Purple Passion, (F1) Asparagus Roots

Purple Passion (F1) Asparagus Roots

Sweet purple spears bring color to perennial vegetable beds
Tender stalks are excellent raw when freshly harvested
Cooking transforms the purple color to green
Established roots supply spring harvests for years

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Key Attributes

Botanical Name

Asparagus officinalis

Days to maturity

2 Years

Sun

Full Sun

Zones 2–9 Check your growing zone

About Purple Passion, (F1) Asparagus Roots, Asparagus Roots

The Purple Passion is a fun and colorful asparagus to grow. This dark purple asparagus plant is a perennial that can be planted just once and the succulent spears can be enjoyed for years. A very nutritious and delicious vegetable to have in your garden.

Growing details

Planting

Sow Depth

1/4"

Days to Germination

14–28 days

Germination Type

C60 - Cold Moist 60 Days

In-row plant spacing

14"

Row Spacing

30"

Plant profile

Maturity

Spring

Life Cycle

Perennial

Hardiness Zone

Zones 2-9

Plant Height

48 inches

Growth Habits

Upright

Seed & variety

Color

Purple

Seed Type

Hybrid

Before Planting

Choose a permanent full-sun bed with deep, fertile, well-drained soil. Remove perennial weeds before planting, incorporate compost, and correct pH and nutrients from a soil test. Dig a 6–12 inch furrow, using the shallower end of that range in heavy soil.

Planting

Set one-year crowns in early spring as soon as the soil is workable, with buds about 12 inches apart. Arrange the roots naturally, cover crowns with a few inches of soil, and return the remaining soil gradually as shoots develop. Water after planting and keep the new bed weed-free.

Watering

Keep new asparagus beds evenly moist during their first two seasons. Established plants need deep watering during prolonged drought, especially while ferns are growing, but the crown area should never remain saturated.

Fertilizer

After harvest ends, apply compost or a balanced fertilizer according to soil-test recommendations to support fern growth. Avoid fertilizing late enough to encourage tender growth before frost.

Harvesting

Begin light asparagus harvests only after crowns are well established, usually the third growing season. Cut or snap spears when they reach usable height and before tips loosen. Stop harvesting when spear size declines, allowing ferns to develop.

Tips

Keep the bed weed-free without deep cultivation that could injure crowns. Allow ferns to grow after harvest, then remove them only after they brown naturally to replenish underground reserves.

Pests & Diseases

Fusarium crown and root rot, Phytophthora rot, rust, purple spot, and Cercospora blight can shorten an asparagus bed’s life. Reject crowns with soft tissue or reddish-brown decay. Choose well-drained ground, avoid stressing plants through drought or overharvest, control weeds, remove diseased fern debris after dormancy, and sanitize tools.

Asparagus beetles, aphids, cutworms, and slugs may damage spears and ferns. Handpick beetles and eggs, remove old fern debris after dormancy, and preserve beneficial insects that attack larvae.