Mary Washington Asparagus Seeds (OP)

Asparagus officinalis
Asparagus is a hardy perennial, as it is the only common vegetable that has grown wild along country roadsides. Also is one of the first vegetables ready to harvest in the spring. Mary Washington asparagus is an old American favorite that has high yields. Produces long spears in June and is somewhat rust resistant. When selecting a spot in your garden, find a sunny spot that is well drained and will not be disturbed for years. You should harvest in the second year as the first year will be devoted in establishing a strong root system that will in turn yield an ample harvest each year thereafter. (100 seeds per package)

Vegetable Garden- Tips on Growing Asparagus From Seeds

Growing asparagus from seed - either in pots or directly into the beds - gives the best viability, with a survival rate of around 100%. In addition, with direct sowing there is no transplanting or root shock to delay valuable root development.

The best time to sow asparagus seeds is around mid-April when the ground is warm enough to initiate germination. A good tip is to soak the seeds in water for a couple of hours before planting. You will find that this will help to speed up the germination process considerably.

DIRECT SOWING

Once the bed has been prepared, rake over the top layer into a fine texture, then sow the seed into thin rows down to a depth of about 1/2 inch. Depending on how many plants you intend cropping each subsequent row should be between 12 and 18 inches apart. Water them in well if conditions are dry.
The new seedlings should emerge in about 3 weeks, and as soon as they are large enough they can be thinned out to about 2 inches apart. Then, once the seedlings reach about 6 inches high, they can be thinned out again to around 18 inches apart. For the rest of the year you just need to keep the beds weeded and the plants well-watered. If you have bought seed varieties that produce both male and female plants, you will need to remove any female forms as soon as they become identifiable - normally from their berries.
Growing your own plants can delay the establishment of your bed by an additional year, but it does ensure that you are starting with new crowns that have not lost any of their vigor through being lifted, stored and shipped.