Asparagus (Asparagus officinalis)
8 sources cited · Verified
The short answer
- Ready in
- 400–600 days
- Site
- 6+ hours of sun, soil pH 6–6.7
- Biggest risk
- Fusarium crown and root rot
In the UK, asparagus are ready to harvest 400–600 days after planting.
Asparagus (Asparagus officinalis) — perennial.
Unlike an annual crop, the work here is front-loaded into establishment: get the planting and the site right and the same plants crop for several seasons.
Core growing advice on this page is checked against named horticultural and university-extension sources — see References.
Soil & Growing Conditions
Growth Stages
| Stage | BBCH | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Planting the crown | 0 | Plant crowns with the bud tips visible at the soil surface, spaced 30-45cm apart in rows 45cm apart, staggering plants between adjacent rows. RHS. |
| Establishment (no harvest) | 3 | Resist cutting any spears for the first two years after planting (three years if grown from seed) -- the ferny top growth the plant makes instead is what builds the crown's reserves for future cropping. RHS. |
| Cropping season | 5 | From the third year, harvest spears for about six weeks from mid-April, extending to eight weeks in subsequent years. Cut individual spears when no more than 18cm tall or about finger thickness, every two to three days in warm weather -- they grow quickly and coarsen fast once past that size. An established plant yields around 10 spears a season. RHS. |
| Fern growth & cutback | 9 | Once cropping stops for the season, leave the shoots to grow into tall ferny stems through the rest of summer -- this is what feeds next year's crown. Cut the ferns down to the ground in autumn; they re-sprout in spring. RHS. |
Quick Facts
| Factor | Value |
|---|---|
| Soil pH | 6 - 6.7 |
| Sunlight | 6-6 hours direct sun |
| Optimal growing temp | 15-30C |
| Minimum survivable temp | -5C |
| Time to harvest | 400-600 days |
| Soil texture | RHS: "Most soil types are suitable, as long as they're well drained"; on heavy soil "make a raised bed to provide better drainage". |
| Drainage | RHS: well drained; "A planting site in full sun is preferable, but asparagus will also tolerate dappled shade". Clemson: "full sun". |
| Lifecycle | perennial |
| Edible parts | spears |
At a Glance
Harvest & Storage
Diseases
Pests
Asparagus Through the Season
References
-
country=USA
-
country=INTL
-
country=International
-
country=UK
-
country=UK
-
country=UK
-
country=USA
-
country=USA
8 independent sources are cited for this crop. Where they disagree - soil pH is the clearest case - every figure is preserved rather than averaged into false precision.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long do asparagus take to grow?
Typically 400–600 days, depending on cultivar and growing conditions.
What soil pH do asparagus need?
A pH of about 6–6.7. That span reflects genuine variation between the authorities we cite rather than a single agreed figure — the References section lists each source's exact range.
What problems affect asparagus?
Our data links 2 diseases and 3 pests to this crop. See the sections above for each one and how to manage it.
Plan next season before the problems start
This page gives you the thresholds; the planner turns them into your own calendar. It works from what you can observe and measure in your garden rather than from dates written for somebody else’s latitude.
Get the Global Garden Planner →Instant PDF download · Works in either hemisphere
Last verified 2026-08-06
Where To Go From Here
Take this crop from reading into a written plan for your own beds.
Plan the next step
Use the printable SoilCommander planner for your region to turn this guide into sowing dates, bed layouts and weekly garden tasks.