Asparagus Mary Washington Vegetable Seeds Packet

• Seed trays or small pots: For the 10-14 week indoor start.
• A container of water, for a 24-48 hour pre-soak: Improves germination of this notably slow seed.
• Thoroughly prepared permanent bed: Worth preparing the actual planting site well in advance and thoroughly, since this bed will be in place for 15-20+ years -- there's no easy way to amend soil later.
• Long-term garden plan or map: Given the multi-year timeline before first harvest, marking exactly where and when this was planted matters more than for almost anything else in this catalog.

• An asparagus knife or sharp regular knife: For cutting spears at or just below soil level.
• Basket: For collecting spears.
• A container of water for upright storage: Keeping cut spears standing in water, like cut flowers, extends freshness noticeably better than a dry bag.

Tip: Once established (year 4+), harvest daily during the 6-8 week spring season, since spears grow fast in warm weather and quickly pass their prime -- missing even a day or two can mean spears that have already opened and toughened.

Temperature:

• Germination: 70-80°F (21-27°C) optimal
• Growing season: 60-85°F (15-29°C)
• Winter dormancy: Requires 150+ hours below 50°F (10°C)
• Cold tolerance: Hardy to USDA zones 3-9
• Heat tolerance: Struggles in consistently hot climates (zones 10+)

Light:

• Full sun preferred (6-8 hours direct sunlight daily)
• Partial shade tolerated but reduces vigor and yield
• Morning sun essential for optimal spear development

Protection from harsh afternoon sun in hot climatesSoil:

• Well-draining, fertile soil essentials
• pH range: 6.5-7.5 (slightly acidic to slightly alkaline)
• Deep, loose soil to accommodate extensive root system
• Rich in organic matter (compost, aged manure)
• Avoid heavy clay or consistently wet soils

Water:

• Consistent moisture during establishment and growing season
• 1-2 inches weekly during active growth
• Drought tolerance once established (after 2-3 years)
• Avoid waterlogged conditions, which cause crown rot
• Deep, infrequent watering preferred

Space:

• Crown spacing: 12-18 inches apart in rows
• Row spacing: 4-5 feet apart
• Permanent bed location (plants live 20+ years)
• Deep root system extends 4-6 feet down
• Spreading habit requires adequate room

Annual Tasks:

• Early Spring: Apply compost and balanced fertilizer before spear emergence
• Spring: Harvest spears for 6-8 weeks when mature (2+ years old)
• Late Spring/Summer: Allow ferns to develop fully for energy storage
• Fall: Cut down dead ferns after first frost, apply mulch

Monthly Tasks (Growing Season):

• April-May: Harvest spears every 2-3 days during harvest season
• June-August: Maintain consistent moisture, control weeds
• September: Begin reducing watering, allow natural dormancy prep

Weekly Tasks (During Harvest):

• Harvest spears when 6-8 inches tall and pencil-thick or larger
• Cut or snap spears at soil level, never pull from crown
• Remove any damaged or pest-affected foliage
• Monitor for pest activity

Fertilizing Schedule:

• Early Spring: Apply 10-10-10 balanced fertilizer (2-3 pounds per 100 sq ft)
• Post-Harvest: Side-dress with compost or aged manure
• Fall: Apply potassium-rich fertilizer to strengthen crowns
• Organic Options: Compost, fish emulsion, bone meal

Weed Management:

• Cultivation must be very shallow, less than 2 inches deep
• Hand weeding preferred to avoid crown damage
• Heavy mulching to suppress weeds
• Pre-emergent herbicides if necessary (organic options preferred)

• Harvesting too early in the bed's life — cutting spears before year 3 weakens the crown and reduces yields for the rest of the bed's 15-20+ year lifespan -- resist harvesting more than a few test spears in years 2-3
• Impatience generally — this is the longest-term commitment in the entire project; the payoff is a bed that can produce for decades

1. Culinary Applications:

• Fresh asparagus spears for grilling, roasting, and steaming
• Gourmet spring vegetables for fine dining
• Asparagus soup and risotto ingredients
• Raw consumption in salads when young and tender
• Pickling and preserving for year-round enjoyment
• Blanching and freezing for long-term storage

2. Nutritional Benefits:

• High in vitamins K, C, and folate
• Rich in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds
• Good source of fiber and protein
• Low-calorie, nutrient-dense vegetable
• Contains glutathione, a powerful antioxidant

3. Garden Benefits:

• Ornamental ferny foliage after harvest season
• Attracts beneficial insects when in bloom
• Deep root system improves soil structure
• Long-term perennial crop reduces annual planting work
• Excellent for establishing food forests and permanent beds

4. Economic Value:

• High-value crop for market gardening
• Significant grocery savings over plant lifetime
• Premium heirloom variety commands higher prices
• Gift potential for fellow gardeners

• Spears: The young, immature shoots are the entire edible harvest, picked at 6-8 inches before the tips begin to open.
• Fern growth: NOT edible once spears open into their feathery mature foliage -- this growth is left in place to photosynthesize and feed the crown for next year's spears.
• Berries: Female plants may produce small red berries -- these are not eaten and are mildly toxic.

Raw asparagus spears, per 100g

Calories: 20 kcal

• Carbohydrates: 3.9 g
• Protein: 2.2 g
• Total fat: 0.1 g
• Dietary fiber: 2.1 g
• Vitamin C: 5.6 mg (6% RDA)
• Folates: 52 µg (13% RDA)
• Potassium: 202 mg
• Cholesterol: 0 mg
• Vitamin K: 41.6 µg -- asparagus's defining nutrient, alongside its well-known folate content

Good companions

• Tomatoes — classic and reasonably well-supported pairing -- asparagus is said to help deter tomato pests, and vice versa
• Parsley, basil, marigolds — general companion benefits

Poor companions / avoid

• Onions, garlic, other alliums — competitive with asparagus's shallow feeder roots

• Asparagus beetle — the signature pest for this crop; handpick or use row covers during the harvest season
• Aphids — less common but possible on fern growth

• Asparagus rust — this variety was specifically BRED for resistance to this disease by USDA breeder Dr. J.B. Norton in 1919 -- the strongest, most explicit disease-resistance claim researched anywhere in this project
• Fusarium crown rot — soil-borne, favors poorly drained soil
• Root rot — in poorly drained soil

This heirloom variety needs well-drained, sandy soil and full sun, thriving as a perennial that asks for real patience upfront before it begins producing reliably for many years afterward. Deep, loose soil free of rocks also gives the extensive root system room to properly establish. Deep, loose soil also gives the extensive root system room to properly establish itself.

Asparagus typically needs a couple of years to properly establish before the first real harvest, though it then continues producing reliably for many years once that initial patience pays off. That patience genuinely pays off, since a well-established bed can produce reliably for well over a decade. That patience genuinely pays off, since a well-established bed produces reliably for well over a decade.

It's valued for tender, genuinely flavorful spears along with strong resistance to rust and fusarium wilt, two issues that trouble less hardy asparagus varieties over a long-lived planting. That resistance matters most in regions where those specific diseases have historically caused problems for other varieties. That resistance matters most in regions where those specific diseases have caused problems before.

Early spring is the standard harvest window, once established plants send up their first spears of the season, typically before the plant shifts toward its feathery summer foliage. Spears left too long past that point tend to toughen and lose some of their tender quality. Spears left too long past that point tend to toughen and lose their tender quality.

The plant sends up tall, feathery, fern-like foliage that photosynthesizes and stores energy for next year's spears, adding genuine ornamental value to the bed in the process. That foliage should be left standing through fall, since it feeds the root system for next year's harvest. That foliage should stay standing through fall, since it feeds the roots for next year.

Vacuum-sealed Shido Seeds packets remain viable for up to 10 years under proper storage, compared to roughly one year for a standard paper seed packet, which matters given how long this crop already takes to establish. Cool, dry storage further extends that shelf life beyond the basic guarantee. That reliability matters most given how many years this perennial's payoff actually takes.

Yes, though it takes a bit longer to establish compared to starting from crowns, rewarding that extra patience with a genuinely full root system from the very beginning. Regular weeding during that establishment period also helps young plants avoid unnecessary competition for nutrients. Regular weeding during establishment also helps young plants avoid unnecessary competition for nutrients.

Yes — every Shido Seeds packet, Mary Washington included, is tested at independent third-party labs before it reaches a shelf, given how much this perennial depends on a strong start. That scrutiny matters given how much this perennial's long-term payoff depends on an early start. No exceptions made for crops with a genuinely long payoff.