20 Viking KB3 Asparagus Bare Roots – Hardy Heirloom Vegetable Plant

Overview

Embark on a rewarding gardening journey with 20 Viking KB3 asparagus bare roots. This offering provides twenty high-quality bare roots of the renowned Viking KB3 asparagus, an exceptional open-pollinated (heirloom) variety of Asparagus officinalis. Celebrated for its remarkable hardiness and prolific production, the Viking KB3 yields an abundance of thick, flavorful, and tender green spears. Developed in Ontario, Canada, as an improved selection from the classic ‘Mary Washington’ variety, it is particularly well-suited for colder climates (USDA Zones 3-9) but also performs admirably in hot, dry regions. Its superior resistance to winterkill ensures a more consistent and reliable harvest year after year, making it an excellent choice for both experienced and novice gardeners looking to establish a long-lasting asparagus patch. These Viking KB3 asparagus bare roots are ready for planting, promising a future of delicious, homegrown asparagus.

Asparagus is a perennial vegetable, meaning once established, it will continue to produce for 15-20 years or even longer, providing a sustainable source of fresh, nutritious spears. Choosing a robust variety like the Viking KB3 is crucial for a successful and enduring asparagus bed. These hardy asparagus plant roots are dormant and ready to be planted, offering a head start on growing this gourmet vegetable in your home garden.

Key Benefits

Growing your own heirloom asparagus variety offers numerous advantages, from fresh culinary delights to the satisfaction of a sustainable harvest. The Viking KB3 particularly stands out with its robust characteristics and generous yields.

• Exceptional Yields: The Viking KB3 is known for producing heavy crops of thick, tender, and flavorful green spears, providing a bountiful harvest for your kitchen. This ensures you’ll have plenty of delicious asparagus to enjoy throughout the season.
• Superior Hardiness: This variety is incredibly resilient, thriving in a wide range of climates, from colder USDA Zones 3-9 to hot, dry areas. Its robust nature makes it a reliable choice for diverse gardening conditions.
• Reduced Winterkill: Compared to many other varieties, the Viking KB3 exhibits lower winterkill, meaning more plants survive the colder months, leading to a more consistent and productive asparagus patch each spring.
• Open-Pollinated Heirloom: As an open-pollinated heirloom, this variety maintains its desirable traits from generation to generation, allowing you to save seeds (though asparagus is typically grown from crowns) and preserve a piece of gardening history.
• Delicious Flavor: Enjoy the classic, rich flavor of freshly harvested asparagus. The spears are tender and sweet, perfect for steaming, roasting, grilling, or adding to your favorite recipes. Growing your own Viking KB3 asparagus bare roots ensures peak freshness and taste.
• Long-Term Investment: Asparagus is a perennial crop, meaning once your grow asparagus bare roots are established, they will produce for many years, offering a continuous supply of fresh vegetables with minimal annual effort.
• Nutritional Value: Asparagus is a nutritional powerhouse, rich in vitamins A, C, E, K, and B6, as well as folate, iron, copper, and protein. Enjoy the health benefits of this homegrown superfood.

Plant Care & Growing Tips

Successful cultivation of Viking KB3 asparagus bare roots begins with proper site selection and preparation. Asparagus thrives in full sun, meaning at least 6-8 hours of direct sunlight per day. Choose a permanent location, as an asparagus bed can remain productive for 15-20 years. The soil should be well-draining, loose, and rich in organic matter. A pH between 6.5 and 7.0 is ideal. Before planting, amend the soil with compost or well-rotted manure to improve fertility and drainage. Dig trenches approximately 6-8 inches deep and 12 inches wide. Create a mound of soil in the center of the trench.

When planting your bare roots, spread the roots evenly over the mound in the trench, ensuring the crown (where the roots meet the stem) is about 2 inches below the soil surface. Space plants about 12-18 inches apart within the trench, and if planting multiple rows, ensure rows are 3-5 feet apart. Cover the crowns with about 2 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 free of weeds, as asparagus does not compete well with them, especially in its first few years. Mulching can help suppress weeds and retain moisture. Proper care of your hardy asparagus plant will ensure a long and productive life.

Watering is crucial, especially during dry periods and the first two years after planting. Asparagus requires consistent moisture but dislikes soggy soil, which can lead to crown rot. Fertilize annually in early spring with a balanced fertilizer or compost. Do not harvest spears in the first year to allow the plants to establish a strong root system. In the second year, you can harvest for a short period (2-3 weeks). By the third year and beyond, you can enjoy a full harvest period of 6-8 weeks. Allow some spears to grow into ferns after the harvest season; these ferns will photosynthesize and store energy in the roots for the following year’s crop. Cut back the yellowed ferns in late fall or early spring before new growth emerges. This careful management of your Viking KB3 asparagus bare roots will lead to years of delicious harvests.

Size & Details

This product includes 20 Viking KB3 asparagus bare roots, ready for planting. Each bare root is a dormant crown, typically consisting of a central bud and several fleshy roots, indicating a healthy and viable plant. These bare roots are shipped without soil or a pot, making them lightweight and easy to plant upon arrival. The Viking KB3 is an improved selection of the classic Mary Washington variety, ensuring a robust start to your asparagus bed. Once established, these plants can grow quite large, with ferns reaching 3-5 feet tall during the summer months.

Asparagus plants are slow to mature, with the first significant harvest typically occurring in the third year after planting. However, once mature, these plants will produce for 15-20 years or more. They are known for producing thick, tender spears, suitable for various culinary uses. The bare root form allows for optimum transplanting success and rapid establishment in your garden, especially when planting in early spring. This heirloom asparagus variety offers a long-term investment in your home garden, providing fresh, gourmet spears for decades.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Q: How big do these Viking KB3 asparagus bare roots get when mature? A: Once established, the ferns of the Viking KB3 asparagus can reach a height of 3 to 5 feet during the growing season. The spears themselves are known for being thick and tender, suitable for harvest at 6-8 inches tall.
• Q: Is this an indoor or outdoor plant? A: Asparagus is an outdoor perennial vegetable. These Viking KB3 asparagus bare roots are designed to be planted directly into your garden bed, where they will establish and produce for many years.
• Q: How much sunlight does Viking KB3 asparagus need? A: For optimal growth and spear production, Viking KB3 asparagus requires full sun, meaning at least 6-8 hours of direct sunlight per day. Choose a sunny spot in your garden for planting.
• Q: Is this plant easy to care for? Is it good for beginners? A: While asparagus requires patience as it establishes (no harvest in the first year), it is relatively low-maintenance once mature. Its hardiness makes the Viking KB3 asparagus bare roots a good choice for beginners willing to follow initial planting and care guidelines.
• Q: What condition will the bare roots arrive in? A: The grow asparagus bare roots will arrive dormant, without soil or a pot. They will be carefully packaged to ensure they remain healthy during transit, ready for immediate planting upon arrival.
• Q: How long until I can harvest spears from these bare roots? A: It is recommended not to harvest any spears in the first year after planting to allow the roots to establish. You can have a light harvest (2-3 weeks) in the second year, and a full harvest (6-8 weeks) from the third year onwards.
• Q: Will this asparagus variety survive winter in my zone? A: The Viking KB3 is an exceptionally hardy variety, well-suited for USDA Zones 3-9. It has a lower winterkill rate compared to other varieties, making it very reliable in colder climates.
• Q: What is the best time to plant these Viking KB3 asparagus bare roots? A: The ideal time to plant asparagus bare roots is in early spring, as soon as the soil can be worked. This allows the plants ample time to establish before the heat of summer.
• Q: What kind of soil is best for Viking KB3 asparagus? A: Viking KB3 asparagus bare roots thrive in well-draining, loose, and fertile soil with a pH between 6.5 and 7.0. Amending your soil with plenty of organic matter, like compost, before planting is highly beneficial.
• Q: Can I grow this heirloom asparagus variety in containers? A: While theoretically possible, asparagus, especially a productive variety like Viking KB3, requires significant root space and is best suited for in-ground garden beds for long-term health and optimal yields.