Asparagus

Have been offered the opportunity to "have at" an established - really established asparagus bed. How should I approach this task? Is it worth my endeavor? When should the transplanted plants yield edible spears? Thanx!

Hi- I'm pretty new to asparagus (I started with two year old starts... my plants are three years old and we ate our first home grown asparagus this year! Quite a treat!)

A couple of questions:
1.) how old is the bed? asparagus last up to 20 years
2.) are they sprouting yet? I think it's probably the wrong time of year to move them because they aren't dormant.

I would suggest waiting (if you can), until fall, when the fronds die back, then dig them up, and move them to your bed. I assume you know how to plant asparagus... it's not the usual dig and plop method...

The harvesting method I am following is this:
2 weeks the first year (this year)
4 weeks the second year
6 weeks or until "woody" ever after.

Good luck! - Patty

Thanks Patty. Please elaborate on the "harvesting method". This is a bed that is at least 20 years old, and just might be at the end of
its productivity. The owner died and her daughter said I could do with it as I pleased. Do you think I would be wiser to purchase new
plants and get off to a fresh start? This is all new to me. Have been a gardener forever, but never asparagus. Thanx!

Sorry for the delay...
Couple of background questions:
1.) you need to transplant them to somewhere else?
If that is the case, and you know it's more than 20 years old, I'd say forget it.
2.) you can keep harvesting where they are?
If that is the case, then harvest when shoots are about 9" tall, for about 6-8 weeks, then let the stalks go wild (they will get tall and pretty). They will die back in the fall.

BTW, fresh asparagus is AMAZING!