This is a full quote from Johnny's Seeds: CULTURE: Asparagus is a long-lived perennial vegetable crop. With proper site selection, preparation, and care, it can thrive for 15 years or more. Asparagus prefers well-drained, fertile soil with a pH of 7.0 in full sun or part shade. Soil testing and bed preparation should be completed in the season prior to planting. May not perform well in warmer areas such as TX, MS, GA, LA, AL, or FL, as it may not become dormant, which is needed to prevent frost/freeze damage to crowns in winter months. GROWING FROM SEEDS: Sow seeds indoors 12-14 weeks before desired transplant date. Sow 1 seed per 2" cell, ½-¾" deep. Germinate at 75-80°F (23-27°C) day, 65°F (18°C) night. Fertilize moderately as needed. After last frost, plant seedlings similarly to crowns, but use W-shaped furrow. Plant the seedlings in the low middle point of the W to ensure better drainage. Gradually fill in furrow as plants grow. PLANTING CROWNS: Crowns can be planted about 3-4 weeks prior to last average frost date. In a furrow 5-8" deep (shallower for heavy soils), 12" wide, place crowns with buds up and roots spread out, 8-14" apart in row (closer spacing creates more slender spears), 3-6' between rows. Cover crowns with 2-3" of soil at planting. As spears grow, gradually fill in furrow. Use caution when cultivating to avoid damaging crowns. Keep bed free of weeds (straw or leaf mulch works well) and irrigate regularly during establishment. Allow "ferns" to grow – do not cut until they senesce in the fall. Add compost or aged manure to the beds each fall or early spring.

Bidens?

contact the seller ... who i suspect is arbor day ... and demand they are resent in spring .. at the proper planting time ... i would pot them up.. whole glob at once ... and keep them indoors .... for now ... not at all the preferred method.. but what can you do ... if you have an unheated sun porch even better ... and bring them in for the night... if there is an extreme temp drop ... if they were dormant at shipping ... they should have gone straight outside... but now that they are active.. they will need to be hardened off to outdoor temps.. and that is hard.. this time of year .... especially with leaves ... you could.. at that point in time.. have healed them in.. planted the whole glob at once.. and held them over for spring planting ... trees prefer a good drink of water ... and then near drying.. leaving the roots in that water gel.. is not really a long term good thing .. call them and put them on notice ... ken

Thanks Ken. Directly under the mature maple, is my garage about 25 ft away, Hydrangea growing on the side, and the house itself about the same distance away, Hostas grow along the side of the house. There is a tall, about 60ft, spruce about 40ft from the maple. I have 9 trees in my yard now, including a 100ft tall pair of Red Pines. The yard is 210ft deep- so it's not as small as one would think if thinking of a typical city lot. I have a small vegetable garden in the middle of the yard too, about 50-60ft from teh mature maple. I think what I'll do is wait til fall or so, see how the 4 plants grow, then decide which is the healthiest and straightest. I'm in Michigan as well, so we probably will get winter sometime in September again. lol. The current tree, in the yard with the red mulch around it, do you think that original central leader being topped is going to be or is a problem? -Jason