The last thing you want to do after spending all that time making sure you know how to grow asparagus is to start harvesting asparagus at the wrong time, cut too many asparagus spears and weaken you asparagus bed for years to come. Once established, an asparagus bed can produce for many years. It is It is best to prepare the site well before planting. The machine has electronic eyes, arms equipped with asparagus knives, and rubber fingers to pick up the spears the same way that the field workers do. Once established, an asparagus plant can produce spears for 15 to 20 years or more. Here is a season-by-season guide for asparagus growing and care: Spring. Growing Asparagus Asparagus shoots are the first vegetable to pop out of the ground in spring, and for a month or two, the fields need to be harvested frequently to pick … Planting asparagus from seed allows one to grow any variety of the vegetable, but growing from one year old crowns allows for harvesting asparagus more quickly — three years after planting crowns. Fertilizing Asparagus Plants. This type of asparagus was developed in 1978 and is one of the most popular types of asparagus, if not the most common. Asparagus is one of the first crops of spring harvest. Harvest spears at 6 to 8 inches tall and at least ½ inch thick, cutting the spears off with a knife or scissors at ground level. To Machine Harvest Asparagus, Imitate Humans! What is the optimum growing season for asparagus? NOTE: This is part 5 … Harvest and Storage. How long does asparagus have to grow before it can be cultivated? Advice varies but there is a common theme. Asparagus spears are crisp, tender and flavorful. Planting asparagus from seed allows one to grow any variety of the vegetable, but growing from one year old crowns allows for harvesting asparagus more quickly — three years after planting crowns. Asparagus … You can store asparagus for up to 3 weeks at 36° F. Asparagus will turn flaccid and dull gray-green if kept for more than 10 days at 32° F. Related: 30 Profitable Vegetable Farming Business Ideas. Asparagus usually likes a balanced fertilizer of 5-10-10 or 8-24-24. Past research has indicated that mechanical harvesting of asparagus is not economical, based on high capital cost and low labor costs (Hopper and Folwell, 1998, Folwell and others, 2000). Asparagus is a high-yielding, early-season vegetable for home gardeners and commercial growers across Missouri. The spears should be cut before they are too long and before the tips begin to spread. It's known as a springtime vegetable and is primarily grown commercially in California, Michigan, and Washington state.