We planted asparagus crowns for the first time this year-- one bed of Jersey Giant and one bed of Mary Washington (10 crowns each). We've been enjoying watching them spring up and grow seemingly over night, but have a question or two for you experienced growers. First of all, both were grown from two year old crowns. Does this mean that we have to wait two years to harvest? I thought it was a couple of years but am unsure. Also, the Jersey Giants are definitely more robust than the Mary Washington-- MW is very spindly and delicate looking whereas JG has already leafed out the first spears. Is this par for the course as well? We've had lots of rain and uncharacteristically chilly weather, so I wanted to be sure. And the last questions: when it comes time to harvest, what exactly do you harvest? The reason I'm asking is the the JG plants have their first spears all leafed out and ferny looking, but now additional spears are coming up from the crowns right beside the original fernlike spears. The new spears are definitely thicker than the first ones. This got us thinking-- when it is time to harvest (in a year or two), do you harvest ALL the spears (and when, and how) or do you let the first ones leaf out and harvest subsequent ones? It would seem that if you harvest ALL the spears then you have nothing to catch sunlight, create photosyntheses, and so on. I would think that at least some of them have to be left on to help the plants thrive, right?

Thanks so much! You guys are so helpful!

Miss Emerald