For asparagus, it takes at least two years from planting to being able to pick spears in the spring, which is way too short of a season.
Knowing how to grow asparagus means you can have a delicious harvest in your yard. It’s easy to grow the perennial plant, and it might give you tasty, tender spears for up to 20 years.
What can you do if you need more asparagus? You can buy more crowns, split the ones you already have, or start new plants from seeds. These are the usual ways to do things, or you can check to see if you can grow asparagus from cuttings.
Drew is a former professional gardener who has worked in several kitchen gardens across the UK. Growing vegetables, fruit, and herbs was his specialty. He did this for chefs at high-end restaurants and also for people to buy.
Asparagus is a delicious and nutritious vegetable that can be somewhat pricey when purchasing fresh spears from the grocery store. Did you know you can regrow store-bought asparagus easily at home using just a jar of water? Through water propagation, you can yield an ongoing supply of homegrown asparagus for free.
Regrowing asparagus from water rooted cuttings is an easy gardening experiment that produces quick results. In just 1-2 weeks you’ll have new roots and shoots sprouting ready to be planted in soil. Follow this simple tutorial for regrowing asparagus in water again and again.
How Water Propagation Works for Asparagus
Asparagus plants are capable of producing adventitious roots and shoots when placed in water. This phenomenon allows you to regrow asparagus spears purchased at the store into full plants.
By providing moisture and warmth, the stem cells are triggered to grow new roots along the submerged portion of the stalk. Buds further up the stalk then develop into leafy shoots. Within just days, your asparagus begins to regenerate itself into a viable plant.
Water rooted asparagus cuttings can be transplanted into soil or containers once the new root system is established. There the spears will continue growing into productive perennial plants.
Choosing Healthy Spears for Propagation
The key to success is starting with quality asparagus spears:
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Select thick, firm spears without wrinkled skin or dry, damaged tips. Avoid thin or bendy stalks.
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Choose spears with long straight sections below the leafy heads. Bent or very short stems will be difficult to propagate.
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Look for spears with tight buds that haven’t started opening yet. Open ferns indicate older produce.
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Ensure the cut bases appear fresh, not dried out. Try to select recently harvested bunches.
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Organic and sustainably grown spears have the best chance of being pest and disease free.
Checking for these signs of freshness gives you the best odds of regrowing healthy plants.
Step-By-Step Guide to Regrow Asparagus in Water
Follow these simple steps for foolproof water propagation:
1. Cut the Spears
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Trim off any bottom stem sections that appear dried or damaged using a clean knife or scissors.
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Cut the remaining spears to around 6 inches long. Use the top portions for cooking.
2. Place in Glass Jars
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Fill wide-mouth canning jars with room temperature water. Use quart jars for best stability.
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Place 2-3 asparagus stems in each jar, spreading apart the cut ends.
3. Change the Water
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Drain and refresh the water every 2-3 days to prevent bacteria growth.
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Add a few drops of lemon juice to the water to inhibit mold.
4. Watch Roots and Shoots Grow
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New roots will emerge from the bottom ends in about 1-2 weeks.
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Small shoots will then appear at the tops of the spears.
5. Transplant to Soil
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Once a good root system develops, plant the spears in garden beds or containers.
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Bury the lower portion of the stems, leaving shoots above soil. Water well.
With proper care, your water propagated asparagus will thrive and produce new spears in a matter of weeks. Enjoy the fruits of your labor!
Troubleshooting Common Asparagus Propagation Problems
Here are some tips to ensure success regrowing asparagus in water:
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Rotting stems – Change water more frequently and use lemon juice or hydrogen peroxide rinses to prevent bacteria growth.
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No new roots – Be patient, roots can take 10-14 days. Keep water clean. Cut again and restart with fresh spears if stems turn mushy.
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Small roots but no shoots – Ensure stems are getting indirect light. Move to sunny windowsill. Shoots may emerge in time.
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Wilting shoots – Plant in soil as soon as a decent root system develops. Shoots need nutrients from soil to support further growth.
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Transplant shock – Gradually introduce to sunlight and outdoor conditions. Keep well watered until established in new environment.
With care and persistence, you can overcome most common propagation issues.
Advanced Techniques for Asparagus Propagation
Once you’ve mastered basic water regrowth, consider trying these techniques for increased success:
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Rooting hormone powder – Dusting cut ends in hormone promotes faster, more abundant root growth. Look for natural options like honey.
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Hydroponics – Suspending stems in nutrient-rich water allows developing shoots access to vital minerals. Use liquid plant food.
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Propagation stations – Devices like the Oasis Rootcube help support stems, provide airflow, and simplify transplanting.
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Grow lights – Using full spectrum LED grow lights compensates for lower natural light in winter or indoors.
Upgrading your setup with supplies like these will optimize growth and strengthen plants before transplanting outdoors.
Growing On Your Home Propagated Asparagus
Once established in garden soil, homegrown asparagus requires minimal care:
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Plant in early spring in full sun. Dig in compost for fertility. Space plants 18-24 inches apart.
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Asparagus prefers consistently moist soils. Mulch thickly and provide 1-2 inches of water weekly if rain is lacking.
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Apply balanced liquid fertilizer monthly during the first growing season to fuel rapid growth.
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Resist harvesting until the second year. Only harvest lightly, allowing some spears to develop into ferns to nurture the plants.
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By year three you can begin harvesting fully for an 8 week period. Let fern regrowth occur in summer.
With proper growing conditions, asparagus crowns propagate in water can yield delicious spears for 20 years or longer!
Enjoy the Fruits of Your Labor
Homegrown asparagus offers sweet, tender spears that are far superior to store-bought. Here are some ways to use your regrown bounty:
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Lightly steam or roast fresh-picked spears as a healthy side dish. Top with lemon juice or hollandaise sauce.
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Grill lightly brushed spears over medium heat for flavorful charred spears.
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Chop raw or lightly cooked spears and add to frittatas, pasta, pizza, soups and stir fries.
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Ferment into a zesty probiotic-packed pickle using whey or salt brine.
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Blend into smoothies, juices and drinks for a nutritional boost.
With a bit of patience and TLC, you can enjoy abundant harvests of organic asparagus grown from humble grocery store spears. Turn your kitchen scraps into homegrown goodness!
How to grow asparagus from cuttings
Zeeshan Haider, CEO and founder of Greenry Enthusiast, is another supporter of growing asparagus from cuttings. He says that this method could be “much easier and more efficient” than other ways of propagating asparagus. Zeeshan offers some asparagus growing tips for how to propagate from cuttings:
- Find a healthy asparagus plant. It’s important to pick a plant that has strong roots and healthy shoots.
- Taking care that each cutting is at least 10 inches long and has at least three nodes, cut off some of the stalks.
- Pick a spot in your garden that gets full sun and has soil that doesn’t stay soggy.
- Make a hole 8 to 10 inches deep and fill it with a mix of soil and compost.
- Put the cuttings in the ground and add a few inches of soil on top of them.
- Water well and allow the cuttings to take root
- It might take a few weeks for the cuttings to grow healthy roots. It is important to keep the soil moist but not soaked at this point.
Another way is to put the asparagus stalks in a container of water and put it somewhere warm and bright, but not in direct sunlight. Change the water every two or three days and wait for sprouts to emerge out of the stalk. It’s time to move the stalk into the ground when these sprouts are a few inches tall. A lot of plants can sprout in water. For example, lettuce can be grown quickly and easily from food scraps in water. But asparagus isn’t usually grown in water on a windowsill.
Asparagus comes in purple-topped or white varieties as well as the traditional green( credit: Getty/miguelangelortega)
Can I grow asparagus from store bought asparagus?
It is not a good idea to grow any vegetables from store-bought ones. This includes asparagus, potatoes, garlic, onions, and garlic. To begin, most imported vegetables are treated with chemicals to make them last longer and stop them from sprouting, so they might not grow at all if they are planted. Another big reason is that these vegetables might have diseases that could hurt other plants in your yard if they were planted. Even if the vegetables are classified organic, there is still no guarantee they are not harbouring diseases.
Growing Asparagus from Store-Bought Asparagus
FAQ
Can I grow asparagus from cuttings in water?
Can you regrow asparagus from scraps?
How do you irrigate asparagus?
Consider adding drip irrigation or a soaker hose to the asparagus bed. During the growing season, asparagus prefers a temperature of 70 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit during the day and 60 to 70 degrees at night. In the spring, it will begin to grow shoots when the soil temperature reaches 40 degrees.
How can one keep asparagus fresh?
The asparagus will keep fresh for about a week. They should be kept in the fridge. If they dry out, hydrate them a bit.
How to propagate asparagus?
Let us discuss the common methods of asparagus propagation. The soil method of propagating asparagus from cutting is the most natural. It is also the easiest and is supported by many soil types. Follow these simple steps to do this successfully: Get your cuttings: Your asparagus cuttings should come from a fresh asparagus plant.
How do you grow asparagus?
Soil: Plant asparagus in well-draining soil with a pH of 6.0-7.0. Temperature: Asparagus thrives in cool to warm climates, ideally between 50-85°F (10-29°C). Water: Provide consistent moisture, aiming for 1-1.5 inches of water per week during the growing season.