Stem Vegetables

Growing asparagus from seed indoors gives gardeners a head start on establishing productive, long-lived beds. While crowns offer faster harvests, starting seeds indoors allows control over germination, variety selection, and early-season growth. With over 30 years of experience growing asparagus, I’ve refined a step-by-step approach to ensure healthy seedlings ready for transplanting outdoors. Step 1:…

Growing asparagus from seed is a rewarding but patient process. While crowns offer a quicker start, starting from seed allows gardeners to select varieties and save plants for decades. After over 30 years of growing asparagus, I’ve successfully started seeds outdoors, and with careful timing and care, you can establish vigorous plants that produce abundant…

Planting asparagus crowns is the first step to establishing a productive, long-lasting garden bed. With proper preparation, spacing, and care, you can enjoy tender spears for 15 years or more. After over 30 years of growing asparagus in California, I’ve developed a reliable method for planting crowns outdoors that ensures strong, healthy plants from the…

Asparagus is one of the earliest spring vegetables, prized for its tender, flavorful spears. Harvesting at the right time ensures peak taste while maintaining plant health for future seasons. With over 30 years of asparagus-growing experience in my California garden, I’ve learned the precise timing and techniques that maximize yield and spear quality. When to…

Asparagus is a perennial vegetable that rewards patience. Once established, it can produce abundant spears for 15 years or more—but only if harvested at the right time. Rushing the harvest can weaken crowns, while waiting too long ensures stronger plants and bigger yields. After more than 30 years of growing asparagus, I’ve learned that a…

Asparagus is typically harvested once each spring, but with careful planning and the right climate, you can enjoy a second, late-season crop. In my decades of growing asparagus in California’s mild Sonoma Valley, I’ve successfully encouraged a fall harvest by manipulating growth cycles and providing ideal conditions. Here’s how to double your asparagus bounty without…