Asparagus is a tasty perennial vegetable that is harvested year after year from the same plants. Asparagus is costly to purchase at the supermarket, so many gardeners opt to grow their own instead. You can plant asparagus from seed, but the vegetables will not be ready for harvesting until the second growing season. Planting asparagus from seed does have its advantages; you will have a much larger variety to choose from and the ability to control everything the plants are exposed to from the time they sprout until they reach your table.
Place the asparagus seeds into a container and allow them to soak overnight.
Prepare a planting location by removing all grass, weeds, and large rocks. Loosen the soil to a depth of 6 inches with a garden fork.
Plant the seeds at a depth of 1/2 inch and leave 2 inches between each seed. Water enough to moisten the soil well. Add more moisture whenever the soil no longer sticks to your finger. It takes between 10 and 14 days for the seeds to sprout.
Continue to water the seedlings whenever the top inch of soil feels dry. Once the seeds have emerged, thin them until there is 9 to 15 inches between each plant.
Weed the bed regularly to prevent nutrients from being sapped from the seedlings.
Dig the asparagus crowns early in the spring of the following growing season. Transplant them to a permanent bed where they can be harvested year after year. Leave 12 inches between each crown and water well after planting.