Asparagus

When to plant/sow in zone:

Requirements: A dedicated bed with room to spread; a sunny position; good drainage.

Soil: Add compost or aged manure. The pH should be 6.5.

How to start: SEEDS: Take 3 years to produce first crop. Sow 10mm deep into seed-raising mix. Keep moist. Germinates in 14-21 days. SEEDLING: Plant outside when seedlings are 10cm+ tall. Space 30-40cm apart, in rows 110cm apart. CROWNS: Plant crowns in winter to early spring. Dig a trench 30cm deep, create mounds of soil 30-40cm apart in the trench. Place one crown on top of each mound, backfill just covering the tops of the crowns. Mulch with straw. Water in well. Rows should be 110cm apart. Water in and mulch with straw.

How to grow: Keep the bed moist throughout the growing season, early spring to early winter. In early spring, apply organic fertiliser pellets. During harvesting season (spring) apply seaweed solution fortnightly. Once spears are the diameter of a pencil or thinner stop harvesting and allow them to grow fully into 1.5m tall ferny stems. Female plants produce red berries. Some people remove female plants as the spears are thinner than male spears. When the foliage has yellowed in late autumn to mid-winter, cut everything ground level, top-dress with compost, and mulch thickly with straw. Grow leafy greens alongside the dormant plants.

When to harvest: Plants need to be three years old before they can be harvested from. Crowns are usually two years old and planted in winter, and can be harvested in spring of the following year. Harvest spears until their diameter is the same as a pencil. Twist or cut them off just below ground level. For taller spears, once harvested, you'll find that the bottom part of the stem is too tough to eat. Chop small sections from the bottom of the stem until you reach the edible section.

Troubleshooting: Slugs and snails; rats; rust.