How to Plant 2 Year Old Asparagus Crowns
- 1). Test the pH level of your soil. You can use a home testing kit, available at gardening centers. A better idea is to mail or deliver a soil sample to your county Cooperative Extension office for analysis. The agents there can advise you on which amendments will better raise or lower the soil's pH.
- 2). Amend the soil, using the pH analysis as a guide. Add 3 inches of compost and suggest amendments to adjust the soil pH -- aim for a pH between 6.0 to 6.7 -- and mix them to a depth of 12 inches. Wait until spring to plant the asparagus crowns.
- 3). Pour 5-10-10 fertilizer on the planting area, in the spring, at a rate of 5 to 10 lbs. per 100 square feet. Use a hoe or gardening fork to work it into the top 12 inches of soil.
- 4). Hoe a trench that is 8 inches deep and 12 inches wide. Place the asparagus crowns 18 inches apart in the trench, points up. Cover them with 2 inches of soil.
- 5). Water the asparagus bed until the soil is moist to a depth of 12 inches and keep the soil moist until the crowns sprout. This will generally occur within two weeks.
- 6). Fill the trench completely with soil when the asparagus foliage reaches 8 inches tall.
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