25 Mary Washington Asparagus Crowns – 2 Year Bare Root Plants for Home Gardens, Zones 3-8

Overview

Cultivate your own bountiful harvest with these Mary Washington asparagus crowns. This listing provides 25 Mary Washington asparagus crowns, consisting of 2-year bare root plants. The Mary Washington variety is a highly esteemed heirloom, celebrated for its reliability, distinctive flavor, and consistent, long-term performance in home gardens. It’s an ideal choice for gardeners seeking to establish a dependable perennial vegetable that will produce delicious spears year after year. These bare root plants are dormant and ready for planting, offering a robust foundation for a thriving asparagus patch.

As a true American heirloom, Mary Washington asparagus crowns are prized for their ability to produce crisp, tender spears with an excellent, subacid flavor. Once established, this variety delivers strong yields, making it a favorite among both novice and experienced growers. Its enduring popularity stems from its consistent production and remarkable adaptability to various growing conditions. These crowns are a fantastic way to start growing asparagus at home, ensuring a fresh supply of this beloved vegetable for many seasons.

Key Benefits

Investing in Mary Washington asparagus crowns offers numerous advantages for the home gardener, providing both culinary delight and gardening satisfaction. These plants are known for their resilience and generous harvests.

• Heavy Yields & Flavor: Experience abundant harvests of thick, tender asparagus spears with a rich, classic flavor that’s perfect for a variety of culinary uses. This heirloom asparagus variety is celebrated for its consistent production.
• Long-Term Productivity: Once established, these perennial vegetable plants can produce for 15-20 years or even longer, offering a sustainable and rewarding addition to your garden.
• Hardy & Adaptable: Mary Washington asparagus is winter-hardy and heat-tolerant, thriving across a wide range of USDA Zones (3-8). This makes them suitable for many climates, simplifying the process of growing asparagus at home.
• Bare Root Advantage: Shipping as bare root asparagus ensures the plants are dormant and less stressed during transit, allowing for easier planting and robust establishment in your garden soil.
• Classic Heirloom: This historic variety has a proven track record, making it a dependable choice for gardeners who appreciate traditional, high-quality produce.
• Nutrient-Rich Harvest: Asparagus is a healthy addition to any diet, packed with vitamins and minerals, providing fresh, homegrown nutrition.
• Easy to Grow: With proper initial care, these Mary Washington asparagus crowns are relatively low-maintenance, making them accessible even for beginner gardeners.

Plant Care & Growing Tips

To ensure the best success with your Mary Washington asparagus crowns, proper planting and ongoing care are essential. These bare root asparagus plants thrive when given the right conditions from the start. Plant them in a location that receives full sun, meaning at least 6-8 hours of direct sunlight per day. Asparagus prefers well-drained soil with a pH between 6.5 and 7.5. Amending your soil with compost or well-rotted manure before planting will greatly benefit the plants by improving drainage and fertility. Dig trenches approximately 6-8 inches deep and 12 inches wide, mounding a ridge of soil down the center. Spread the roots of the crowns over the mound and cover with 2-3 inches of soil, gradually filling the trench as the spears grow.

Watering is crucial, especially during the first year of establishment. Keep the soil consistently moist but never waterlogged. Once established, asparagus is relatively drought-tolerant but will produce better with regular moisture. Avoid harvesting any spears in the first year after planting to allow the crowns to establish a strong root system. In the second year, you can harvest lightly for 2-3 weeks. From the third year onwards, you can enjoy a full harvest season for 6-8 weeks. Fertilize in early spring with a balanced fertilizer or compost to support vigorous growth. These heirloom asparagus plants are resilient but benefit from consistent care to maximize their productivity and longevity, making growing asparagus at home a rewarding experience.

Protection from weeds is also important, as weeds compete for nutrients and moisture. Mulching around the plants can help suppress weeds and retain soil moisture. In colder climates (USDA Zones 3-8), the foliage will die back in the fall. Cut the dead foliage back to the ground after it turns yellow to prepare the plants for winter dormancy. This care routine will help your Mary Washington asparagus crowns thrive for many years.

Size & Details

This offering includes 25 Mary Washington asparagus crowns, each being a 2-year-old bare root plant. These dormant crowns are shipped without soil, ready for immediate planting upon arrival. A 2-year crown provides a more established root system compared to 1-year crowns, leading to quicker establishment and earlier, more robust harvests. When planted, these bare root asparagus plants should be spaced 12-18 inches apart to allow for healthy long-term growth and optimal spear production. The mature plants typically reach a height of 3-5 feet with a spread of 1-2 feet, forming a dense fern-like canopy after the harvest season.

Mary Washington asparagus is a vigorous grower once established, known for its ability to produce substantial yields. The spears themselves are typically thick and tender, ready for harvest in early spring. With proper care, these perennial vegetable plants will provide fresh asparagus for two decades or more, making them an excellent long-term investment for any home garden. Expect your first light harvest in the second year after planting, with full production commencing in the third year.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Q: How big do these Mary Washington asparagus crowns get? A: Each crown is a 2-year bare root plant. Once established, the mature asparagus plants will typically grow 3-5 feet tall with a spread of 1-2 feet, forming a fern-like foliage after the spring harvest.
• Q: Is this an indoor or outdoor plant? A: Mary Washington asparagus crowns are outdoor plants. They are perennial vegetables best suited for garden beds where they can establish a long-term root system and return year after year.
• Q: How much sunlight does it need? A: Asparagus plants, including this heirloom asparagus variety, require full sun, meaning at least 6-8 hours of direct sunlight per day, to produce the best yields and maintain health.
• Q: Is this plant easy to care for? Is it good for beginners? A: While the initial planting and first-year care of bare root asparagus require attention, once established, Mary Washington asparagus is relatively low-maintenance and can be a rewarding choice for beginners interested in growing asparagus at home.
• Q: What condition will the asparagus crowns arrive in? A: The Mary Washington asparagus crowns will arrive as dormant, 2-year bare root plants. They will not have soil or foliage, as this is their natural state for planting.
• Q: How long until I can harvest the asparagus? A: For optimal plant health, do not harvest in the first year. You can have a light harvest for 2-3 weeks in the second year, and a full harvest for 6-8 weeks from the third year onwards. This allows the perennial vegetable plants to build strength.
• Q: Will these Mary Washington asparagus crowns survive winter in my zone? A: Yes, Mary Washington asparagus crowns are very winter-hardy and thrive in USDA Zones 3-8. They are well-adapted to cold winters and hot summers within these zones.
• Q: What’s the minimum temperature these plants can tolerate? A: As a cold-hardy perennial, Mary Washington asparagus can tolerate freezing temperatures well below 0°F (-18°C) once established and dormant, making it suitable for a wide range of temperate climates.
• Q: What kind of soil is best for growing asparagus at home? A: Asparagus prefers well-drained, fertile soil with a pH between 6.5 and 7.5. Amending with organic matter like compost is highly recommended for these heirloom asparagus plants.
• Q: Can I plant these bare root asparagus crowns in containers? A: While technically possible, it is not recommended for long-term success. Asparagus needs deep, wide root space to thrive and produce for many years, which is best achieved in an in-ground garden bed.