Asparagus is temperamental, but once started well it supplies well. Basics. Insist on 2 year old crowns from your nursery. Asparagus requires rich, well drained loamy soil. Plant each crown deep using a lot of well rotted manure. First year let the shoots come up and go to seed (fern stage) Feed well with high nitrogen fertilizer. The crowns are developing. The second year refrain from harvest and again let everything go to Fern Stage and stay that way through summer. Again high nitrogen fertilizer is needed. The third year harvest aprouts lightly. 4th year harvest as sprouts develop little finger in size, 10" .. don't cut them they will snap off at the correct height, but never take more than half. Our 5 year bed (20 initial crowns) will keep 4 asparagus lovers fed daily for about 4 weeks straight. Hope this helps
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