5 Purple Passion Asparagus Bare Roots – Asparagus officinalis, Sweet & Tender

Overview

Transform your garden into a culinary haven with these premium purple passion asparagus bare roots. This offering includes 5 dormant bare roots of the highly sought-after ‘Purple Passion’ variety of Asparagus officinalis. Renowned for its distinctive deep purple color, this asparagus stands out from traditional green varieties with its naturally sweeter, milder flavor profile and notably less fibrous texture. Ideal for both seasoned gardeners and enthusiastic beginners, planting purple passion asparagus bare roots can establish a productive and delicious perennial vegetable patch that yields bountiful harvests for decades to come.

The ‘Purple Passion’ variety is a long-lived perennial, meaning it will return year after year, providing a consistent supply of gourmet spears. Once established, these plants require minimal maintenance and offer an exceptional return on investment in terms of flavor and longevity. Experience the joy of harvesting your own fresh, vibrant sweet purple asparagus right from your backyard.

Key Benefits

Choosing to plant purple passion asparagus bare roots offers a multitude of advantages for any home gardener looking to enhance their culinary experience and garden’s productivity. These benefits extend beyond just taste, encompassing health, ease of growth, and long-term yield.

• Superior Flavor & Texture: ‘Purple Passion’ is celebrated for its significantly sweeter taste compared to green asparagus, often enjoyed raw in salads. Its spears are also less stringy, providing a more tender and enjoyable eating experience.
• Vibrant Culinary Appeal: The striking purple color adds an elegant and unique touch to any dish, making it a favorite for gourmet cooking and presentation.
• Long-Lived Perennial Production: Once established, these asparagus officinalis bare roots can produce delicious spears for 15-25 years, offering a continuous harvest season after season with proper care.
• Nutrient-Rich Vegetable: Asparagus is packed with vitamins A, C, E, K, and B6, as well as folate, iron, and potassium, contributing to a healthy diet.
• Easy to Grow: While initial establishment requires patience, asparagus plants are relatively low-maintenance once mature, making them suitable for various gardening skill levels.
• Drought Tolerance: Established asparagus plants develop deep root systems, making them more resilient to periods of drought once mature.
• Garden Aesthetic: Beyond its edible value, the fern-like foliage of asparagus plants can add an attractive, feathery texture to the garden landscape during the off-season.

Plant Care & Growing Tips

Successful cultivation of purple passion asparagus bare roots begins with proper planting and consistent care during their establishment phase. Asparagus thrives in well-prepared soil and a sunny location, ensuring a robust and long-lasting harvest. Understanding the specific needs of these perennial asparagus plants will lead to the best yields.

For optimal growth, choose a site that receives full sun, ideally 6-8 hours of direct sunlight per day. The soil should be well-draining, loose, and rich in organic matter. A slightly acidic to neutral pH (6.5-7.0) is ideal. Prepare the bed by digging a trench about 6-8 inches deep and 12 inches wide. Create a mound of soil at the bottom of the trench, then spread the bare roots over the mound, ensuring the crown is at the highest point. Cover the roots with about 2 inches of soil, gradually filling the trench as the spears grow throughout the first season. Water thoroughly after planting.

During the first two years, it’s crucial to let the plants establish a strong root system. Avoid harvesting any spears during the first year, and only a light harvest in the second year. This allows the ferny foliage to develop and photosynthesize, storing energy in the roots for future production. Keep the bed free of weeds, as asparagus does not compete well. Fertilize annually in early spring with a balanced fertilizer or compost. In colder climates, apply a thick layer of mulch in late fall to protect the crowns over winter. With proper care, your grow purple asparagus bed will become a rewarding and long-lasting addition to your garden.

Size & Details

This offering includes 5 individual purple passion asparagus bare roots. Each bare root is a dormant, living plant section ready for immediate planting upon arrival. When mature, ‘Purple Passion’ asparagus plants typically grow to a height of 3-5 feet, with a spread of 1-2 feet per plant, forming attractive, fern-like foliage. The spears themselves emerge in early spring, reaching an edible length of 6-8 inches before they begin to fern out.

These asparagus officinalis bare roots are shipped without soil or a pot, making them lightweight and easy to handle. Expect the first significant harvest in the third year after planting, with full production achieved in subsequent years. The ‘Purple Passion’ variety is known for its vigorous growth once established, ensuring a reliable crop of delicious, sweet purple asparagus for many seasons. The long lifespan of these perennial asparagus plants makes them a truly sustainable and valuable addition to any home garden.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Q: How big do these purple passion asparagus bare roots get? A: Once mature, the ferny foliage of these plants can reach 3-5 feet tall with a spread of 1-2 feet per plant. The edible spears typically grow 6-8 inches before needing to be harvested.
• Q: Is this an indoor or outdoor plant? A: Asparagus is an outdoor perennial vegetable. It requires a dedicated garden space with full sun to thrive and produce spears.
• Q: How much sunlight does ‘Purple Passion’ asparagus need? A: For optimal growth and spear production, these perennial asparagus plants need at least 6-8 hours of direct sunlight daily.
• Q: Is this plant easy to care for, especially for beginners? A: While establishing an asparagus bed requires patience and proper preparation, once established, grow purple asparagus is relatively low-maintenance, making it a good choice for beginners willing to invest initial effort.
• Q: What condition will the bare roots arrive in? A: The purple passion asparagus bare roots will arrive dormant, without soil or a pot, ready for planting. This is the ideal state for shipping and transplanting bare root plants.
• Q: When is the best time to plant these bare roots? A: The best time to plant asparagus bare roots is in early spring, as soon as the soil can be worked and after the last hard frost.
• Q: How long until I can harvest from these purple passion asparagus bare roots? A: It is recommended to wait until the third year after planting for your first significant harvest. A very light harvest might be possible in the second year, but the first year requires letting the plants establish fully.
• Q: What’s the USDA hardiness zone for ‘Purple Passion’ asparagus? A: ‘Purple Passion’ asparagus is generally hardy in USDA Zones 3-10, making it suitable for a wide range of climates.
• Q: Can I really eat this asparagus raw? A: Yes! One of the great benefits of sweet purple asparagus is its mild, sweet flavor and tender texture, which makes it excellent for eating raw in salads or as a snack.
• Q: Will these asparagus officinalis bare roots produce green spears too? A: No, ‘Purple Passion’ asparagus is specifically bred to produce purple spears. While cooking may slightly diminish the purple color, they will not turn green.