Atlas F1 Asparagus Crowns – 5 Count, 2-Year Old Bare Root Asparagus Plants, Zones 3-10

Overview

Embark on a rewarding gardening journey with Atlas F1 Asparagus crowns, a superior hybrid variety renowned for its exceptional yield and robust growth. This offering includes 5 vigorous, 2-year-old bare root asparagus plants, providing a significant head start to your asparagus patch. The Atlas F1 hybrid is celebrated for producing green spears that maintain tight, appealing heads even in warm to hot growing conditions, ensuring a premium harvest. These cylindrical spears boast a smooth appearance with closely oppressed bud scales, making them a visually attractive and delicious addition to any meal. Asparagus is a perennial vegetable, meaning once established, it will provide harvests for many years, offering a sustainable source of fresh, nutritious produce right from your garden. Planting these 2-year crowns significantly reduces the time until your first harvest, allowing you to enjoy homegrown asparagus sooner.

The Atlas F1 Asparagus crowns are a fantastic choice for both seasoned gardeners and those new to growing asparagus. Their inherent hybrid vigor ensures strong, healthy plants that are more resilient to common stressors. With proper care, these crowns will develop into a thriving asparagus bed, delivering abundant harvests of tender, flavorful spears. Prepare to transform your garden into a productive haven with these high-quality bare root plants, designed for successful establishment and long-term yield.

Key Benefits

Choosing Atlas F1 Asparagus crowns brings a multitude of advantages to your home garden, promising a bountiful and satisfying harvest season after season. This variety is specifically bred for performance and delicious taste.

• High Yielding Variety: The Atlas F1 hybrid is engineered for impressive productivity, providing a generous supply of spears throughout the cutting season. You can expect a greater return on your gardening efforts with these robust plants, making them an excellent investment for any vegetable garden.
• Early & Extended Harvest: Spear production begins very early in the spring and continues late into the season due to the hybrid’s vigor. This extended harvest period means you get to enjoy fresh asparagus for a longer duration each year.
• Superior Spear Quality: These plants produce green spears with exceptionally tight heads, even in warmer climates. The cylindrical shape and smooth texture contribute to a premium culinary experience, perfect for gourmet dishes or simple steamed preparations.
• Excellent Flavor & Texture: Enjoy the distinct subacid taste and wonderfully crisp, crunchy texture of freshly harvested Atlas F1 asparagus. Homegrown asparagus far surpasses store-bought varieties in terms of freshness and flavor.
• Perennial Growth: Once established, asparagus beds can produce for 15-20 years or more. These bare root asparagus crowns offer a long-term, sustainable source of fresh vegetables, making them a valuable addition to your edible landscape.
• Disease Resistance: Hybrid varieties like Atlas F1 often possess enhanced resistance to common asparagus diseases, contributing to healthier plants and more consistent yields. This reduces the need for interventions and makes asparagus plant care more straightforward.
• Wide Adaptability: Thriving in a broad range of USDA Zones 3-10, these crowns are suitable for many climates across the US, allowing a wide array of gardeners to successfully grow asparagus.

Plant Care & Growing Tips

Successful cultivation of Atlas F1 Asparagus crowns requires attention to specific environmental conditions and consistent care. Asparagus thrives in full sun, meaning at least 6-8 hours of direct sunlight per day is ideal. Choose a permanent location in your garden, as asparagus beds are long-lived. Prepare your soil thoroughly before planting; it should be well-drained, fertile, and free of weeds. Asparagus prefers a soil pH level between 6.5 and 7.5. Amend heavy clay soils with organic matter like compost to improve drainage and aeration. Dig trenches approximately 6-8 inches deep and 12-18 inches wide. Create a small mound of soil at the bottom of the trench, and spread the roots of each crown over the mound, spacing them 12-18 inches apart.

Cover the crowns with 2-3 inches of soil, and water thoroughly. As the spears grow, gradually fill in the trench with more soil, being careful not to bury the emerging spears completely, until the trench is level with the surrounding ground. During the first year, focus on establishing a strong root system. Do not harvest any spears; allow them to grow into fern-like foliage, which will gather energy for future harvests. Keep the area around your bare root asparagus crowns weed-free, as weeds compete for nutrients and moisture. Water regularly, especially during dry spells, ensuring the soil remains consistently moist but not waterlogged. Fertilize annually in early spring with a balanced fertilizer or well-rotted compost to support vigorous growth and high yield asparagus production.

After the fern-like foliage turns yellow or brown in the fall, cut it back to about 2 inches above the ground level. This helps prevent disease and pest issues. In colder zones, apply a layer of mulch (straw, leaves) over the bed for winter protection. Begin harvesting in the third year after planting, snapping off spears when they are 6-10 inches tall and about the thickness of a pencil. Harvest for 4-6 weeks in the third year, gradually increasing the harvest period in subsequent years. Proper asparagus plant care ensures a long-lasting and productive asparagus bed for decades.

Size & Details

This offering includes 5 high-quality Atlas F1 Asparagus crowns, each being a robust 2-year-old bare root plant. Shipping while dormant, these crowns are ready for immediate planting upon arrival in the appropriate season. The 2-year age means they have a well-developed root system, promising quicker establishment and earlier harvests compared to 1-year crowns. Atlas F1 is known for its vigorous growth habit, with mature plants capable of producing numerous spears annually. The spears typically have a cylindrical shape with slight tapering tips and a smooth appearance.

Asparagus plants can grow quite tall, with the fern-like foliage reaching up to 4-6 feet in height during the growing season. The recommended spacing of 12-18 inches between crowns ensures ample room for root development and optimal air circulation, which is crucial for healthy plant growth and to achieve high yield asparagus. These crowns are suitable for USDA Zones 3-10, making them versatile for a wide range of climates. With typical care, you can expect your first light harvest approximately three years after planting, with full production commencing in the fourth year and continuing for many seasons thereafter.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Q: What condition will my Atlas F1 Asparagus crowns arrive in? A: Your Atlas F1 Asparagus crowns will arrive dormant and bare root, meaning they will not have soil or foliage. This is the ideal state for planting and ensures the plants are ready to establish themselves in your garden.
• Q: When is the best time to plant bare root asparagus? A: The best time to plant bare root asparagus crowns is in early spring, as soon as the soil can be worked. This allows the plants to establish their root systems before the heat of summer.
• Q: How long does it take for Atlas F1 Asparagus to produce spears? A: Since these are 2-year-old crowns, you can expect a light harvest in the third year after planting. Full production of high yield asparagus typically begins in the fourth year and continues for many successive years.
• Q: How much sunlight do these asparagus plants need? A: Atlas F1 Asparagus crowns require full sun, which means at least 6-8 hours of direct sunlight per day, for optimal growth and spear production. Choosing a sunny location is crucial for success.
• Q: What kind of soil is best for growing asparagus? A: Asparagus thrives in well-drained, fertile soil with a pH between 6.5 and 7.5. Amending your soil with compost or other organic matter will greatly benefit your asparagus plant care.
• Q: Can I grow asparagus in containers? A: While possible, asparagus has an extensive root system and is generally best grown directly in the ground. If using containers, choose very large, deep containers (at least 20 gallons) to accommodate growth.
• Q: Is this variety suitable for my climate? A: The Atlas F1 Asparagus crowns are highly adaptable and are suitable for planting in USDA Hardiness Zones 3 through 10, covering a wide range of climates across the United States.
• Q: How far apart should I space the asparagus crowns? A: We recommend spacing these bare root asparagus crowns 12 to 18 inches apart within the trench to ensure adequate room for growth and air circulation, promoting healthy plants.
• Q: What does “bare root” mean for planting? A: “Bare root” means the plant is shipped without soil around its roots. This reduces shipping stress and allows you to plant directly into your prepared garden bed, promoting strong root establishment.
• Q: What are the benefits of choosing a 2-year-old crown over a 1-year-old crown? A: A 2-year-old crown has a more developed root system, offering a stronger start and potentially allowing for a light harvest a year sooner than a 1-year-old crown. This gives you a head start on your journey to grow asparagus.