I have some asparagus growing that was here when I moved here, and it does fair. I decided to plant more asparagus seeds in the same area this spring. However we have had a very dry summer, and they have never sprouted. I have watered them, but possibly not enough. Will they sprout later when we get some decent rains here? Some years we have good rain, but this year has been extremely dry. (and hot). I was just wondering if they would still grow or not.
Hello @AAnightowl I know nothing about growing them sorry, I just know we eat them well and they're good for flushing out the system regarding your organs and supplying other nutrients to your system. I did find this link for you though on growing them in your area. https://extension2.missouri.edu/G6405
In our hot dry areas seeds do not do well,, I have tried them twice and nothing ! Always buy crowns and keep them well watered the first few years ! Mine have been growing four years and just this year we had a fair crop ! One thing to remember is do not cut the tops down till the freeze gets them ! Just water and let them grow and the roots will multiply although they are slow growers !
As Mart advised, crowns are the way to go (grow!). Two year old crowns can be harvested very lightly the year after planting, and the next year you can harvest about half the spears. Asparagus is a heavy feeder, so you may want to give it a light dressing of a balanced fertilizer in early spring when the first little signs of green appear, and again after the harvest is over and the fronds are growing. This applies to both the established asparagus you have, and any new crowns you put in. Be sure to get a variety of asparagus for your area. Different varieties have different requirements as to temperatures, soil type, and heat resistance.
I harvested seeds from my asparagus last year and this spring, I planted 22 seeds in a tray. 13 grew after what seemed like ages, but was probably only about 4 weeks. I kept them watered and weeded constantly till they grew. I really need to plant them in place this Autumn. Next spring, I will plant hundreds of asparagus seeds.
We eat a lot of asparagus and it really does carry some health benefits besides flushing out the bodily system. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/asparagus-benefits#section5