Growing Asparagus at the Allotment

Asparagus is a gourmet crop with a short harvest season and a long life span. Its tender spears can be grilled, roasted, or steamed for a delicious addition to your spring dishes.

Though it requires a little patience in the early years, growing asparagus in the UK is relatively easy, and once established, it can keep producing for up to 20 years. Read on to learn how to grow asparagus at home and enjoy this luxury vegetable fresh from your garden.

Except for ample space and some tender love, growing asparagus in the UK is relatively easy and doesn’t require much effort. Read our guide to learn how to grow asparagus in your backyard. 

For assistance and queries about growing asparagus, consult our growers’ community.

Male vs. Female Asparagus – What’s the Difference?

Asparagus plants are dioecious, meaning they have either male or female flowers, but not both on the same plant.

For home growers, male asparagus plants are preferred because they put all their energy into growing edible spears rather than producing seeds, leading to higher yields.

How to Tell Them Apart:

• Flowers: Male flowers have visible yellow or orange stamens, while female flowers are more rounded.
  
  
• Spears: Male spears are typically thicker and more uniform.
  
  
• Berries: Female plants may develop small red berries when pollinated—these are not edible.

If you're growing asparagus from seed or mixed crowns, it’s a good idea to remove female plants after identification to maximise harvest.

How to Grow Asparagus

When to Plant Asparagus

Asparagus is usually grown from crowns (one-year-old roots), not seeds, as seed-grown plants can take 3 years to produce. Plant asparagus crowns directly into the ground in spring (late March to April).

Soil & Location Tips

Choose a sunny, sheltered spot where the plant can stay undisturbed for years. It’s not suitable for container growing due to its extensive root system. Plant crowns 8 inches deep and 15 inches apart, ideally in a trench about 12 inches wide. The soil should be well-drained and sandy, with a pH between 6.5 and 7.5. If needed, improve heavy soil with compost, mulch, and lime. 

Refrain from planting new crowns in the same space if you notice soil-borne problems affecting your asparagus crops. Some popular varieties of asparagus that can be easily grown in the UK are Backlim, Connover's Colossal, Gijinlim and Pacific 2000.

Ongoing Care

You can earth up a bit so that the soil covers the crown by a couple of inches. 
The asparagus needs to be kept weed-free, but be careful when weeding as the crop has shallow roots. If you are growing a male variety, remove any female plants that appear. Do the same when growing the female plants.
The asparagus plants grow tall and may need staking or a wind-break type enclosure surrounding them. It may also be worth mulching, especially before winter.