I love asparagus, and since it's so expensive to buy in the stores, I thought I'd bite the bullet and try growing it myself. Considering that even to buy plants is not cheap, and I want them to grow for a long time, I have a few questions. How rich a soil do they like, are they heavy feeders, and do they require full sun or can they tolerate some shade? I was looking through the Gurney's catalog and noticed that they have some what they call "Giant Grade" 3-year-old roots, but I'm wondering if by trying to get a quicker yield I would be sacrificing longevity?

Thanks and Happy New Year to all!

Edie