Everyone's favorite vegetable-Gus!

Six years ago I decided to venture out and try my hand at growing asparagus. I had been farming for 2 years and was finding success with everything I planted. I had always heard that asparagus can be challenging to grow and germinating seed to get your own crowns was nearly impossible without perfect conditions.

Well, I decided to play it safe in my new adventure and buy my first crowns from a grower in New Jersey. I purchased three year old crowns and built raised beds to plant them in. When my first 15 crowns arrived from the grower I had already done alot of research ( I am a nut about researching) so I knew what to do with the little octopuses. That is what they look like. I planted them in March and waited patiently-for a whole year. The following Spring we were picking Gus! If you have never tasted home grown asparagus you do not know what you are missing, trust me!
 Well 50 crowns and six years later I am hooked. Asparagus is my most favorite veggie to grow especially when I go to the supermarket and it is $3.99 a lb and I know it was probably grown with some chemical fertilizer, pesticide and not really sure where it was grown.

Asparagus is easy to grow. The initial investment of time, preparation of beds and purchase of healthy crowns is worth every minute and dollar. Did you know that asparagus is a perennial vegetable? That means you plant it once and it gives you gus for 25+ years off the same plants. Not that you won't plant more than your original crop, cause you will not be able to resist expanding your crop if not for yourself then for your friends and neighbors who find out your growing asparagus. You become very popular when people discover your growing your own gus.

We will break up the lessons on growing asparagus into a few seperate blog posts to make it a step by step process for you. Try your hand at growing this amazing veggie, you will not be sorry.