25 Mary Washington Asparagus Crowns – 2 Year Bare Root Plants for Home Gardens

Overview

Embark on a rewarding gardening journey with Mary Washington asparagus crowns. This offering includes 25 high-quality, 2-year bare root plants of the renowned Mary Washington variety, a true American heirloom prized for its exceptional flavor and robust growth. These dormant crowns are ready for planting and promise to establish strong, productive asparagus patches that will yield delicious spears for decades. Ideal for both novice and experienced gardeners, heirloom asparagus plants like Mary Washington are a sustainable and flavorful addition to any edible landscape, providing a perennial harvest year after year.

The Mary Washington variety has earned its place as a garden favorite due to its consistent performance and adaptability. Known for producing abundant crops of tender, crisp, and subacid spears, these plants are a testament to enduring quality. Planting bare root asparagus crowns is an efficient way to establish a long-term food source, ensuring you have fresh, homegrown asparagus readily available each spring.

Key Benefits

Choosing Mary Washington asparagus crowns for your garden brings a multitude of advantages, offering both culinary delight and gardening satisfaction. This classic variety is celebrated for its enduring qualities and ease of cultivation.

• Heavy Yields: Once established, these asparagus plants are known for producing a generous harvest of thick, flavorful spears, ensuring an abundant supply for your kitchen.
• Exceptional Flavor: Mary Washington asparagus boasts a superior, classic asparagus taste – tender, crisp, and slightly sweet with a subacid profile, perfect for a variety of culinary uses.
• Reliable Heirloom: As a beloved heirloom variety, it offers genetic stability and proven performance, making it a dependable choice for long-term garden productivity.
• Long-Term Perennial: Plant these perennial vegetable plants once and enjoy harvests for 15-20 years or more, providing a sustainable and low-maintenance food source.
• Winter Hardy & Heat Tolerant: Adaptable to a wide range of climates, Mary Washington asparagus thrives in USDA Zones 3-8, resisting both cold winters and summer heat once established.
• Easy to Grow: With proper initial care, growing asparagus is relatively straightforward, making this an accessible project for gardeners of all skill levels.
• Nutrient-Rich: Fresh asparagus is packed with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, contributing to a healthy diet directly from your garden.

Plant Care & Growing Tips

Proper care is crucial for establishing a thriving patch of Mary Washington asparagus crowns. These 2-year bare root crowns are dormant upon arrival and require careful planting to ensure vigorous growth. Select a site with full sun exposure, meaning at least 6-8 hours of direct sunlight per day. Asparagus prefers well-drained soil that is rich in organic matter. A soil pH between 6.5 and 7.5 is ideal. Amend heavy clay soils with compost and sand to improve drainage, or sandy soils with compost to increase water retention and nutrient availability.

When planting your bare root asparagus, dig a trench approximately 6-8 inches deep and 12 inches wide. Create a small mound of soil at the bottom of the trench and spread the crown’s roots over it. Space individual crowns 12-18 inches apart within the trench, and if planting multiple rows, ensure rows are 3-5 feet apart. Cover the crowns with 2-3 inches of soil, then gradually fill the trench as the spears grow throughout the first season. Keep the soil consistently moist but not waterlogged, especially during the first year of establishment. Avoid harvesting any spears in the first year to allow the crowns to develop a strong root system, which is essential for healthy, long-term production of these heirloom asparagus plants.

Fertilize your asparagus patch in early spring with a balanced fertilizer or well-rotted compost. Weed regularly to prevent competition for nutrients and moisture. Mary Washington asparagus is quite resilient, but consistent moisture during dry spells will promote better spear development. In late fall, after the foliage has yellowed, cut the ferns back to about 2 inches above the ground. This helps prevent disease and prepares the plants for winter dormancy. With proper attention, your perennial vegetable plants will provide delicious harvests for many years, making growing asparagus a truly rewarding experience.

Size & Details

This product includes 25 Mary Washington asparagus crowns, each being a robust 2-year-old bare root plant. These crowns are shipped dormant, without soil, ready for immediate planting upon arrival. When mature, Mary Washington asparagus plants typically grow fern-like foliage that can reach 3-5 feet in height, providing a lush backdrop in the garden during the summer months. The edible spears emerge in early spring, usually reaching 6-10 inches in length before they begin to fern out. These crowns are sized for optimal establishment and are known for their vigorous growth once planted. Expect initial harvests to begin in the third year after planting, with full production achieved in subsequent years.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Q: How big do these Mary Washington asparagus crowns get when mature? A: Once established, the fern-like foliage of Mary Washington asparagus crowns can reach heights of 3-5 feet. The edible spears typically grow 6-10 inches tall before they begin to open.
• Q: Is this an indoor or outdoor plant? A: Mary Washington asparagus is an outdoor perennial vegetable plant. It requires a period of winter dormancy to produce effectively and thrives in garden beds.
• Q: How much sunlight does Mary Washington asparagus need? A: For optimal growth and spear production, these plants require full sun exposure, meaning at least 6-8 hours of direct sunlight per day.
• Q: Is this plant easy to care for? Is it good for beginners? A: Growing asparagus is considered moderately easy. While the initial establishment requires attention, once rooted, it’s a relatively low-maintenance perennial, making it suitable for determined beginners.
• Q: What condition will the bare root asparagus arrive in? A: Your bare root asparagus crowns will arrive dormant, without soil, and carefully packaged. They should be planted as soon as possible after arrival.
• Q: How long until I can harvest spears from these heirloom asparagus plants? A: Since these are 2-year crowns, you should typically wait until the third year after planting for your first significant harvest. The first two years are crucial for establishing a strong root system.
• Q: Will these perennial vegetable plants survive winter in my zone? A: Yes, Mary Washington asparagus crowns are winter-hardy and thrive in USDA Zones 3-8, capable of withstanding cold temperatures and returning year after year.
• Q: What is the best time for growing asparagus? A: The ideal time to plant bare root asparagus crowns is in early spring, as soon as the soil can be worked.
• Q: What kind of soil is best for Mary Washington asparagus? A: Well-drained, fertile soil with a pH between 6.5 and 7.5 is best. Incorporating plenty of organic matter will greatly benefit growth.
• Q: Can I use these for growing asparagus in containers? A: While possible, asparagus requires deep roots and a lot of space, making container growing challenging. A dedicated garden bed is generally recommended for the best yields from your Mary Washington asparagus crowns.