Wait until asparagus spears are 6 to 8 inches tall
Harvest when spears are firm and the tips are tight
Use a sharp knife or snap spears off at ground level
Cut or snap the spear just below the soil surface
Harvest every 1 to 2 days during the picking season
Stop harvesting when spears become thin
Allow ferns to grow after the harvest period
Do not harvest from newly planted asparagus in the first 2 years
Harvest lightly in the third year if the plants are well established