How to successfully grow asparagus in your garden The McDonough County Voice GALESBURG — Asparagus is one of the few perennial vegetables that is commonly grown in gardens. But don’t let that intimidate you - it’s a relatively easy crop to grow. However, you’ll need to exercise some patience when growing asparagus. What type should I grow? When growing asparagus, you’ll have a choice between planting seeds and crowns. Most people tend to plant one-year-old plants, which are referred to as roots or crowns, and for a good reason. While asparagus seeds will be much less expensive than crowns, it will take much longer to get your plants established (one year to develop the root system, another year for above-ground growth). If you decide to grow asparagus from seed, you’ll need to wait for three or four years before you can start harvesting asparagus! With crowns, you can begin harvesting small amounts the year after they are planted.