Best Asparagus Plants for Nor' East

I have been preparing a garden bed specifically for asparagus. My husband and I love it but don't like paying the price for it. So I'm asking which is the best plant to buy. I want to start investigating now so I can get an order in but I'm confused which is best. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Oh, and Happy New Year!!

I have no information on what variety (Varieties) we grow.....comes to mind a mary washington...I think that is the varity we grow.....We get a very high yield and have two big beds...there's only the two of us and it gives me a bit to put in the freezer for the winter. We have about 30 plants...one bed is about 18 years old the other is only about 4-5 years old. We've had no problems with any dieing back or too many bugs.

Good luck!

I grow a nice selection here, and I'm going to add more. As Hallchinalady said Mary Washington does well, and is a great old standby. I get high yields from Mary, also. Supposedly the newer ones are higher yielding, but I don't find them much more so.

Jersey Night and Jersey Supreme do well for me.

I'm trying Millennium this year.

May I recommend Nourse Farms for asparagus. The plants we get from there are great.

And the planting directions have changed for asparagus. It used to be they wanted you to dig so deep, and cover the plants up gradually, now they say you can pretty much just cover them right away, and even harvest the first year.

i just started a bed two years ago with jersey supreme and purple sensation. only a few were large enought to eat last year hopping for better this year. read up and give them the room and soil they need

I have always covered mine over right away but haven't taken anything from them till the second year....gives them a chance to set....my opinion only. And fertilize....we have a farm across the road who gives us all their...ah.....poop....so we use it well.

Quote from The Ohio State University Extension Fact Sheet, HYG-1603-94, written by Carl J. Cantaluppi.

"The year after planting, asparagus can be harvested several times throughout a three-week period, depending on air temperatures. Research shows there is no need to wait two years after planting before harvesting. In fact, harvesting the year after planting will stimulate more bud production on the crown and provide greater yields in future years, as compared with waiting two years before harvesting.:

This is the new way of thinking from different publications I have received including from my inspector at Cornell.

It almost killed me to wait two years the first time I planted it, so I'm glad to hear this, LOL.