Not everyone likes asparagus, but those who do often want to grow it in their gardens.

As a perennial vegetable, asparagus can come back each year for up to 15 years if the plants are well cared for. Asparagus can also be grown almost everywhere in the United States except for Florida and the Gulf Coast region – conditions there are too mild (and often also too wet) to keep asparagus healthy and to satisfy the winter dormancy requirements.

Asparagus can use a lot of sunlight, too, and a sandy soil that drains fast and well. If there is too much water held in the soil the roots can rot and the plants will die. The plants can also be used as a hedge but you don’t want to plant them too close together because they’ll fill in over their life span.

If you grow asparagus you’ll need to be patient, because you won’t harvest anything from them for the first two to three years of their life. The foliage need to be cut back to the ground and covered with mulch each fall when it dies out and turns brown.

Asparagus is also susceptible to the Asparagus Beetle and to aphids, so take note if the plants start to turn yellow or if foliage starts to disappear. You can also look for ants or for spots that look like rust to help determine whether there are any diseases or pests affecting your asparagus plants.