Best Asparagus Fertilizer – Plant Food That Asparagus Love


It is better to do a soil assessment first before choosing a fertilizer for asparagus. For a nutrient rich soil, a balanced NPK fertilizer for asparagus will do the trick.

Best Asparagus Fertilizer

Evgeny Shaplov/Diana Taliun/istockphoto

 
Asparagus is an easy-to-grow, perennial, and unique vegetable that typically takes a few seasons to yield shoots or an edible part that you can consume sans having to kill the plant. Thus, you must invest in the best asparagus fertilizer which has a balanced NPK of 10-10-10, from the beginning itself.

 

Gardeners and home planters will testify that asparagus is one vegetable worth the wait, courtesy of how delicious it is. Moreover, even though it takes years to establish after it is planted, it gives you ample produce for two to three decades.

 

When planting, there are several asparagus varieties you can choose from. But, all the waiting can be futile if your asparagus does not get the vital nutrients needed to grow well. Hence, it is imperative to keep your plant well-fed.

 

We will unveil a few options in this guide below, but beyond picking the right fertilizer, it is equally vital to know when and how to fertilize the asparagus to get good produce.

 

While it may be different for the different fertilizers, feeding twice a year suffices. You can fertilize once in the spring before the first shoots show and re-fertilize after the last harvest.

 

 

Prepping The Soil Before Planting Asparagus

Fertilizing is particularly imperative till your asparagus bed establishes well. You can assess whether the asparagus bed has established or needs fertilizer in two ways:

 

1. Examine the growth – If it looks lush and healthy, it indicates that your plant is getting the necessary nutrients and does not require further fertilization. But, if the plant shows slow or weak growth, you must pick the right fertilizer and feed the plant.

2. Perform a soil assessment test in the fall – It can help you know about the deficiencies in the soil, and you can pick fertilizers accordingly.

 

How To Do A Soil Assessment Test?

If you wish to do a soil test at home, you can shop for a home soil test kit that can measure the pH and the NPK (Nitrogen, Phosphorous, and Potassium) levels in the soil. However, this is a quick way to know about your soil’s deficiencies but do not consider them as the precise means.

 

You can get a professional soil assessment test done, wherein you can get accurate recommendations on correcting the garden soil.

 

If you reach out to a licensed testing service provider, they will perform a detailed assessment and give correction recommendations. Several University Extension Offices offer soil testing at a nominal rate.

 

We recommend getting a soil assessment test every three to five years because the soil’s composition may change over time. Once you know the soil components, consider modifying them accordingly for the best all-round asparagus care.

 

What Is The Best Fertilizer For Asparagus? (Store Bought)

Here is a list of the four best fertilizers for asparagus:

 

1. Osmocote Smart-Release Plant Food Flower & Vegetable, 8 lb

 

Osmocote Smart-Release Plant Food Flower & Vegetable Check price on Amazon

 

It is slow-release fertilizer, providing gardeners with a perfect way to fertilize seasonal vegetables and perennials. We recommend this fertilizer as it promotes mighty roots and bountiful, rigorous, over-the-ground ground structure.

 

It is the best asparagus fertilizer as it has undergone decades of rigorous field testing that testifies its effectiveness with 100s of plant species in different soil conditions and climates. Please remember soil temperature monitors how Osmocote releases its nutrients into the soil and how plants absorb the nutrients.

 

One of the standout features of the Osmocote fertilizer is that even if you apply three times the recommended dosage, it will never burn the plant. Hence, it is 100% mistake-proof.

 

But, you must follow the directions of use to the T while fertilizing to avoid overfeeding the plant. It can give your plant a healthy season start in the right proportion.

 

Every application lasts for four months, courtesy of its unique granule coating technology. So, you mix the granule balls into the top one to three inches of the soil and keep your plant watered.

 

Then, over the next four months, the apt combination of sun and water will ensure that the nutrients seep out from the semi-permeable resin and feed the plant. Its smart-release technology and the ability to deliver the most flavorful production make it the best asparagus fertilizer.

 

The company trusts its product. So, if you do not like this fertilizer, you can send the empty package to The Scotts Company for a full refund.

 

How to use it?

  1. Take a scoopful (three tablespoons) of the feed for every four square feet or two gallons.
  2. Mix into the first three inches of the soil.
  3. Water plants regularly
  4. Reapply after four months.

 

Check price on Amazon

 

2. Miracle-Gro Water Soluble All Purpose Plant Food

 

Miracle-Gro Water Soluble All Purpose Plant Food Check price on Amazon

 

Miracle-Gro is one of the most reputed brands in the gardening industry and is famous for its all-purpose fertilizers. We believe it is one of the top choices for asparagus because it begins working instantly, helping relieve the malnutrition signs.

 

Moreover, this nitrogen-rich fertilizer assures that you can expect more beautiful and denser asparagus than you would have if you did not use any fertilizer. Because of its instant activation attribute, you can apply it once every seven to fourteen days or as is feasible.

 

It works well for vegetables, flowers, houseplants, shrubs, and trees. If used as directed, it will never burn the plants. However, to achieve excellent results, ensure that the plant gets access to the right light, water, and nutrition.

 

How to use it?

You can use this best asparagus fertilizer by mixing the powder with water or annexing the hose to the feeder but spray it strictly around the perimeter and not directly. Every gallon can cover ten square feet easily.

 

With the feeder

  1. Fill the jar with fertilizer.
  2. Attach the feeder to the garden hose and turn on the water.
  3. You can choose the spray pattern by switching the yellow spray head on the feeder.
  4. Squeeze the trigger and start spraying, carefully soaking the plant’s base.

 

With the watering can

  1. Add the fertilizer to the watering can.
  2. For indoor plants – ½ teaspoon per gallon suffices, and for outdoor plants – 1 tablespoon for every gallon works.
  3. Fill the can with water to mix the food.
  4. Soak the plant’s base for the best results

 

Check price on Amazon

 
 

3. Dr. Earth Organic 5 Tomato, Vegetable & Herb Fertilizer Poly Bag

 

Dr. Earth Organic 5 Tomato, Vegetable & Herb Fertilizer Poly Bag Check price on Amazon

 

Do you prefer an organic fertilizer that works as well as the synthetic one? If yes, this can be a good pick. It is a home-grown, hand-crafted fertilizer containing a TruBiotic mixture with seven strains of soil-friendly microbes.

 

It is drought-resistant. Hence, demand less watering. You can use it for feeding winter, summer, and vegetable garden crops. It also works well with native backyard soil or container plantings. You can use it during the initial seed planting, transplanting, or even regularly as a compost tea or top dressing.

 

It is the best organic fertilizer for asparagus as it contains probiotics and eight select Ecto and endo mycorrhizae strains that help strengthen root growth. Unlike the cheap and synthetic fertilizers available in the market that are full of sewage sludge, chicken manure, or other unhealthy ingredients, Dr. Earth is organic and nutritious.

 

It contains humic acids, proteins, multi-minerals, and trace elements that help with healthy and delicious plant growth. Moreover, it is a people and pet-safe fertilizer, Non-GMO Project Verified fertilizer that can feed the plant for several months.

 

How to use it?

It has a 4-6-3 composition. So, depending on your soil’s nutritional requirements and following the label instructions, you can feed the plant.

 

Check price on Amazon

 

4. Burpee Natural Purpose Granular 4-Lb Organic Food for Growing Strong Plants

 

Burpee Natural Purpose Granular 4-Lb Organic Food for Growing Strong Plants Check price on Amazon

 

It is all-purpose, OMRI-labeled organic plant food formulated to keep your plant happy and healthy. It contains vital nutrients like calcium, several minor nutrients, and microbes released immediately into the soil that helps keep the soil and plants healthy and well-fed for three months.

 

You can use this natural feed for bedding plants, seed starting, flower containers, shrubs, trees, and vegetable gardens. It stimulates better growth and blooms and works well for outdoor and indoor plants.

 

You get it as easy-to-apply granules that yield fast results for all kinds of plants in the home garden.

 

How to use it?

One cup for every ten feet row length works. So, follow the instructions and apply accordingly.

 

Check price on Amazon

 

Best Organic Fertilizer For Asparagus

Beyond the store-bought fertilizers listed above, you can also keep your asparagus healthy with organic fertilizers like manure and compost. You must apply these natural fertilizers before you plant new plants.

 

However, you can keep adding as and when necessary. Adding a two to four-inch layer of aged manure into the bed before plantation or mulching around the plant’s base with compost offers the vegetables the best taste and nutrition.
 
Related: Planting Asparagus Roots | Growing Asparagus from Seeds

 

Homemade Feed For Asparagus

A few of the best homemade feeds for asparagus include:

 

A. Coffee Asparagus Fertilizer

Coffee Asparagus Fertilizer

Bhushan Thakurdwarkar/istockphoto

 

Coffee grounds have an acidic composition. Hence, employ the leftover coffee grounds post-brewing for feeding the asparagus.

 

How to make it?

  1. Take a five-gallon bucket, and pour water into it.
  2. Add coffee grounds to the bucket.
  3. Let them sit for a few hours.

 

How to use it?

You can employ it as a foliar spray or pour it into the soil around the plants. It feeds the plant and helps keep pests at bay.

 

B. Eggshell Fertilizer

Eggshell Fertilizer

Eva-Foreman/istockphoto

 

Eggshells can be an excellent asparagus fertilizer. It helps lower the soil acidity and provides the plant with the necessary nutrients.

 

How to make it?

  1. Take one gallon of water in a giant pot.
  2. Add ten clean eggshells.
  3. Put it on the flame, and bring the liquid to a boil.
  4. Turn off the flame and let it sit overnight.

 

How to use it?

Feed two cups of liquid to every asparagus plant in your garden the next morning.

 

C. Banana Peel Fertilizer

Banana Peel Fertilizer

John Kevin/istockphoto

 
Banana peel is rich in magnesium, potassium, phosphorous, and calcium. Hence, it is an excellent feed for fertilizers.

 

How to make it?

Take banana peels and put them in a pot full of water. Cover them with a lid to not attract fruit flies. Let it sit in water for a day or two, and strain it in a watering can.

 

How to use it?

After two days, feed the mix to the asparagus seedlings. Alternatively, you can chop the banana peels and add them to the soil around the plants.

 

When Is The Best Time To Fertilize Asparagus?

Choose the best asparagus fertilizer  and fertilize the asparagus early in the spring before new spears show and then again in mid-summer after you harvest your last crop. It is imperative for the newly planted asparagus.

 

After the third year, you do not have to fertilize your asparagus twice a year. So, you can tie a schedule as per the soil’s condition. Moreover, if you mulch it routinely with rotted manure and compost, your asparagus plant will not need regular fertilization.

 

How To Fertilize Asparagus In The Spring?

Spring is the best time to fertilize the asparagus as stated above. So, you can do it before the spears show with 1 to 1.5 pounds of an all-purpose garden fertilizer for every 100 square feet. Alternatively, you can also fertilize in June after the last harvest.

 

Should You Fertilize Asparagus In The Fall?

Fertilizing the asparagus in the late fall can be beneficial. So, a generous application of well-composted manure can be a blessing for asparagus. Alternatively, you can also use a complete, balanced fertilizer with a 10-10-10 composition in the late spring or late fall after your finish harvesting.

 

Related: Asparagus Lifespan | Best Tasting Asparagus

 

Frequently Asked Questions

Ques 1. Are coffee grounds good for asparagus?

Ans. Fresh coffee grounds have an acidic nature. Hence, we recommend using the leftover grounds from brewing for the asparagus. You can take a five-gallon bucket and fill it with water.

 

Add coffee grounds to it and let them sit for some hours. Pour the coffee ground fertilizer into the soil around the plants. You can also use it as a foliar spray. It helps keep pests at bay and feeds the plant.

 

Ques 2. Is Epsom salt good for asparagus?

Ans. Yes, it is. Magnesium sulfate or Epsom salt boosts chlorophyll production and amplifies asparagus seed germination. It also provides the plant with the necessary nutrition.

 

Ques 3. Which is the best manure mix for asparagus?

Ans. Asparagus loves phosphorous. So, the best manure mix includes bone meal, rock phosphate, and composted manure. You can use chicken manure or rotted horse manure as well. It can help maintain high nutrient levels in the soil.

 

Ques 4. Do fertilizers result in an early harvest of asparagus?

Ans. The objective of fertilizers is not to give an early harvest but to provide the plant with its desired nutrients. You can only enjoy the asparagus’ harvest in its third growing season.

 
To Sum Up…

What is the best fertilizer for asparagus? An all-purpose 10-10-10 fertilizer that meets up the requirements of the soil is an ideal pick for healthy asparagus growth.