'll usually get your first proper harvest about a year after planting crowns, or even longer from seed. Pick the spears when they're about 6-8 inches (15-20 cm) tall, just snap them off at ground level. Don't take too many in the first year of harvesting, just a few from each plant. Store them upright in a jar with a bit of water in the fridge, they’ll keep for a few days like that.
I always make sure to mark out my asparagus patch well, because if you forget where you've planted them in the winter, you might accidentally dig them up!
Dates for your plot
Type your zone and the plant-out advice shifts to your frost dates.
Varieties, and whether the club would grow them again
| Variety | Club verdict |
|---|---|
| Jersey Giant This is a really solid choice for most gardens, known for its good yields and strong spears. It's a dependable variety that offers a great harvest year after year, perfect for a long-term bed. | No club votes yet |
| Jersey Knight Another cracking Jersey variety, this one is well-regarded for its disease resistance and productive nature. If you're looking for a dependable green asparagus that stands up well to common issues, this is a top pick. | No club votes yet |
| Jersey Supreme If you're after something that gets going a bit quicker and gives you plenty of spears, Jersey Supreme is a fantastic option. It's a vigorous grower and produces uniform, tender stalks, making it a favorite for many. | No club votes yet |
| Mary Washington A classic heirloom variety, Mary Washington has been a favorite for generations, and for good reason. It offers lovely green spears with excellent flavor and good production once established, a real traditional choice. | No club votes yet |
| Martha Washington This variety is a robust and reliable choice, very similar to its sister, Mary Washington, but often noted for being even more vigorous. You'll get plenty of tasty, green spears from this one, making it a great addition to any plot. | No club votes yet |
| Purple Passion Fancy something a bit different? Purple Passion gives you beautiful, sweet, and tender purple spears. It's less fibrous than green varieties and a real treat, great for eating raw or lightly cooked. | No club votes yet |
| UC 157 Developed for warmer climates, UC 157 is a very productive hybrid that performs well in a range of conditions. It's known for its consistent yields and disease resistance, making it a reliable choice for many growers. | No club votes yet |
| Millennium A popular modern hybrid, Millennium is well-known for its excellent yields and cold hardiness, perfect for northern gardens. It produces thick, tender spears and is a super dependable variety for long-term production. | No club votes yet |
| Guelph Eclipse This Canadian-bred variety is another good performer, offering strong yields and consistent spear quality. It's a reliable choice that adapts well to different growing conditions, giving you plenty of tasty asparagus. | No club votes yet |
| Guelph Millennium Combining the best traits, Guelph Millennium is a vigorous and high-yielding variety, great for those wanting a proper harvest. It’s known for its robust growth and excellent spear quality, a solid all-rounder. | No club votes yet |
| Atlas Atlas is a great choice for areas with warmer winters, known for its heat tolerance and good production. It's a reliable variety that gives you a good crop of green spears even in challenging conditions. | No club votes yet |
| Apollo Another heat-tolerant variety, Apollo is a strong performer in warmer zones, offering good yields of quality spears. It's a dependable choice if you're looking for an asparagus that can handle a bit more sun and warmth. | No club votes yet |
| Precoce D’Argenteuil This is a lovely heirloom variety, hailing from France, known for its pink-tipped, tender spears and exquisite flavor. It's an earlier producer, giving you a taste of spring a bit sooner, and looks beautiful too. | No club votes yet |
| Guelph Equinox A fairly new variety, Guelph Equinox is gaining popularity for its strong vigor and excellent yields. It's a reliable performer that offers a good crop of sturdy, flavorful spears, a great addition to your patch. | No club votes yet |
| Pacific Purple Similar to Purple Passion, Pacific Purple also boasts sweet, tender, and less fibrous purple spears. It's a visually striking variety that's delicious raw or lightly steamed, adding a bit of color to your plate. | 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
Partner retailers. If you buy through these links we may earn a small commission. It never costs you more.
Sowing by USDA zone
| Zone | Sow / plant | Harvest |
|---|---|---|
| Zone 3 | April to May | May to June |
| Zone 4 | April to May | May to June |
| Zone 5 | March to May | April to June |
| Zone 6 | March to April | April to May |
| Zone 7 | February to April | March to May |
| Zone 8 | February to April | March to May |
| Zone 9 | January to March | February to April |
| Zone 10 | December to February | February to March |
Cook the harvest
A deeply creamy, spring-green risotto built around fresh asparagus and sweet peas, finished with Parmesan and a touch of lemon. The asparagus is added in two ways — the tough ends are simmered into the stock for flavor, and the tips are blanched and folded in at the very end to stay bright and tender. This is the risotto to make when asparagus season hits its peak.
50 min · mediumA simple, elegant French-inspired side where asparagus is blanched until just tender, then finished in nutty brown butter with toasted slivered almonds and a final squeeze of lemon. This is the kind of side dish that elevates a weeknight dinner to something special with only fifteen minutes of effort. The brown butter is the whole point — its warm, toffee-like richness transforms simple asparagus into something genuinely craveable.
17 min · easyA stunning open-faced tart built on a crisp puff pastry base spread with herbed goat cheese, then topped with asparagus spears arranged in neat rows and roasted until the pastry is golden and the tips are just charred. It looks like it came from a French bakery but takes less than 40 minutes. Serve warm as a starter, a light lunch, or a show-stopping brunch centerpiece.
37 min · easyThick asparagus spears charred on a hot grill and finished with a compound miso butter that melts into every groove and crevice as it lands on the hot spears. The combination of smoky char and the salty, umami depth of white miso is a modern American-Japanese pairing that makes these spears genuinely hard to stop eating. Ready in fifteen minutes, impressive every time.
18 min · easyWatch for, and grow alongside
Companions: marigolds, nasturtium
Questions people ask
When do you sow Asparagus in the US?
Sow Asparagus from March to April in zone 6, earlier or later by zone. Plant out May, after the last frost.
How long does Asparagus take from sowing to harvest?
Roughly 365 days, with the harvest April to May.
Which Asparagus varieties do gardeners grow again?
Club members rate every variety they grow. This page shows the grow-again votes for Jersey Giant, Jersey Knight, Jersey Supreme, Mary Washington 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.