Overview

Transform your garden into a productive edible landscape with these premium Jersey Giant asparagus bare roots. Each order includes 5 dormant bare roots of the acclaimed ‘Jersey Giant’ variety, scientifically known as Asparagus officinalis. This particular hybrid is celebrated for its exceptional vigor and productivity, making it a top choice for gardeners who desire a bountiful harvest of delicious asparagus spears. As an all-male hybrid, it channels all its energy into spear production rather than seed formation, leading to significantly higher yields compared to traditional varieties. Plant these bare roots, and look forward to years of fresh, tender asparagus straight from your garden. This variety is also highly adaptable to various climates, ensuring success for a wide range of growers.

The ‘Jersey Giant’ is renowned globally for its robust growth and the superior quality of its spears. These asparagus officinalis plant bare roots are a fantastic investment for any gardener looking to establish a long-term, low-maintenance vegetable patch that provides a gourmet harvest year after year. Its popularity stems from its reliability, disease resistance, and the sheer volume of palatable spears it produces. Get ready to enjoy one of the most rewarding perennial vegetables in your home garden!

Key Benefits

The ‘Jersey Giant’ asparagus offers numerous advantages for both novice and experienced gardeners, providing a rewarding growing experience and a delicious harvest. Here are some of the standout benefits of cultivating these Jersey Giant asparagus bare roots:

• Exceptional Yields: As an all-male hybrid, ‘Jersey Giant’ focuses all its energy on producing spears, resulting in significantly higher yields compared to female or mixed varieties. You’ll enjoy an abundance of fresh asparagus for an extended harvest season. This makes it a truly high-yielding asparagus variety.
• Superior Spear Quality: This variety is famous for producing thick, tender, and flavorful spears. The quality is consistent, ensuring a gourmet experience with every harvest, whether steamed, roasted, or grilled.
• Excellent Disease Resistance: ‘Jersey Giant’ boasts strong resistance to common asparagus diseases such as Fusarium wilt and rust. This resilience reduces the need for chemical treatments and ensures healthier, more productive plants over their long lifespan, contributing to a more sustainable garden.
• Long-Lived Perennial: Once established, an asparagus bed can produce for 15-20 years or more. Investing in these bare roots means you’ll have a consistent supply of fresh asparagus for decades, making it a very economical and rewarding crop.
• Adaptable to Various Climates: This robust variety is known for its adaptability, thriving in a wide range of USDA hardiness zones. This makes it a reliable choice for many different regions, allowing more gardeners to successfully grow asparagus bare root.
• Easy to Grow: While requiring patience in the first few years, established ‘Jersey Giant’ asparagus plants are relatively low-maintenance. They are an excellent choice for gardeners looking for a perennial vegetable that provides consistent returns with minimal effort once mature.
• Nutrient-Rich Harvest: Asparagus is a highly nutritious vegetable, packed with vitamins A, C, E, and K, as well as fiber and folate. Growing your own ensures the freshest, most nutrient-dense produce possible.

Plant Care & Growing Tips

Successfully growing Jersey Giant asparagus bare roots requires a bit of patience and proper preparation, but the long-term rewards are well worth the effort. Asparagus thrives in a sunny location with at least 6-8 hours of direct sunlight per day. Choose a permanent spot, as asparagus beds are long-lived. Prepare the soil thoroughly by digging a trench about 12 inches deep and 12 inches wide. Amend the soil with plenty of organic matter like compost or well-rotted manure to ensure good drainage and fertility. Asparagus prefers a soil pH between 6.5 and 7.0. Plant the bare roots in early spring as soon as the soil can be worked. Create a mound of soil at the bottom of the trench, spread the roots over the mound, and cover with 2-3 inches of soil. As the spears grow, gradually fill the trench with more soil until it’s level with the surrounding ground.

Watering is crucial, especially during the first year of establishment. Keep the soil consistently moist but not waterlogged. Once established, asparagus is relatively drought-tolerant but will produce better with regular watering, especially during dry spells. Fertilize annually in early spring with a balanced granular fertilizer or compost. Avoid harvesting any spears in the first year to allow the plants to establish a strong root system. In the second year, you can harvest for a short period (2-3 weeks), and by the third year, you can enjoy a full harvest season (6-8 weeks). Cut the spears when they are 6-10 inches tall and about as thick as your finger. Stop harvesting when the spears become thin, and allow the remaining spears to fern out, which will help nourish the crown for the following year’s crop. This careful attention will help your disease resistant asparagus thrive.

Protect your Jersey Giant asparagus bare roots from weeds, which compete for nutrients and water. Mulching around the plants can help suppress weeds and conserve soil moisture. In colder climates, allow the fern to die back naturally in the fall, then cut it down to about 2 inches above the ground before winter. A layer of mulch can also provide extra winter protection for the crowns. Keep an eye out for common pests like asparagus beetles and control them with appropriate organic solutions if necessary. Proper care ensures a healthy, productive bed of high-yielding asparagus for many years.

Size & Details

This offering includes 5 Jersey Giant asparagus bare roots, ready for planting. Bare roots are dormant root systems without foliage or soil, which is an efficient and effective way to establish new plants. Each bare root is typically 1-2 years old, ensuring a robust start in your garden. Once mature, ‘Jersey Giant’ asparagus plants can reach a height of 3-5 feet when allowed to fern out, though the edible spears are harvested when they are 6-10 inches tall. The plants are known for their rapid growth once established. Expect to begin light harvesting in the second year after planting, with full production commencing in the third year.

This variety is known to produce thick, flavorful spears, typically 1/2 to 1 inch in diameter. Planting depth is crucial for optimal growth; follow the trench method described above. The long lifespan of these plants means that with proper care, your asparagus patch will be a reliable source of fresh vegetables for up to two decades. These bare roots are designed to provide a strong foundation for a thriving and productive asparagus officinalis plant bed.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Q: How many Jersey Giant asparagus bare roots are included? A: Each order contains 5 dormant ‘Jersey Giant’ asparagus bare roots, ready for planting in your garden. These are ideal for starting a productive asparagus patch.
• Q: When is the best time to plant these bare roots? A: The best time to plant Jersey Giant asparagus bare roots is in early spring, as soon as the soil can be worked. This allows the plants ample time to establish before the summer heat.
• Q: How much sunlight does ‘Jersey Giant’ asparagus need? A: Asparagus requires a location with full sun, meaning at least 6-8 hours of direct sunlight per day, for optimal growth and spear production.
• Q: Is this an indoor or outdoor plant? A: Asparagus is an outdoor perennial vegetable. It is not suitable for indoor cultivation as it requires significant space and specific outdoor conditions to thrive and produce.
• Q: How long until I can harvest the asparagus? A: You should not harvest any spears in the first year after planting to allow the roots to establish. A light harvest can begin in the second year, and full production for your high-yielding asparagus can be expected from the third year onwards.
• Q: What condition will the bare roots arrive in? A: The bare roots will arrive dormant, without foliage or soil. This is the natural state for planting and ensures they are ready to establish vigorously in your garden.
• Q: What kind of soil does ‘Jersey Giant’ asparagus prefer? A: ‘Jersey Giant’ asparagus thrives in well-draining, fertile soil with a pH between 6.5 and 7.0. Amending heavy soils with organic matter is highly recommended.
• Q: Is this variety considered a disease resistant asparagus? A: Yes, ‘Jersey Giant’ is well-known for its excellent resistance to common asparagus diseases like Fusarium wilt and rust, contributing to its reliability and longevity.
• Q: How tall does the ‘Jersey Giant’ asparagus plant grow? A: When allowed to fern out, the foliage of a mature ‘Jersey Giant’ plant can reach 3-5 feet in height. The spears themselves are harvested when 6-10 inches tall.
• Q: Can I grow this asparagus officinalis plant in containers? A: While technically possible, growing asparagus in containers is generally not recommended due to its extensive root system and long lifespan. It performs best when planted directly in the ground.