Virtually all seed and nursery catlogs sell asparagus crowns by mail. I think
they do best by sewing your own seed, but it does add a year. The first issue
though is to determine why yours died. Did they make good fw\ern-like tops the
year you planted them. If they did they should not be dead. If they are you
need to determine the reason. If they were buried last year as octopus like
crowns and they did not sprout strong tops, then the chances are the crowns
were dead when you got them. Beware that crowns you buy from a home center or
such are not likely to be in good condtion. If they are very limp and shriveled
they are no good. Buy seeds of Jersey Knight all male. and start your own for
the most healthy and productive bed. The bed should be prepared with a lot of
organic matter down deep and the crowns should be planted at the bottom of a
six inch deep trench that you fill in once the tops are a foot high. Really
healthy asparagus tops should be seven to eight feet high and purchased crowns
should go at least four feet the first season. First year seedlings should
go to about thirty inches. Don't waste your time on some old obselete variety
like Washington which is what is likely sold at home centers.
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In article 3e618ec7_2@newsfeed, says...

Last year I planted some asparagus plants which needed a year to become
established well enough to be harvested. This year, all but one appear to be
dead, even though they did pretty well last year.

Planting new by seeds takes three years before first harvest.
So my question is, can store-bought asparagus be sprouted (in water, for
example) and planted, and if so, how soon would it be harvestable?

If not, is mature stock available anywhere?

Thanks in advance...