I'm sorry, but according to the article linked below, asparagus should not be harvested the first year and should only be lightly harvested the second year.

Here is an interesting article about extending the harvest, once it is established. Three Simple Tricks For Extending Your Asparagus Harvest

Sue

Here is a link that might be useful: Asparagus Indiana

Agree if you planted 2 or 3 year old crowns you can harvest just a bit next spring, otherwise none until the following year. But it won't be in March in your zone.

In zone 7 harvest time is late April into early June. I'd bet yours won't be up until May unless your weather gets especially warm very early.

Dave

So If I planted April 2009. Would April 2010 be the first or second year?

If you planted last April, next spring is your first year. Harvest not at all or only one light cutting. Here in zone 6 WV, harvest usually begins mid April.

To answer your original question a little more precisely, you will find that the first asparugs spears will emerge around the same time that mid-season blooming fruit trees like peaches, sour cherries, and many pears bloom. The exact date will vary quite a bit from year to year based on the weather. But, the phenology of it will remain consistent.

I've found that the conventional wisdom on harvesting asparagus is just a myth. I have two large beds, one 12 yrs and the other 2 yrs old, and I harvest all spears that are 1/2" diameter or larger regardless of how long ago they were planted. I got spears from each bed the first year after planting. Tom

With respect, I have to differ with Tom. The "myth" is well researched and documented. ;)

Sure you will get spears the first year but if you harvest them you will also stress the crowns and deprive them of the benefits of that extra year of growth in their new environment. The end result is often reduced health and production over the life of the crown.

One has to choose between the usual goal of planting an asparagus bed - long-term perennial health and years of production OR a super-fast harvest at the cost of long-term production.

We have several beds with ages ranging from 2 years to 15 years or more. With care I fully expect the older beds to keep right on producing abundantly for several more years because they were first allowed to get well established before any harvesting was done.

Dave

I should qualify my answer a bit to state that there is about a 7 to 10 difference between my all male Jersey type asparagus plants, which emerge with the peach blossoms as stated above, and my old fashioned Mary Washington type, which are a bit later and emerge with the apple blossoms.

Nothing is more lovely than to go outdoors on a beautiful spring morning and come back into the house with asparagus spears, spring onions or leeks, greens of some type like spinach or arugula, some nice fresh eggs from the henhouse, some herbs, and, if you're really lucky, some home-grown mushrooms like shitakes, and whip up a to die for omlette for breakfast.