Whether you want to grow green asparagus or white asparagus in the garden - the sowing of the seeds is done in the same way. However, keep in mind that the first harvest will be delayed by a year if you sow the asparagus yourself.
Prepare asparagus seeds
The seeds of all asparagus varieties are relatively large. Soak it in warm water for two days before sowing to shorten the germination process.
Sow outdoors
A seedbed is prepared for sowing in open ground. Mix good, weed-free garden soil with plenty of ripe compost.
From April, create rows 30 centimeters apart. Make furrows five centimeters deep and sow the watered seed eight centimeters apart. It can take two to three months for it to germinate.
Prefer under glass
From the end of March, fill small flower pots with a diameter of eight centimeters with garden soil. Two of the watered seeds are sown about two centimeters deep per pot, covered and kept moist.
At a temperature of 21 degrees, it takes up to three weeks for the seeds to germinate. After emergence, the weaker plant is removed. The seedlings are brought outdoors as soon as no more frosts are to be expected.
Planting outdoors
It takes another year before the asparagus is planted in its final location. The seedlings are first placed in an extra bed at a distance of 30 centimeters.
When planting out, it is important to ensure that the roots are not damaged. They must have enough space to spread out.
The following year, the plants are planted in the designated asparagus bed. The harvest time for green asparagus only begins in the second year. White asparagus will need another year before you can sting the first asparagus.
Asparagus sowing in brief:
- water seeds
- Prepare the seedbed
- Alternatively grow in pots
- Sow in the bed or pot
- Transplant outdoors
- Plant in the asparagus bed after a year
tips and tricks
Asparagus is a dioecious plant. Since almost only male specimens are used in commercial cultivation, no germinable seeds can be obtained from asparagus flowers on large asparagus fields. It is therefore better to buy the asparagus seeds in specialist shops.