Planting Asparagus

Why does gardening require so much patience?  I just planted asparagus and would love to harvest some fresh, tender spears.  Alas, I will have to distract myself with other garden goodies until next spring when I can snip a few little spears.  In the long term I will enjoy plenty of asparagus.  It's just the initial waiting that is so difficult.

I thought I would share my asparagus planting technique.  I picked a raised bed to become the permanent asparagus bed.  It is 3' x 10' bed and formerly had a fall crop of broccoli mulched with leaves.

I dug two trenches in the bed that were about a foot deep and 8 inches wide:

I added some alpaca manure to the bottom of the trenches and then covered it with a thin layer of dirt.  Then the asparagus crowns were placed in the trenches.  I planted Jersey Knight, which was a recommended variety for my area based on information from Clemson's Extension.  I placed the crowns 18 inches apart and staggered them between the two trenches:

I planted 13 crowns.  I hope that will be enough to feed my asparagus cravings!  I then covered the crowns with a few inches of dirt.

As the asparagus stems emerge I will fill in the trenches and then I will wait and wait and wait some more, dreaming about that first taste of a homegrown asparagus spear!