Can You Grow Asparagus In A Pot?
I love asparagus. It’s one of my favorite vegetables after brussels sprouts and cauliflower, but it has such a short season that most of the time I feel like I catch the tail end of it, often seeming to miss its availability at the local veggie market.
With my limited garden access, I’m embarking on growing more veggies in pots, and while I would love to be in the position of growing asparagus in the ground, I just don’t have the space where I am currently located.
With this in mind I’ve decided to give growing asparagus in a pot a go, so that I can have my own straight from the ‘ground’ each season.
Can You Grow An Asparagus Plant In A Pot?
According to the RHS (the UK’s ‘go to’ for all things gardening) asparagus “…need to be grown in the ground, rather than in containers, where they will crop annually for many years.”
I don’t like that answer, because as we’ve already established, I don’t have the ground space. So I dug a bit further (no pun intended) and it turns out that yes, you can grow asparagus in a pot, but there are several considerations that must be taken into account before you decide to try and do so.
First, this perennial vegetable can provide a good harvest once you have successfully planted it in your garden, and since it is a perennial plant, you can expect it to last for years to come – perfect, as this is what I’m aiming for!
However, the main drawback is that growing asparagus will require a decent amount of patience. We can not expect a good harvest within the first year of planting this veggie. In fact, it takes a lot longer.
There are also other considerations when growing in pots – similar to tomatoes and other veggies – but I’ll cover that in more details further down.
So, yes, it is possible to grow asparagus in pots, but it will take you a considerably long time to produce a decent harvest, and you should also factor in that your pot-planted asparagus may expire sooner than those planted straight into the ground in your garden.
Something else to think about…
A selection of vegetables that are easy to grow in pots!
Growing Asparagus From Seed Vs. An Asparagus Crown
Another worthwhile discussion regarding planting asparagus is whether to use seeds or crowns. Both are viable methods if you wish to grow asparagus, but there is one significant consideration when it comes to growing asparagus vegetables from seeds or crowns – and it is again, the time that it takes.
If you try growing it from asparagus seed, it will take around four years total to get a genuinely great harvest. You can shorten this to approximately three years if you plant asparagus crowns instead.
Then there is the cost. The price of asparagus crowns is much more than the cost of buying seeds. You’re paying for the ‘head start’ of growing your own asparagus from a semi-established plant.
So let’s look at the process of each in a little more depth.
How To Grow Asparagus From Seeds
There is no trick or particular method when growing asparagus from seeds, but you will need a whole sack of patience. So, digging deeper – pun intended this time! – into planting asparagus seeds, make sure to use a soil mix with a pH level of 6.5.0 to 7.4 and use seeds for male plants rather than a female plant to ensure that you get better spears when it comes to harvesting time.
When choosing the time of the year to plant asparagus, start by sowing asparagus seeds indoors in mid-February to start with and then you’ll harden them off through May before placing them in their final position in June.
As you’ll be planting them in pots, you’ll have some flexibility for moving them if necessary, but it will take around four months to get to this point.
For asparagus seed to germinate, the temperature should also be around 55 to 60 °F (13 to 16 °C). Next, soak the seeds for a couple of hours before planting them in the soil. You can expect your asparagus seedlings to start appearing within two to eight weeks.
How To Grow Asparagus From Crowns?
By using asparagus root crowns you will effectively slash around one year off waiting for this vegetable to deliver a good harvest of asparagus spears.
You will again want to make sure your crowns are a male plant for better crops, and be careful handling them as they can break.
At this point, everything syncs up with the planting process for asparagus seeds, except that you need to plant asparagus crowns about four to six inches deep around early spring. However, it is possible to plant your crowns in the autumn if they have some protection ready for the following spring.
Make sure that the pot has full sun exposure throughout the day and water it well. Asparagus crowns should start showing shoots within a week, and you can expect them to establish after two seasons, but don’t harvest and eat them until the third year at least!
Finally, adding mulch around the soil surface can help keep the it somewhat moist and reduce the chances of weeds invading.
Difference Between Growing Asparagus From Seeds And Crowns
So, should you pick asparagus seeds or crowns? Well, if you want to save some cash and optimize the overall health of your asparagus, you might want to go with seeds. Sure, there will be a whole extra year of waiting as you go through the seed germination process, but in most cases, asparagus grown from seeds tends to do well during the harvest season.
Another factor to consider regarding growing asparagus is that there is a male and female variety of this veggie. Male plants tend to be more productive than female plants as they produce more – and tastier! – spears.
As long as you follow the recommended requirements when growing this perennial vegetable, you will most likely yield an outstanding harvest season in the future whichever choice you make.
What Are The Downsides Of Growing Asparagus In A Pot?
First and foremost, the lifespan of the asparagus will be severely affected when you grow in a pot. The shortened lifespan of this veggie is due to the root systems’ limited space to grow.
Asparagus in pots or containers can generally expect around two to four seasons of harvest before it hits its inevitable limit. Take this into consideration, as asparagus will take around three years to establish fully.
For me, it’s worth the risk, because by that point, I’ll either have left this country for another one (with better garden options) or I will have moved locally and will make sure to have better garden access, and will attempt to relocate the asparagus into the ground.
What Size Pot Do You Need For Asparagus?
When picking a pot or container for your asparagus, the expression “The bigger, the better” rings true. For asparagus, go with pots or containers that offer at least 18-inches (46 cm) of depth and have a 12-inch (31 cm) diameter. Ideally, the pot size should be 24-inches deep with a 20-24-inch diameter.
Deeper pots are essential for asparagus, even more so for crowns, as they need to be planted deep into the soil. The right pot or container size is integral when growing asparagus in a pot, as picking the wrong size can botch the entire planting process.
In addition, perennial vegetables such as asparagus take up considerable space with their root system. Therefore, limiting it with a compact pot will degrade the productivity of the asparagus and will even shorten its overall lifespan significantly.
With that in mind, it is advisable to plant one asparagus per pot so that it will be able to maximize its growth. You can choose plastic or ceramic pots, as this wouldn’t be much of a factor. I’m going down the large terracotta pot route again.
Finally, add drainage holes underneath the pots to prevent root rot and fungus growth. Any inadequate drainage will allow standing water to accumulate and that increases the risk of pest infestation and disease.
What Are The Common Asparagus Pests?
You should be cautious about asparagus pests:
- Asparagus beetle.
- Slugs
- Snails
Check the stems and leaves for signs of the tiny beetles or their eggs and larvae. No need for any unique disposal methods as the eggs and larvae won’t be able to survive for long if they are not attached to the plant itself, but they will need to be manually removed.
The same is true of slugs and snails. Pick them off and remove them from the vicinity of your asparagus plants!
Something else to think about…
I hope that you enjoyed learning about growing asparagus in pots – I know I’m excited to see the results of my attempts! I’ll be sure to update this article with progress photos as each year progresses so that you can see how I get on!
