I'll be glad to share my experience - although no expert here.

My "gus" bed was started about 3-4 years ago. I ordered Washington's from mail order. Dug a small sized bed (few eaters here), about 3 ft. x 5 ft and approximately a foot deep, planted the crowns on a small hill, then covered with compost until they sprouted.

As they grew, I added more dirt and compost, until the trench was filled. My yields weren't so awfully good even tho I fertilized with regular compost.

Then decided to add Jersey types in sparse areas. That helped. Last spring, I bought some cotton seed meal (heavy nitrogen) and they really perked up, also added some chicken manure. I now have a flourishing healthy asparagus bed, that I'm sure will produce a goodly crop next spring.

It likes heavy on the nitrogen fertilizer -

I'd grow it by itself - as you can enjoy "gus" for many years, once established.

Bejay

Gus doesn't tolerate other plantings all that well. It prefers its own bed as the roots of the crowns become very dense and the crowns themselves can grow to dinner plate size. ;)

They make a fertilizer specifically for asparagus but any well balanced high nutrient one will work well. What is crucial is the times of application - pre-emergence in the early spring, again mid- summer, and again in late fall. The fall feeding time would be ideal time to use your compost and composted manures - never fresh.

Be sure to check out all the previous discussions here on asparagus too for even more info.

Dave

Here is a link that might be useful: Asparagus discussions