Exposure Full sun
Season Cool season
West Coast Seeds ships anywhere in North America. However, we are not able to ship garlic, potatoes, asparagus crowns, bulbs, onion sets, Mason bee cocoons, or nematodes outside of Canada. We regret, we cannot accept returns or damages for orders outside of Canada. The minimum shipping charge to the US is $9.99.
For every order online, we donate a pack of seeds to gardens and communities worldwide through our Seeds of Growth program, supporting sustainable growth and local food systems.
Purple asparagus is sweeter and milder to most palates than the traditional green varieties. It’s fun to incorporate some purple asparagus into the perennial vegetable garden. Plant the crowns in early spring, and do not harvest for the first year. Instead let the stalks and fern-like foliage grow so it can photosynthesize. Remember that asparagus beds are permanent, so they should should be deeply cultivated and enriched with lots of organic matter in the form of finished compost and/or well rotted manure. It's also a good idea to add some Glacial Rock Dust at planting time, just to incorporate some minerals. Purple asparagus turns green when cooked.
If the crowns arrive before you can plant them in your region, plant them in soil in containers and keep cold until transplant time.
Seasonal item shipping: Items shipped at specific times of the year such as garlic, potatoes, onion sets, asparagus crowns, mason bee cocoons, nematodes and flower bulbs require special handling. They will be shipped separately as a new order with the applicable regional shipping charges applies. Whenever possible, we will combine you orders to minimize shipping charges.
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Latin
Latin
Asparagus officinalis
Liliaceae family.
Difficulty
Difficulty
Easy - requires patience!
Season & Zone
Season & Zone
Exposure: Full sun
Zone: Hardy to Zone 2
Starting
Starting
Asparagus crowns are the root systems of asparagus plants that are two years old. They are grown for the purposes of selling at the crown stage, which is much faster than starting from seed. They are very cold hardy, but they need to be planted soon after they are delivered. If they are delivered to a place where planting is impossible due to snow or frozen soil, plant them in a large container, in soil, and keep them in a cold but protected place like a garage or garden shed.
Asparagus is a perennial plant that will produce for ten years or more from the initial planting. Soil preparation is vital to long term productivity. Dig the planting area deeply and work in a large amount of organic matter in the form of compost or well rotted manure. Add a generous amount of Glacial Rock Dust to supply mineral content. In a raised bed, think in terms of dedicating five or more years of nutrients to the plants that will develop.
Spacing for asparagus crowns requires a minimum of 45-60cm (18-24") between plants. For farms, plant the rows 1.5m (5') apart.
Growing
Growing
The strategy with asparagus is to allow the plants to become well established before harvesting. When starting from seed, this means waiting two years until the first harvest. With asparagus crowns, harvesting begins one year after planting. For the first year, allow the plants to simply grow and photosynthesize, and become strong. Do not be tempted to harvest the stalks in the first year. Your patience will be rewarded in year two.
Harvest
Harvest
It’s important to not harvest until the second year so that plants can become established and strong. Then harvest over a 2-3 week period. Cut the fattest spears off at ground level when they are 15-20cm (6-10″) long. When thinner spears begin to emerge let them to grow into big fronds to nourish the roots. With each successive year the harvest lengthens to a maximum of 6-8 weeks. Store in the refrigerator wrapped in a damp paper towel.
Diseases & Pests
Diseases & Pests
Asparagus beetles can defoliate the ferns of the asparagus plant. They overwinter in the top growth, so thorough removal of the fronds in the fall (after they have died) is vital. In a small garden handpick the voracious insects.
Encouraging beneficials like ladybugs helps control aphids. Aphids are usually found together on growing tips (look for the sooty blotches they leave behind).
Companion Planting
Companion Planting
Companion planting is a cornerstone of organic gardening. Carefully choose companions to reduce your need for pesticides. Plant asparagus seeds or crowns with asters, basil, cilantro, dill, cilantro, marigolds, nasturtiums, oregano, parsley, peppers, sage, and thyme. Asparagus repels nematodes that attack tomatoes, and tomatoes repel asparagus beetles.We have a full list of companions to consider.
West Coast Seeds is a family-owned company that embraces an organic lifestyle. A group of imagination catalysts and passionate educators, dedicated to producing products and services that better the environment. As part of our mission to repair the earth, we aim to inspire and empower people to take responsibility for the state of the planet. For us, organic is about much more than saying no to chemicals, it is about saying yes to building a healthy soil for the future.
For over 35 years, we have upheld our strong reputation as a leading seed supplier, seeking out the highest quality untreated seeds for organic growing and putting them through rigorous independent testing. We built our company on the exchange of generational wisdom in a masterclass community of newbies and masters alike. Our world may have changed, but our commitment to our people, our customers, and our planet has not.
We’re a values-based business that has blossomed into a lifestyle ethos, with products that support seeders, feeders, keepers, and the tiniest of creepers. Our mission? To mobilize the next generation of gardeners with products that nourish soil and grow vigorous, sustainable gardens. We believe all plants should be grown without the use of chemicals, and that the seeds we supply are an important component of regenerative gardening.
We don’t just offer seeds, we offer experience, insight, and understanding. From timeless garden wisdom to new tech know-how, this is learning on the job: knowledge gleaned not from the pages of a book but from burying our fingers in the soil. We test, experiment, observe and adapt, never happier than when we get to share what we’ve learned with others.
Gardens don’t just grow seeds. They grow minds and imaginations, people and communities. Our vision encompasses both the micro and the macro. We eat locally, protect pollinators, teach people to grow from seed, and support regional biodiversity. We think big but act small and deliver unexpected impact — always with community and purpose.
At West Coast Seeds we believe in the power of small and that little can be large. Like the tiniest seed germinates to evoke incremental change with massive potential, so to can our community of gardeners and growers together. Gardeners are the earth’s stewards, planting seeds of creative declaration. The soil provides the canvas, we provide the seeds.
Plant your asparagus crowns in spring. There will be no harvest from these these long-lived perennials until 3 years after transplanting, so be patient!
Prepare soil by digging in ample finished manure, fully rotted compost and glacial rock dust. Dig a round pit about 30cm (12”) and form a mound at the bottom. Set the crowns so that their roots are evenly spaced, pointing outward from the centre with the crowns 5-8cm (2-3”) below the soil’s surface.
Ideal pH: 6.5-7.0
Each spring, when new growth is visible, top dress with balanced organic fertilizer. Mulch with straw in cold winters.
Harvest the spears sparingly in the first two years when they are 5” to 7” high and let the remainder grow into ferns to establish a strong root system. In year three, harvests can be as long as two months. Mature plants can be divided.
