autumn planting asparagus

I don't think you will get crowns until Spring - if you can I'd be suspicious of them.

Personally I would go to a specialist grower, as I suspect that Marshalls / Browns and the rest are buying in and selling on, and it would be better if the crowns came to you direct from the grower.  They may well be cold stored until despatch, better they stay that way until the last moment

These people are excellent and their website is full of good information

https://www.asparagus-in-kent.co.uk/

The asparagus you buy from garden centres will be a bit dried up in packets. Asaragus has really finished growing now and lies dormant until Spring, so if you plant now it has a good chance of rotting.

Kent Asparagus dig their plants in March before they awake from dormancy and put them in a chiller. They dispatch them until about June.

These people are excellent and their website is full of good information

https://www.asparagus-in-kent.co.uk/

That's the one I was thinking of

Kristen, a few varieties are ok to plant in Autumn, well at least a few are available to buy with intention of Autumn planting.

Not come across any, but you may well be right.  I'm conservative in such things and would go the tried and trusted route and plant in the Spring. Asparagus bed should produce for 20 years or so, and crucial is getting the roots established and growing vigorously so that the plant can produce a harvest where, in effect, every time it grows it gets cut down to the ground! for a couple of months at the start of each year ...

People say you can take a few spears after 1 / 2 years, may have been overkill but we didn't, we wanted our bed to develop maximum vigour for the long-game.

I've just ordered some Autumn planting ones from T&M. Due to be delivered in Oct/Nov. I think you need to move quick as they are being sold fast now.