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Vegetable Full Sun Regular water

Asparagus

Written by the GrowByCity Editorial Team · Updated April 2026
2 min read

Perennial crop that produces for 20+ years. Hardy enough to withstand light frosts down to -20°C, asparagus performs best when daytime temperatures stay between 15°C and 24°C. Give it full sun (6-8 hours of direct light daily) and regular watering to keep soil consistently moist, and expect to harvest in roughly 730-1095 days. Popular with home gardeners for its reliable yields and straightforward growing requirements.

Harvest 730-1095 days
Temp Range -20°C — 30°C
Frost Tolerant ❄

Quick Answer: How to Grow Asparagus

Asparagus takes 730-1095 days to harvest. It grows best in 15–24°C with full sun and regular watering. Asparagus is frost tolerant and can handle temperatures down to -20°C. It can be grown in 350 cities worldwide.

Find the best time to plant Asparagus in your city →

Growing Requirements

☀️
Sun
Full Sun
💧
Water
Regular
❄️
Frost
Tolerant
📅
Harvest
730-1095 days

Temperature Range

15-24°C
-10°C 45°C
Optimal: 15–24°C Tolerates: -20–30°C
Tropical suitable: No
Cities growing: 350 of 350

Growing Tips

💡

Expert Tips

Plant crowns in deep trenches. Don't harvest first 2 years. Can be planted 2-3 weeks before the last expected frost, giving it a head start on the growing season. Aim for about 2.5 cm of water per week, adjusting for rainfall. Organic mulch around the base helps maintain even moisture.

Quick Facts

  • Grows in 350 of 350 cities
  • Available in 7 regions worldwide
  • Temperature range: -20°C to 30°C
  • Optimal growing: 15°C to 24°C
  • Harvest in 730-1095 days

Did You Know?

  • 🌱 Asparagus is frost-tolerant, meaning it can survive light frosts and even thrive in cooler temperatures.
  • 🌱 Asparagus needs at least 6-8 hours of direct sunlight daily for optimal growth.

Step-by-Step Growing Guide

Asparagus is a 20-year investment that rewards patience. Plant one-year-old crowns in early spring, as soon as the soil is workable, in a permanent, well-prepared bed. Dig trenches 30cm deep and 30cm wide, spacing 40–45cm within rows and 120cm between rows. Mix the excavated soil with generous aged compost, a cup of rock phosphate, and a balanced granular fertilizer. Set crowns in the trench, spreading roots like a spider, and cover with 5–8cm of amended soil. As ferns grow, fill the trench gradually. Asparagus demands excellent drainage (wet crowns rot) and pH 6.5–7.5 — it is one of the few vegetables that tolerates slightly alkaline soil. Do not harvest for the first 2 years — let ferns grow to establish the crown. In year 3, harvest lightly (1–2 weeks only). Full harvests begin year 4. Feed with balanced fertilizer every spring and again after harvest season.

Common Pests & Problems

Asparagus beetle (Crioceris asparagi) is the primary pest — the striking blue-black adults and gray larvae skeletonize ferns and feed on developing spears, causing significant canopy damage that weakens crowns; hand-pick adults and larvae, or spray with neem oil or spinosad. Fusarium crown and root rot (Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. asparagi) is the most common cause of asparagus bed decline — it causes yellowing, dieback, and eventually crown death; there is no cure, so plant resistant varieties in well-drained, virgin soil. Purple spot (Stemphylium vesicarium) produces purple lesions on spears and fern tissue in wet weather — use copper fungicide preventively and clear dead fern debris every fall.

Harvest & Storage

Harvest spears when 15–20cm tall and heads are still tightly closed and compact — once heads open, texture deteriorates rapidly. Snap or cut at ground level in the morning. Harvest season lasts 6–8 weeks in an established bed (year 4 onward). Fresh asparagus is highly perishable — stand upright in a jar with 2cm of water and refrigerate for up to 4 days, like flowers. Blanch and freeze for up to 12 months; freeze laid flat in a single layer on a tray first to prevent clumping.

Popular Varieties

"Jersey Knight" and "Jersey Supreme" are male-only hybrid varieties that out-yield older open-pollinated types by 3x and show strong Fusarium resistance — the top recommendations for new plantings. "Mary Washington" is the classic open-pollinated heirloom widely available and reliable, though it includes female plants that divert energy to seed production. "Purple Passion" produces striking deep-purple spears with a sweeter, more tender flavor than green types — it turns green when cooked. "Gijnlim" is a Dutch variety widely grown in Europe for its uniform, tender spears and very early production in spring.

Where to Grow Asparagus

Asparagus can be grown in 350 cities across 7 regions worldwide

🌍 Europe (80 cities)

City Level JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Aarhus, DK hard
Amsterdam, NL hard
Ankara, TR hard
Antalya, TR hard
Athens, GR hard
Barcelona, ES hard
Bari, IT hard
Belgrade, RS hard
Bergen, NO hard
Berlin, DE hard
Bilbao, ES hard
Bologna, IT hard
Bordeaux, FR hard
Bratislava, SK hard
Brussels, BE hard
Bucharest, RO hard
Budapest, HU hard
Catania, IT hard
Cologne, DE hard
Copenhagen, DK hard
Corfu, GR hard
Cork, IE hard
Dublin, IE hard
Dubrovnik, HR hard
Edinburgh, GB hard
Florence, IT hard
Frankfurt, DE hard
Gdansk, PL hard
Genoa, IT hard
Glasgow, GB hard
Gothenburg, SE hard
Hamburg, DE hard
Helsinki, FI hard
Heraklion, GR hard
Istanbul, TR hard
Izmir, TR hard
Krakow, PL hard
Kyiv, UA hard
Limassol, CY hard
Lisbon, PT hard
Ljubljana, SI hard
London, GB hard
Lyon, FR hard
Madrid, ES hard
Malaga, ES hard
Marseille, FR hard
Milan, IT hard
Munich, DE hard
Naples, IT hard
Nice, FR hard
Nicosia, CY hard
Oslo, NO hard
Palermo, IT hard
Paris, FR hard
Porto, PT hard
Poznan, PL hard
Prague, CZ hard
Reykjavik, IS hard
Riga, LV hard
Rome, IT hard
Seville, ES hard
Sofia, BG hard
Split, HR hard
Stockholm, SE hard
Strasbourg, FR hard
Stuttgart, DE hard
Tallinn, EE hard
Thessaloniki, GR hard
Tirana, AL hard
Toulouse, FR hard
Turin, IT hard
Turku, FI hard
Valencia, ES hard
Valletta, MT hard
Verona, IT hard
Vienna, AT hard
Vilnius, LT hard
Warsaw, PL hard
Zagreb, HR hard
Zurich, CH hard

🌏 Asia (79 cities)

City Level JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Ahmedabad, IN hard
Almaty, KZ hard
Bali, ID hard
Bandung, ID hard
Bangalore, IN hard
Bangkok, TH hard
Beijing, CN hard
Busan, KR hard
Cebu, PH hard
Chandigarh, IN hard
Chengdu, CN hard
Chennai, IN hard
Chiang Mai, TH hard
Chittagong, BD hard
Chongqing, CN hard
Coimbatore, IN hard
Colombo, LK hard
Da Nang, VN hard
Dalian, CN hard
Davao, PH hard
Delhi, IN hard
Dhaka, BD hard
Dharan, NP hard
Fukuoka, JP hard
Galle, LK hard
Guangzhou, CN hard
Hangzhou, CN hard
Hanoi, VN hard
Harbin, CN hard
Ho Chi Minh City, VN hard
Hong Kong, HK hard
Hyderabad, IN hard
Incheon, KR hard
Indore, IN hard
Islamabad, PK hard
Jaipur, IN hard
Jakarta, ID hard
Jeju, KR hard
Johor Bahru, MY hard
Karachi, PK hard
Kathmandu, NP hard
Kochi, IN hard
Kolkata, IN hard
Kuala Lumpur, MY hard
Kunming, CN hard
Kyoto, JP hard
Lahore, PK hard
Lucknow, IN hard
Manila, PH hard
Mumbai, IN hard
Nagoya, JP hard
Nanjing, CN hard
Nha Trang, VN hard
Okinawa, JP hard
Osaka, JP hard
Pattaya, TH hard
Penang, MY hard
Phnom Penh, KH hard
Pune, IN hard
Sapporo, JP hard
Seoul, KR hard
Shanghai, CN hard
Shenzhen, CN hard
Siem Reap, KH hard
Singapore, SG hard
Surabaya, ID hard
Surat, IN hard
Taipei, TW hard
Tashkent, UZ hard
Tbilisi, GE hard
Tokyo, JP hard
Ulaanbaatar, MN hard
Varanasi, IN hard
Vientiane, LA hard
Visakhapatnam, IN hard
Wuhan, CN hard
Xi'an, CN hard
Xiamen, CN hard
Yangon, MM hard

🌎 North America (78 cities)

City Level JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Albuquerque, US hard
Anchorage, US hard
Atlanta, US hard
Austin, US hard
Baltimore, US hard
Baton Rouge, US hard
Boise, US hard
Boston, US hard
Bridgetown, BB hard
Buffalo, US hard
Calgary, CA hard
Cancun, MX hard
Charleston, US hard
Charlotte, US hard
Chattanooga, US hard
Chicago, US hard
Denver, US hard
Des Moines, US hard
Detroit, US hard
Edmonton, CA hard
El Paso, US hard
Fargo, US hard
Fresno, US hard
Guadalajara, MX hard
Halifax, CA hard
Hartford, US hard
Havana, CU hard
Honolulu, US hard
Houston, US hard
Jacksonville, US hard
Kansas City, US hard
Kingston, JM hard
Knoxville, US hard
Las Vegas, US hard
Little Rock, US hard
Los Angeles, US hard
Louisville, US hard
Lubbock, US hard
Madison, US hard
Memphis, US hard
Mexico City, MX hard
Miami, US hard
Milwaukee, US hard
Minneapolis, US hard
Monterrey, MX hard
Montreal, CA hard
Nashville, US hard
New Orleans, US hard
New York, US hard
Oaxaca, MX hard
Oklahoma City, US hard
Omaha, US hard
Ottawa, CA hard
Panama City, PA hard
Phoenix, US hard
Pittsburgh, US hard
Portland, US hard
Puebla, MX hard
Quebec City, CA hard
Raleigh, US hard
Richmond, US hard
Sacramento, US hard
Salt Lake City, US hard
San Diego, US hard
San Francisco, US hard
San Jose, CR hard
Santo Domingo, DO hard
Saskatoon, CA hard
Savannah, US hard
Seattle, US hard
Spokane, US hard
St. Louis, US hard
Tampa, US hard
Toronto, CA hard
Tucson, US hard
Vancouver, CA hard
Victoria, CA hard
Winnipeg, CA hard

🌍 Africa (39 cities)

City Level JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Abidjan, CI hard
Accra, GH hard
Addis Ababa, ET hard
Algiers, DZ hard
Antananarivo, MG hard
Arusha, TZ hard
Bamako, ML hard
Bloemfontein, ZA hard
Cairo, EG hard
Cape Town, ZA hard
Casablanca, MA hard
Dakar, SN hard
Dar es Salaam, TZ hard
Douala, CM hard
Durban, ZA hard
Entebbe, UG hard
Fez, MA hard
Freetown, SL hard
Harare, ZW hard
Johannesburg, ZA hard
Kampala, UG hard
Kigali, RW hard
Kinshasa, CD hard
Lagos, NG hard
Libreville, GA hard
Lilongwe, MW hard
Lome, TG hard
Luanda, AO hard
Lusaka, ZM hard
Maputo, MZ hard
Marrakech, MA hard
Mombasa, KE hard
Nairobi, KE hard
Ouagadougou, BF hard
Port Louis, MU hard
Pretoria, ZA hard
Tunis, TN hard
Windhoek, NA hard
Zanzibar, TZ hard

🌎 South America (39 cities)

City Level JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Arequipa, PE hard
Asuncion, PY hard
Barranquilla, CO hard
Belem, BR hard
Bogota, CO hard
Brasilia, BR hard
Buenos Aires, AR hard
Cali, CO hard
Campinas, BR hard
Caracas, VE hard
Cartagena, CO hard
Concepcion, CL hard
Cordoba, AR hard
Curitiba, BR hard
Cusco, PE hard
Fortaleza, BR hard
Georgetown, GY hard
Goiania, BR hard
Guayaquil, EC hard
La Paz, BO hard
Lima, PE hard
Manaus, BR hard
Medellin, CO hard
Mendoza, AR hard
Montevideo, UY hard
Paramaribo, SR hard
Port of Spain, TT hard
Porto Alegre, BR hard
Quito, EC hard
Recife, BR hard
Rio de Janeiro, BR hard
Rosario, AR hard
Salvador, BR hard
Santa Cruz, BO hard
Santiago, CL hard
Sao Paulo, BR hard
Sucre, BO hard
Trujillo, PE hard
Valparaiso, CL hard

🌊 Oceania (19 cities)

City Level JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Adelaide, AU hard
Alice Springs, AU hard
Auckland, NZ hard
Brisbane, AU hard
Cairns, AU hard
Canberra, AU hard
Christchurch, NZ hard
Darwin, AU hard
Dunedin, NZ hard
Gold Coast, AU hard
Hamilton, NZ hard
Hobart, AU hard
Melbourne, AU hard
Noumea, NC hard
Perth, AU hard
Suva, FJ hard
Sydney, AU hard
Townsville, AU hard
Wellington, NZ hard

🕌 Middle East (16 cities)

City Level JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Abu Dhabi, AE hard
Amman, JO hard
Baghdad, IQ hard
Beirut, LB hard
Doha, QA hard
Dubai, AE hard
Erbil, IQ hard
Jeddah, SA hard
Kuwait City, KW hard
Manama, BH hard
Muscat, OM hard
Riyadh, SA hard
Sana'a, YE hard
Tabriz, IR hard
Tehran, IR hard
Tel Aviv, IL hard

When should I plant asparagus in my city?

The best time to plant asparagus depends on your local climate zone. It thrives in temperatures between 15°C and 24°C. Since asparagus is frost tolerant, you can plant it before the last frost date. Check your city's planting calendar on GrowByCity for exact dates.

Can I grow asparagus in winter?

Yes, asparagus is frost tolerant and can handle temperatures down to -20°C. In many climates, it can be grown through winter with some protection.

Get Asparagus Seeds & Plants

Ready to start growing? Find Asparagus seeds and starter plants online.

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Similar Growing Requirements

Frequently Asked Questions about Asparagus

When should I plant asparagus?

The best time to plant asparagus depends on your local climate. Asparagus grows best in temperatures between 15°C and 24°C (can tolerate -20°C to 30°C). Asparagus is frost tolerant, so it can be planted earlier in spring or later in fall. Check your city's planting calendar on GrowByCity for exact planting months.

Can asparagus grow in tropical climates?

Asparagus is not well-suited for tropical climates. It prefers cooler conditions with temperatures between 15°C and 24°C. In tropical areas, it may bolt, fail to fruit, or suffer from heat stress. Consider growing it in cooler seasons or at higher elevations.

How long does asparagus take to grow?

Asparagus typically takes 730-1095 days from planting to harvest. It requires full sun and regular watering. Plant crowns in deep trenches. Don't harvest first 2 years. Can be planted 2-3 weeks before the last expected frost, giving it a head start on the growing season. Aim for about 2.5 cm of water per week, adjusting for rainfall. Organic mulch around the base helps maintain even moisture.

Find the Best Time to Plant Asparagus

See the planting calendar for Asparagus in these popular cities:

Last updated: March 2026 · Climate data from NOAA, FAO, USDA

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