Uncover them. You start asparagus by digging a trench, experts have tested different planting depths lately and have found that 5-6 inches deep is ideal. They will do fine if planted deeper. But you start with a trench, loosen the soil of the trench, and spread the crowns on top of the losened soil in the bottom, then you fill in the thrench with just 2 inches of soil. The crowns you have don't yet have the energy needed to push spears through 8 inches of soil, so you fill it in slowly as the spears grow. I'd remove some dirt from the top of them, but be careful not to damage what's growing... You should see emergence with what you've got, it will just take new crowns a while to sprout. Make sure you fertilize them lightly but constantly this year, don't let the brand new plants want for anything. The idea behind filling in the trench is not to stress the plants, to make them spend every ounce of energy they have in getting ferns up after a fresh transplant.

Megan, I admire your determination and enthusiasm! But if I may, I'd like to offer some advice gleaned from 40 years of gardening experience. The early years were a financial challenge, but resulted in great personal satisfaction. To save yourself and any plants that MAY (very iffy!) result from your seeds the stress of caring for them indoors and then the not-inconsiderable chore of moving them to a new location, growing them on until they become large enough to bear fruit, hardening them off (getting them used to the outdoors), etc.--I would strongly suggest you nurture your gardening spirit with little more than a few herbs for now--or just to see something green and growing, even start an avocado or citrus in a pot on a sunny windowsill. These are fairly forgiving, at least for a while--and it is not hard to leave them behind eventually! Many people just trying to grow herbs in a south-facing window in winter do not realize how little sunlight actually is reaching their plants. Not only are the days about half as long, if there are window screens, that cuts the light down radically. Most culinary herbs are Mediterranean natives, so they want LONG bright sunny days and balmy nights, not the short dark winter days on a windowsill where the temperature may drop nearly to freezing at night through the glass! The thing about growing under lights is that light is effective only at the top of a plant. For a mature plant to do more than barely survive indoors under light, and especially to get things to bear fruit, you'd have to just about have lights surrounding the plant vertically in order to provide sufficient light to all the leaves, and leave them on at least 12 hours a day. (I usually leave mine on 16 hour days for seedlings that I start.) Actual greenhouses are all window, so light is pouring in from all sides. In the meantime, Megan, until your own spot of ground is a reality, find a way to put some money aside against the day when you have a garden spot prepared and at that time buy plants that will be ready to bear within a year or two. No matter how strapped for cash you may be, I expect that you, like pretty much everyone, have little indulgences that you can afford to (or will yourself to!) sacrifice and can put aside a few cents-- daily if possible, but weekly for sure-- in order to make your dream a reality. Here are some examples of ways I have been able to save: clip out store coupons for things that you are going to buy anyway (that's important!--it saves you nothing if you buy a brand name you would not ordinarily purchase if it still costs more with the coupon discount than a generic item!) and then as soon as you get home from the store, put the cents you saved into a special bank just for YOU. Also when you come home from any shopping trip, immediately put any coins you have into your bank. Oh, yes, that reminds me--cut up credit cards! Pay cash! If you smoke (hope not!!), QUIT or at least cut back & put the savings aside. Same with anything--cut back on that beer, fancy coffee (or chose plain brewed instead of a latte!), a candy bar, donut, etc.--cutting back even a little bit will start seed money growing (pun intended!) and your health will improve, too! Do you drive around campus when you could use a bike in good weather? Save gas money! Anyway, you get the idea. But you must have the will power to save the money & not break into your bank for any reason! Cut out pictures of the plants you want and make a notebook, plan your garden, do whatever it takes to keep yourself inspired so you do not touch your plant money! Finally, when you do get settled in your new place, find out about local garden clubs (online, Chamber of Commerce, library, etc.), go to the extension office for free how-to handouts on all aspects of gardening, talk to people at farmers' markets, find out when & where plant sales are or just who likes to garden. Most gardeners are happy to share extra plants and seeds or sell them for a minimal cost AND share their expertise. Just look at the resources at Garden Web! We all are out here, all over the U.S., as happy to help in person as on line. Hope this was not too long or preachy. Just that I remember how badly I yearned for a garden 40 years ago --and now I have gardened in 4 states and in Belgium and learned so much. I still am on a tight budget now that we are retired, but I have LOTS of plants and have made so many gardening friends. Good luck, Megan! And stay tuned to GW for encouragement!

Garlics , just like most bulbs, love cool soil and air. That is why they will overwinter with no problem. Here is a picture of my garlic patch about mid Feb, few years ago.

So far so good! I have planted 17 shrubs and trees since the last week of June and so far all are alive with no signs of dying. They even have new growth. I planted a shantung maple, fig tree, pomegranate bush, 9 stevens hollies, 2 italian cypresses, and 3 crape myrtles of the dynamite and red rocket variety. It has been a super hot summer with most days lately over 100.