Choose a sunny site with well-drained soil
Test and amend soil to a pH of about 6.5 to 7.5
Remove weeds and work in compost or well-rotted manure
Buy healthy asparagus crowns or start from seed
Plant crowns in early spring as soon as soil can be worked
Dig trenches about 6 to 8 inches deep and 12 to 18 inches wide
Space crowns about 12 to 18 inches apart
Spread roots over a small mound in the trench
Cover crowns with 2 inches of soil
Gradually fill the trench as shoots grow
Keep the bed evenly moist but not waterlogged
Mulch to suppress weeds and retain moisture
Avoid harvesting the first year
Harvest lightly in the second year
Harvest regularly only after plants are well established
Cut or snap spears when they are 6 to 8 inches tall
Stop harvesting when spear size decreases
Let fern growth develop after harvest to feed roots
Cut back ferns in late fall or early spring
Weed and feed the bed each year
Divide or replant only if needed after many years