Why Is My Asparagus Thin? Tips for Growing Thick Spears

Why Is My Asparagus Thin? Tips for Growing Thick Spears

Asparagus is one of those crops that requires a decent dose of patience to grow.

This perennial veggie takes a few years before you can begin harvesting, so it can be devastating when you finally make it to picking time and you notice the spears are thin and weak.

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If this happens, don’t panic! Once you identify the source of the problem it shouldn’t be too tricky to fix. Read on to learn about causes and solutions for thin asparagus spears.

Healthy roots, or crowns, are key to growing thick, abundant spears.

While asparagus isn’t super high-maintenance once it’s established, it requires nutrient-rich soil, adequate water, and ample sunlight to thrive.

If you regularly notice thin spears, it is likely that one thing or another has resulted in less than ideal growing conditions. This leads to weaker roots, which may struggle to produce healthy stalks.

There are a few factors that could cause this to happen, and narrowing in on the cause can be helpful in finding an appropriate solution.

Let’s take a look at the common culprits, to determine what you might be dealing with, and how to resolve it.

Asparagus crowns prefer to be buried a few inches into the earth. They should be planted in rows about eight inches deep, so the shoots are facing up.

Cover crowns with three to five inches of soil, adding more as the shoots emerge until the trench is filled in.

If you notice the crowns are not quite deep enough, don’t fret, just add a couple of inches of soil until they are appropriately covered.

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