Plant asparagus

It needs patience but start it now for tasty crops that are worth the wait!

Although it’s a long-term crop that you have to invest in for more than a few years, asparagus is a worthwhile one to get going. It can take two or three years for the spears to emerge, but when they do this perennial will give you delicate-tasting veg for 10 years or more. It doesn’t have to be a large bed either, just a few crowns will suffice, but plant at least three to ensure a decent harvest.

And it’s easier than you think to grow. The latest varieties do well in simple trenches and cope admirably with the weather. Once you’ve got it in, there’s only a little maintenance and your crop will perform year on year.

If you have heavy or clay soil it can take a bit of work to prepare the planting area, as they like really well-drained, compost-improved soil. Grow your asparagus in a trench to make it easier to provide the crowns with the right conditions. At the base of your 30cm (12in) deep and wide trench, mix in lots of compost and grit, as well as a few handfuls of blood, fish and bone.

Make a central long mound in the trench and put the crowns on top of it, draping the roots out and over the ridges (see picture right). Cover over with the top soil. Choose a sunny spot for your trench, removing as many weeds as possible.

Cut all the foliage to the ground in November this year, mulch the bed, then lightly pick a first crop next year, and increase your harvesting amounts every year after that.