The asparagus spears should not be cut in the first season after planting and only a light crop taken in the second one. Thereafter, harvest them as required from April to mid-June.
After that, the remaining spears should be left to develop into stems and ferny foliage, as this will ensure the plants build-up food reserves for the following year’s crop.
Asparagus is a perennial plant and can continue to produce a crop for up to 20 years. For this reason, it is best grown in its own bed, away from veg which need to be re-sown each year. Bear in mind that the summer stems can reach up to 1.2m (4ft) in height, so make sure the plants will not cast shade onto other vegetables nearby.
The bed should be sited in a sheltered, sunny spot and have a reasonably-fertile and well-drained soil. A few weeks before planting, dig over the ground thoroughly to remove any weeds and large stones and then incorporate plenty of well-rotted garden compost.
During the growing season, keep the site free from weeds (hand weed rather than use a hoe to avoid damaging the emerging plants) and water well in dry weather. In the autumn, the stems should be cut down (do this when the foliage turns yellow-brown) to 5cm (2in) above ground level.
A thick mulch of garden compost should then be spread around the stumps. In the early spring, give the plants a feed with a general organic fertiliser.
The young asparagus spears should be harvested when they are 10–15cm (4–6in) in length, by severing the spears 5cm (2in) below the soil surface.
The ideal way to do this is with an asparagus knife or a serrated-edged kitchen knife. Asparagus tastes best when eaten fresh but usually lasts three to four days in a fridge.
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