On May 12, 7:54*pm, "David E. Ross" wrote:
On 5/12/13 3:01 PM, DirtBag wrote:

Planted several Asparagus plants last season. *They came back this season
but were really thin. *How many years should I wait to harvest - and when
will they get thicker than a pencil? * :-)

It takes 2-3 years. *Then, you have to stop harvesting when new shoots
are again very thin.

Feed and water as you would other plants in your garden. *Leave the
billowy "ferns" in place until they turn yellow in the fall.

When you cut the yellowed plants, leave a 3-inch stub as a marker so you
can see where to expect new edible shoots the following spring. *If you
get snow in the winter, Sunset recommends leaving the dead growth to
hold snow in place, which will protect the roots from even colder
temperatures. *(Fortunately, that is not a problem in my climate.)

--
David E. Ross
Climate: *California Mediterranean, see
http://www.rossde.com/garden/climate.html
Gardening diary at http://www.rossde.com/garden/diary

Yes, wait at least two years before you harvest any asparagus. Don't
let them flower. And you might need to move them around in about 5
years. Generous fertilizer is a plus.

Chris