Harvesting Asparagus - Knowledgebase Question

Eugene, OR
Avatar for tcolliga
Question by tcolliga
May 9, 1999
Of the many questions people have posted on asparagus, no one seems to ask how to harvest it. I guess it seems obvious (just snap off the spears), but sometimes I feel that snapping off the spears by hand might put lots of strain on the crowns. Do you recommend using a knife? If so, how deep should you cut the spears (relative to the ground? relative to the crowns themselves?) Does any particular method seem to encourage better production of spears?

My asparagus was already planted in my community garden plot when I got it so I don't know how old it is. It seems to be doing great though, I've had a good crop for two years now. Oh, one more question, why are some spears real thick and others thin?


Image
Answer from NGA
May 9, 1999
As a matter of fact, just the opposite is true when harvesting asparagus. If you use a knife, you may injure the crown, but snapping the spears off at or just below ground level will keep the crowns safe from injury.

Mature crowns produce thick spears. When the size of the spears begins to diminish, stop harvesting and allow ferns to develop to help recharge the roots for next year's harvest.

You must be signed in before you can post questions or answers. Click here to join!

« Return to the Garden Knowledgebase Homepage

Member Login:

( No account? Join now! )

Today's site banner is by RootedInDirt and is called "Plant Combo "

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.