An All-Male Asparagus Bred for Decades of Thick, Tender Spears

Jersey Knight Asparagus (Asparagus officinalis 'Jersey Knight') is a vigorous, all-male hybrid that channels its energy into producing thick, tender spears instead of seed — so you get higher yields and almost no weedy volunteer seedlings. It's disease-resistant, cold-hardy, and a true long-term investment: a well-tended bed produces for 15–20 years. Whether you're starting a backyard patch in Edina, filling a raised bed in Maple Grove, or planting a permanent food garden in Woodbury — Jersey Knight is a dependable perennial vegetable for zone 4b–5a gardens.

Jersey Knight Asparagus Plant Details

Jersey Knight Asparagus Uses in Minnesota Gardens

A permanent edible bed

Because asparagus lives for decades, give it its own dedicated bed or a corner of the vegetable garden where it won't be disturbed by tilling — a back row in a Plymouth garden is ideal.

Raised beds

Raised beds suit asparagus well in the Twin Cities, giving the deep, loose, well-draining soil its roots crave and warming earlier in spring.

Edible landscaping

The tall, ferny summer foliage is genuinely ornamental — use it as a feathery green backdrop in an edible border in Eden Prairie.

Best Time to Plant Jersey Knight Asparagus in Minnesota

Plant crowns in spring (late April–May) as soon as the soil can be worked and the threat of hard frost has passed. This gives the crowns a full season to establish before winter. Fall planting is not recommended for asparagus crowns in our climate.

How to Plant Jersey Knight Asparagus

1. Dig a trench 6–8 inches deep and 12 inches wide. Work plenty of compost into the bottom.
2. Make a low ridge of soil along the trench and drape each crown's roots over it, spacing crowns 12–18 inches apart.
3. Cover the crowns with 2–3 inches of soil to start. As shoots grow through the season, gradually fill the trench until level.
4. Keep the bed weed-free — asparagus hates competition.
5. Mulch 2–3 inches with straw or shredded leaves to suppress weeds and hold moisture.
6. Do not harvest the first year; let the ferns grow to build strong roots.

Watering Jersey Knight Asparagus in Minnesota

First Year Watering Schedule

• Provide 1–2 inches of water per week while crowns establish
• Keep the soil evenly moist but never waterlogged — crowns rot in standing water
• Stop supplemental watering 2–3 weeks before ground freeze (typically late October in the Twin Cities).

After Year One

Established beds are fairly drought-tolerant but yield best with 1 inch of water per week during dry spells, especially during the spring harvest window.

When can I start harvesting?

Take a light harvest (a couple of weeks) in year two, then a full 6–8 week harvest from year three on. Patience early pays off in decades of strong spears.

What does "all-male" mean and why does it matter?

All-male hybrids like Jersey Knight put their energy into spears rather than berries and seed, so they out-yield older varieties and rarely seed weedy volunteers into the bed.

Do I cut the ferns down?

Let the ferns grow all summer to feed the roots, then cut them to the ground after they brown in late fall. Mulch for winter.

You May Also Like

• Heritage Raspberry — an easy everbearing fruit for the edible garden
• Consort Currant — a hardy, productive fruiting shrub
• Shop the full Three Timbers Minnesota catalog — zone 4-hardy plants for Twin Cities gardens