50 Jersey Giant Asparagus Crowns – 2yr Bare Root Plants for Fall Planting

Overview

Embark on a rewarding gardening journey with Jersey Giant asparagus crowns, a highly favored variety renowned for its exceptional productivity and robust growth. This offering includes 50 premium 2 year asparagus plants, delivered as dormant bare roots, perfectly prepared for optimal establishment. The ‘Jersey Giant’ is celebrated for its ability to produce substantial crops of extra-large, uniform, and tender spears, making it a top choice for both home gardeners and commercial growers alike. Ideal for fall planting asparagus, these crowns establish a strong root system over winter, leading to impressive yields in subsequent seasons. Asparagus is a perennial vegetable, meaning with proper care, these plants will continue to produce delicious spears for 15-20 years or more, providing a sustainable and delicious food source.

Known for its vigor and adaptability, the ‘Jersey Giant’ thrives in a wide range of climates, demonstrating excellent cold-hardiness and heat-tolerance. Its predominantly all-male composition means more energy is directed towards spear production rather than seed development, resulting in higher yields. These crowns are an investment in your garden’s future, promising a consistent supply of gourmet-quality asparagus. Whether you’re a seasoned gardener or new to growing vegetables, these Jersey Giant asparagus crowns offer a straightforward path to cultivating one of spring’s most anticipated delicacies.

Key Benefits

Choosing ‘Jersey Giant’ asparagus crowns offers numerous advantages for your garden and culinary endeavors. This variety stands out for its reliability and the superior quality of its harvest, making it a smart choice for any gardener interested in fresh, home-grown produce.

• Exceptional Yields: The ‘Jersey Giant’ is a highly productive variety, consistently delivering huge crops of spears each year. Its predominantly all-male characteristic ensures that plant energy is focused on spear development, leading to more bountiful harvests compared to mixed varieties.
• Superior Spear Quality: Enjoy extra-large, uniform, and tender asparagus spears. These spears are perfect for fresh eating, gourmet cooking, or adding a delightful crunch to salads, offering a premium culinary experience right from your garden.
• Long-Term Investment: As a perennial vegetable, these 2 year asparagus plants will produce for 15-20 years or more with proper care. This makes them a highly economical choice, providing fresh asparagus year after year from a single planting.
• Adaptable & Resilient: ‘Jersey Giant’ asparagus is both cold-hardy and heat-tolerant, thriving across a broad range of USDA zones (3-10). This resilience makes growing asparagus crowns a viable option for many different climates.
• Nutritional Value: Asparagus is a nutrient-dense vegetable, rich in vitamins A, C, E, and K, as well as folate, potassium, and dietary fiber. Growing your own ensures you have access to fresh, healthy produce free from unwanted chemicals.
• Easy to Establish: Shipped as dormant bare root crowns, these plants are easy to handle and plant. Their 2-year age means they have a well-developed root system, leading to quicker establishment and earlier harvests.
• Self-Pollinating: These plants are self-pollinating, simplifying the growing process and ensuring consistent yields without the need for multiple varieties for cross-pollination.

Plant Care & Growing Tips

Proper care is essential for establishing a thriving asparagus patch and ensuring years of delicious harvests from your Jersey Giant asparagus crowns. Asparagus prefers a sunny location with well-drained soil. Choose a site that receives at least 6-8 hours of direct sunlight daily. Before planting, prepare the bed by loosening the soil to a depth of 12-18 inches and incorporating plenty of organic matter like compost or aged manure. Asparagus thrives in soil with a pH level between 6.5 and 7.5. A soil test is recommended to determine if amendments are needed.

When it comes to fall planting asparagus, dig a trench 6-8 inches deep and 12 inches wide. Create a mound of soil at the bottom of the trench, and spread the roots of each crown over the mound, ensuring the crown bud is facing upwards. Space the crowns 12-18 inches apart. Cover the crowns with 2-3 inches of soil, and water thoroughly. As the spears grow, gradually fill the trench with soil until it is level with the ground. Keep the bed weed-free, as weeds compete for nutrients and moisture. During the first year, avoid harvesting spears to allow the plants to establish a strong root system. Simply let the spears grow into fern-like foliage. This crucial step is vital for the long-term health and productivity of your 2 year asparagus plants.

After the first year, you can begin light harvesting in the second year, typically for 2-4 weeks. By the third year, you can enjoy a full harvest season, usually from early April through mid-May. Water regularly, especially during dry spells, to maintain consistently moist but not waterlogged soil. Fertilize in early spring with a balanced fertilizer or a side dressing of compost. In late fall, after the foliage has turned yellow, cut the ferns back to the ground. This helps prevent diseases and encourages vigorous growth the following spring. Monitoring for pests and diseases and addressing them promptly will help ensure healthy growing asparagus crowns for many seasons.

Size & Details

This offering includes 50 Jersey Giant asparagus crowns, each a robust 2-year-old bare root plant. These crowns are shipped dormant, ensuring they are ready for planting upon arrival. The ‘Jersey Giant’ variety is known for producing extra-large, uniform spears that are crisp, crunchy, and subacid in taste. While individual crown size may vary slightly, their 2-year age signifies a well-developed root system, crucial for rapid establishment and future productivity. Expect these plants to bear harvestable spears approximately 3 years after planting, with the first light harvest possible in the second year. They are cold-hardy and heat-tolerant, suitable for USDA Zone Range 3-10. We recommend spacing these plants 12-18 inches apart to allow ample room for growth and development, which is key for successful asparagus plant care and maximizing yields. The mature spears will emerge from early April through mid-May, eventually maturing into feathery soft, fern-like foliage after the harvesting period.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Q: How big will these Jersey Giant asparagus crowns get? A: The spears themselves can grow quite tall, but you’ll harvest them at your desired thickness, typically 6-10 inches. The mature fern-like foliage can reach 4-6 feet in height and width.
• Q: Are these 2 year asparagus plants suitable for beginners? A: Yes, ‘Jersey Giant’ is a relatively easy variety to grow, and starting with 2 year asparagus plants provides a head start compared to seeds, making growing asparagus crowns accessible for novice gardeners.
• Q: When is the best time for fall planting asparagus? A: The ideal time for fall planting asparagus is typically in late fall, after the first hard frost but before the ground freezes solid. This allows the crowns to establish roots before spring growth begins.
• Q: What condition will the asparagus crowns arrive in? A: Your Jersey Giant asparagus crowns will arrive dormant and bare root, meaning they will not have soil or green foliage. This is the natural and optimal state for planting.
• Q: How long until I can harvest from these 2 year asparagus plants? A: You can expect a light harvest in the second year after planting (the plant’s third year). A full harvest season typically begins in the third year after planting (the plant’s fourth year), and continues for many years.
• Q: What kind of soil do these asparagus crowns need? A: These plants thrive in well-drained soil with average moistness and a pH level between 6.5 and 7.5. Amending with organic matter is highly recommended for optimal growth and healthy asparagus plant care.
• Q: Are these plants tolerant of extreme weather? A: Yes, ‘Jersey Giant’ is known for its resilience. It is both cold-hardy and heat-tolerant, making it suitable for a wide range of climates within USDA Zones 3-10.
• Q: Do I need to fertilize my asparagus patch? A: Yes, feeding your asparagus promotes strong growth. An annual application of a balanced fertilizer or compost in early spring, before spear emergence, is beneficial for growing asparagus crowns.
• Q: Can I grow these in containers? A: While possible, asparagus performs best when planted directly in the ground due to its extensive root system and perennial nature. Large, deep containers would be required, and yields may be reduced.
• Q: Is ‘Jersey Giant’ asparagus self-pollinating? A: Yes, the ‘Jersey Giant’ variety is self-pollinating, meaning you do not need multiple plants of different sexes to get a harvest.