Asparagus (Asparagus officinalis) are perennial plants that grow well in gardening zones 3 to 8. The shoots are harvested before their tips fully open, and are prepared as a delicious and nutritious spring vegetable. I planted a couple of crowns near the northern fence of my 6B garden in 2013, where they get plenty of sun and good protection from strong winds. The first year, the shoots were allowed to grow tall and develop into fronds of close to seven feet (over 2 m) in height. The second year, I harvested spears for just a couple of weeks, cutting them at soil level with a very sharp knife. And after that, harvest has been rewarding; it might start as early as mid-April, often the first crop of the outdoor gardening season:
I can think of several ways to cook this year’s first bunch (seen at the top of this post), for example, from left (click on highlighted text for stories and recipes), a healthy breakfast veggie omelette, a contemporary cilantro and asparagus soup, or a flavourful side of Mexican Style Asparagus:
Now the harvest will go steady for six to eight weeks, but must stop when the spears grow thin as pencils. This process is very taxing on the plant, so care must continue so the fronds grow and mature. Adding manure or compost after the harvest season is done is a good antidote against nutrient depletion, and some support will prevent the tall fronds from breaking or get damaged. Finally, cutting down the fronds after the first frost, and mulching for overwintering, are the best practices to prevent a ho-hum harvest the following spring.
I am sharing my post at Thursday Favourite Things #656, with Bev @ Eclectic Red Barn, Pam @ An Artful Mom, Katherine @ Katherine’s Corner, Amber @ Follow the Yellow Brick Home, and Linda @ Crafts a la Mode.
My Slice of Mexico 
I love asparagus and eat tons of it cooked all sorts of ways
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Now thats a better option for asparagus over charred and served with mayonnaise. thank you.
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Hope you get to try them, Mason!
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I have saved your post for next time i get asparagus. thanks again.
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YUMMY. When asparagus is in season, I buy it by the pound. So good to see it sprouting so well. I’ve made cream soup with it that is out of this world good, but my usual way of eating it is boiled until just tender and with butter and salt.
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My mom used to make that cream soup, too!
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❤
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Usually I just out in the microwave for a minute or a little more. We get a nice crop that I have grown from local wild seed. So far only one edible spear (supplemented with store bought), but soon we’ll we getting plenty!
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Wow, local wild seed sounds amazing! I planted crowns and it took two years to get a crop. How long did it take you to establish yours?
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Several years. But now I get new sprouts every year and give them away to friends. I think my oldest must be around 10 years old now. Nice fat spears!
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I used to pick it in the wild when I lived in BC. Now I just buy it at the store. You gave some good info on growing it, though…might be worth considering. I guess it is good for removing bad cholesterol before your body absorbs it!
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Once established, it requires very little and gives a reliable harvest every year.
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