Grande F1 Asparagus Crowns – 25 count 2-Year Bare Root Plants for Outdoor Gardens

Overview

Embark on a rewarding gardening journey with Grande F1 asparagus crowns. These premium 2-year bare root plants are renowned for their exceptional vigor and ability to thrive in various conditions, making them an excellent choice for both novice and experienced gardeners. The Grande F1 variety is specifically bred to be heat-resistant, allowing for an extended harvest season even when temperatures climb above 70 degrees Fahrenheit. This means you can enjoy fresh, tender asparagus spears for a longer period each year. Known for its slow fern-out, this variety ensures that the spears remain succulent and non-fibrous, delivering a superior culinary experience. With these 2-year asparagus plants, you’re investing in a long-term, productive addition to your garden that will yield delicious harvests for years to come.

Asparagus, scientifically known as Asparagus officinalis, is a perennial vegetable that returns year after year, providing an early spring delicacy. The Grande F1 hybrid represents a significant improvement in asparagus cultivation, offering robust growth and impressive yields. When you plant these asparagus bare roots, you are setting the foundation for a sustainable and delectable food source right in your backyard. The ease of establishment and the consistent performance of this variety make growing asparagus a truly satisfying endeavor.

Key Benefits

Choosing Grande F1 asparagus crowns offers a multitude of advantages for your home garden. These crowns are selected for their superior genetics, ensuring a productive and resilient crop that will enrich your table and gardening experience.

• Extended Harvest Season: The Grande F1 asparagus crowns are specifically bred for heat resistance, allowing them to continue producing tender spears even as temperatures rise. This extends your harvesting window, providing fresh asparagus for a longer period than many traditional varieties.
• High Yields & Quality Spears: Expect abundant harvests of medium-large to large diameter green spears, often tinged with attractive purple tips. These spears are consistently tender and crisp, perfect for a variety of culinary uses.
• Vigorous Growth & Disease Resistance: These 2-year asparagus plants exhibit strong, vigorous growth and excellent resistance to common asparagus diseases. This reduces the need for interventions and ensures a healthier, more productive crop with minimal effort.
• Slow to Fern Out: Unlike some varieties that quickly fern out and become fibrous in warm weather, Grande F1 maintains its tender quality. This characteristic is crucial for maximizing the edible portion of each spear and maintaining peak flavor.
• Perennial Production: Once established, your asparagus patch will provide delicious harvests for 15-20 years or more. This makes growing asparagus a highly sustainable and rewarding long-term investment for your garden.
• Nutrient-Rich Vegetable: Asparagus is a powerhouse of nutrition, rich in vitamins K, A, C, and folate. Enjoying fresh asparagus from your garden provides a healthy and delicious addition to your diet.
• Bare Root Advantage: Shipping as asparagus bare roots means they are ready for immediate planting and establishment, minimizing transplant shock and promoting rapid growth once settled in your garden.

Plant Care & Growing Tips

Successful cultivation of Grande F1 asparagus crowns begins with proper planting and consistent care. Asparagus is a long-term crop, and giving it the right start will ensure many years of delicious harvests. These bare root plants should be planted in early spring as soon as the soil can be worked. Choose a site with full sun, meaning at least 6-8 hours of direct sunlight per day. Prepare a trench that is 6-8 inches deep and 12 inches wide, mounding a ridge of soil down the center. Place the asparagus crowns on top of this ridge, spreading their roots out evenly. Space individual crowns 12-18 inches apart within the trench, and if planting multiple rows, ensure rows are 3-5 feet apart to allow for mature growth and ease of harvesting.

Soil quality is paramount for growing asparagus. It thrives in well-drained soil with an average moistness and a pH level between 6.5 and 7.5. Amending your soil with compost or well-rotted manure before planting will improve drainage, fertility, and structure. After placing the crowns, cover them with 2-3 inches of soil, gradually filling the trench as the spears grow. Keep the area free of weeds, which can compete for nutrients and water. Water newly planted crowns regularly to keep the soil consistently moist, but not waterlogged. Once established, asparagus is relatively drought-tolerant but will benefit from consistent moisture, especially during dry spells. Fertilize annually in early spring with a balanced slow-release fertilizer. For the first two years, avoid harvesting any spears to allow the crowns to establish a strong root system. In the third year, you can begin harvesting for 6-8 weeks, selecting spears that are 6-8 inches tall and about the thickness of a pencil. Snap or cut them off at ground level.

Size & Details

This offering includes 25 premium Grande F1 asparagus crowns, each being a robust 2-year-old bare root plant. These crowns are shipped dormant, ensuring they arrive ready for planting and optimal establishment in your garden. As perennial vegetables, these plants will grow to a mature height of approximately 3-5 feet with a spread of 1-2 feet. The 2-year age of the crowns means they have a well-developed root system, providing a significant head start compared to younger crowns or seeds. While actual spear size can vary, the Grande F1 variety is known for producing medium-large to large diameter spears, typically 6-8 inches in length when harvested. You can expect your first harvest approximately 3 years after planting these asparagus bare roots, with consistent production for many years thereafter. The plants are recommended for spacing 12-18 inches apart to allow ample room for growth and air circulation.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Q: How big does this plant get? A: Once mature, Grande F1 asparagus crowns typically grow to a height of 3-5 feet and can spread 1-2 feet wide. The spears themselves are usually harvested when they reach 6-8 inches in height.
• Q: What condition will the asparagus crowns arrive in? A: The asparagus bare roots are shipped dormant and will arrive without soil. This is the standard and healthiest way to ship perennial crowns, ensuring they are ready for planting.
• Q: Is this an indoor or outdoor plant? A: Asparagus is an outdoor perennial vegetable. It requires full sun and proper outdoor soil conditions to thrive and produce spears.
• Q: How much sunlight does it need? A: To ensure vigorous growth and a bountiful harvest, growing asparagus requires a location that receives at least 6-8 hours of direct sunlight per day.
• Q: Is this plant easy to care for? A: Asparagus is relatively easy to care for once established. The initial planting and the first two years of establishment require patience, but after that, it’s a low-maintenance crop that provides years of harvests.
• Q: When is the best time to plant these asparagus crowns? A: The best time to plant 2-year asparagus plants is in early spring, as soon as the soil can be worked and is no longer frozen.
• Q: How long until I can harvest the asparagus? A: With 2-year crowns, you generally need to wait until the third year after planting before you can begin harvesting. This allows the crowns to fully establish and build up energy for sustained production.
• Q: What’s the recommended soil pH for Grande F1 asparagus? A: These Grande F1 asparagus crowns prefer a soil pH level between 6.5 and 7.5 for optimal growth and nutrient uptake.
• Q: Will it survive winter in my zone? A: The Grande F1 variety is hardy in USDA Zones 3-8, meaning it can withstand cold winter temperatures and return each spring in these regions.
• Q: Can I grow Grande F1 asparagus in containers? A: While possible, asparagus is best suited for in-ground planting due to its extensive root system and perennial nature. Large, deep containers would be required, and yields might be reduced compared to garden planting.