How to start an Asparagus bed

There seems to be quite a bit of interest in starting asparagus beds, so I will post what I know here, and post links in the other threads to this thread.

Excerpt from Rodale's Encyclopedia of Organic Gardening:

To establish a planting of Asparagus it is best to select a site to one side of the garden. The site should be free from shade, with rich deep well drained soil. The location should be so arranged that the permanence of the planting will not interfere with the cultivation of the rest of the garden.

In the spring as early as the soil can be worked a trench 12 inches deep and 10 inches wide should be dug where the first row is to stand. In the bottom of the trench place a 3 inch layer of mature compost humus...
this layer should be well dug into the bottom of the trench. One year old crowns should be then placed into position about 18 inches apart and 10 inches below the surface of the garden. The crowns should be covered with a 2 inch layer of sifted compost humus and well watered. During the summer the trench should be slowly filled with top soil and compost. ...

So basically start in the early spring (I put my bed in in late March.) dig deeply into the soil, and mix compost into the bottom of the trench. You end up planting between 8 and 10 inches deep in top soil and compost. Cover all but the tips of the emerging spears during the summer. Place the bed in an area that can be dedicated to Asparagus so that they can grow undisturbed for many years (15 to 20 or more years)

Jersey Knight and Mary Washington are my two favorite cultivars.

Well we’re going to give it a try; we picked up some two year crowns. Thanks for the info on how to plant.
Joe

You are welcome. Remember to be patient it will not be until the second or third year before you can harvest much from a new bed.