Pacific Purple Asparagus Crowns – 5 Bare Root Plants – 2 Year Old – Zone 3-10

Overview

Embark on a rewarding gardening journey with our premium purple asparagus crowns. This offering includes 5 robust, 2-year-old bare root plants of the renowned Pacific Purple variety, ready to establish a thriving asparagus patch in your garden. The pacific purple asparagus is celebrated for its distinctive deep purple color, exceptionally sweet flavor, and tender, firm texture, making it a gourmet delight straight from your backyard. Unlike green varieties, Pacific Purple maintains its vibrant color and sweetness when cooked, providing a visually appealing and delicious addition to any meal. These dormant crowns are carefully selected to ensure vigorous growth and high yield, allowing you to enjoy fresh, homegrown asparagus for many years to come. Ideal for both novice and experienced gardeners, planting these crowns is a straightforward process that promises a bountiful harvest of this highly sought-after vegetable.

Asparagus is a perennial vegetable, meaning once planted, it will return year after year, offering a sustainable source of fresh produce. The 2-year-old crowns provide a significant head start compared to planting from seed, reducing the time until your first harvest. The Pacific Purple hybrid is particularly known for performing well in various climates, demonstrating excellent adaptability. Its tight spear tips even at longer lengths ensure a high percentage of first-class product, maximizing your edible yield. Prepare to transform your garden into a productive haven with these exceptional purple asparagus crowns.

Key Benefits

Growing purple asparagus crowns offers a multitude of advantages for the home gardener, combining culinary excellence with ease of cultivation. This Pacific Purple variety stands out with several distinct benefits:

• Exceptional Sweetness: The pacific purple asparagus is renowned for its naturally sweet flavor, often sweeter than green varieties, making it a premium ingredient for a variety of dishes. It’s a true treat for the palate.
• Vibrant Color & Appeal: Its striking purple hue adds visual appeal to your garden and plate. This unique color makes it a favorite for culinary presentations and a conversation starter.
• High Yield Potential: This hybrid is bred for high density plantings, which can lead to impressive harvest yields. The plant produces firm, tight spears, ensuring a greater percentage of usable product.
• Adaptable & Resilient: The Pacific Purple variety performs well in warm climates and is suitable for a wide range of USDA Zones (3-10), demonstrating strong adaptability and resilience in various growing conditions.
• Perennial Harvest: As a perennial vegetable, once established, these 2 year asparagus crowns will return year after year, providing a continuous supply of fresh asparagus with minimal replanting effort.
• Nutrient-Rich Food: Asparagus is packed with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, making it a healthy and delicious addition to your diet. Enjoy the health benefits of homegrown produce.
• Bare Root Advantage: Shipped dormant and bare root, these crowns are easy to plant and quickly establish in your garden, getting a head start on growth compared to seeds. This ensures quicker establishment and a healthier plant.

Plant Care & Growing Tips

Caring for your purple asparagus crowns is relatively straightforward, ensuring a bountiful harvest for years. Upon arrival, your 2-year-old bare root crowns will be dormant. It’s best to plant them as soon as possible after receiving them. If immediate planting isn’t feasible, store them in a cool, dark place, keeping the roots slightly moist. Asparagus thrives in full sun, requiring at least 6-8 hours of direct sunlight per day. Choose a permanent location, as asparagus beds can produce for 15-20 years. Prepare your soil thoroughly by digging a trench about 8-12 inches deep and 12 inches wide. Amend the soil with plenty of well-rotted compost or other organic matter to improve drainage and fertility. The ideal soil pH for pacific purple asparagus is between 6.5 and 7.0.

Space the crowns 12-18 inches apart within the trench, spreading their roots out carefully. Cover the crowns with 2-3 inches of soil, and as the spears grow, gradually fill the trench with more soil until it’s level with the surrounding ground. Water thoroughly after planting. During the first year, focus on establishing a strong root system. Allow the ferny foliage to grow, as this helps the plant store energy for future harvests. Do not harvest any spears during the first year; this is crucial for developing robust crowns. Keep the bed free of weeds, which compete for nutrients and moisture. During subsequent years, you can begin to harvest. In the fall, after the foliage has yellowed, cut it back to the ground level to prepare for winter dormancy. A good layer of mulch can help protect the crowns in colder zones and retain moisture in warmer ones. This care routine will help you achieve a successful harvest and enjoy your sweet asparagus plant for many seasons.

Size & Details

This offering includes 5 individual purple asparagus crowns, specifically of the Pacific Purple variety. Each crown is 2 years old, providing a significant advantage in establishment and reducing the time until your first harvest. These are bare root plants, meaning they are shipped without soil, in a dormant state, which is ideal for transplanting and ensures healthy integration into your garden bed. The Pacific Purple variety is a hybrid known for its robust growth. When mature, asparagus spears typically reach heights of 25-30cm (approximately 10-12 inches) before optimal harvesting. The plant itself will produce fern-like foliage that can grow several feet tall during the growing season.

Asparagus has a relatively slow growth rate, with the first significant harvest typically occurring in the third year after planting. However, the long-term yield and delicious taste make the wait worthwhile. Recommended spacing for these crowns is 12-18 inches apart to allow for proper growth and nutrient uptake. This variety is hardy in USDA Zone Range 3-10. The taste is described as nutty and sweet, with a firm, smooth texture. These characteristics make it a desirable choice for gardeners looking to grow asparagus from crowns.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Q: What condition will the purple asparagus crowns arrive in? A: Your purple asparagus crowns will arrive bare root and dormant. This is the ideal state for transplanting, as it minimizes shock and allows the plant to focus its energy on establishing new roots in your garden.
• Q: How big does the Pacific Purple asparagus plant get? A: The edible spears typically reach 10-12 inches (25-30 cm) tall before harvesting. The ferny foliage that grows after harvest can reach several feet in height, providing energy for the crowns.
• Q: Is this an indoor or outdoor plant? A: Asparagus is an outdoor perennial vegetable. It requires ample space and sunlight to thrive and will return year after year in your garden bed.
• Q: How much sunlight does this asparagus need? A: Pacific purple asparagus performs best in full sun, meaning it needs at least 6-8 hours of direct sunlight per day. Choose a sunny spot in your garden for optimal growth and yield.
• Q: Is this plant easy to care for? Is it good for beginners? A: While asparagus requires some initial bed preparation and patience during the first two years, it is generally considered easy to care for once established. It’s a great choice for beginners willing to invest a little time upfront for long-term rewards. Learning to grow asparagus from crowns is a rewarding experience.
• Q: How long until I can harvest the asparagus? A: You should not harvest any spears in the first year to allow the crowns to establish a strong root system. In the second year, you can harvest lightly for 2-3 weeks. A full harvest can begin in the third year and continue for many seasons.
• Q: What is the best time to plant these asparagus crowns? A: The best time to plant dormant bare root asparagus crowns is in early spring, as soon as the soil can be worked. This allows them to establish before the heat of summer.
• Q: Will it survive winter in my zone? A: The Pacific Purple asparagus is hardy in USDA Zones 3-10, meaning it can withstand cold winters in zone 3 and warmer climates up to zone 10. In colder zones, mulching can provide extra protection.
• Q: What does a 2-year asparagus crown mean? A: A 2 year asparagus crown means the plant has already completed two full growing seasons, developing a robust root system. This gives you a significant head start compared to planting 1-year crowns or seeds, leading to earlier and more substantial harvests.
• Q: Can I really grow a delicious, sweet asparagus plant at home? A: Absolutely! The Pacific Purple variety is specifically known for its sweetness and nutty flavor, allowing you to cultivate a truly gourmet sweet asparagus plant right in your own garden, far superior to store-bought options.