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| Growing Asparagus | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Asparagus is a long-lived hardy perennial that is grown for its slender young shoots, along with its ornamental foliage. It is one of the first vegetables ready to harvest in the spring, and is very high in potassium and folic acid, as well as beta carotene and vitamin E. Since an asparagus bed can last 20 years or more, it should be planted separately from the main garden, and treated as its own entity. Asparagus should be planted as soon as the ground can be worked in the spring, in an open, sheltered area with well drained soil. It is easier to plant one year old crowns as opposed to starting from seed. Starting from seed adds another year to the amount of time it takes to establish a bed, and before you will be able to harvest. Seeds are sown in a production bed and allowed to grow for a year before transplanting to their permanent home. Females should be elimninated and added to the compost pile. Male plants are more productive that females. Male plants produce thicker, larger spears because the don't put energy into seed production. After the first year, small red berries form on the female plants in late summer which are poisonous. There are several new varieties available that produce only males. Jersey Giant, Jersey Knight, Jersey Prince, Viking KBC are a few of the new hybrids with larger yields, but the Mary Washington is a tried and true favorite among many gardeners. The fall or winter before planting, dig in plenty of well rotted organic matter. Two weeks before planting, work over the soil with a rake, and add a general fertilizer to the top two to three inches. Place the plants in a trench 12 inches wide and 8 inches deep, and then make a 4 inch mound in the bottom. The crowns should be spaced 9 to 12 inches apart. Spread the roots out uniformly, with the crown bud side up, in an upright, centered position, slightly higher than the roots. Cover the crown with two inches of soil. Gradually fill the remaining portion of the trench during the first summer as the plants grow taller. Frequent, light, shallow cultivation is necessary to keep weeds from competing with asparagus. Take care not to injure the roots as asparagus plants produce a mat of roots that spreads horizontally. Asparagus can be harvested the third year after planting crowns, but for no more than one month the first season. The plant is still expanding its root storage system and excessive removal of spears weakens the plants. Although it will be tempting, do not harvest until after the third year of planting, and don't harvest after midsummer as it will result in thin spears the following year. When spears are 4-7 inches long, use a sharp knife to cut the spear just below the soil, taking care not to damage any spears that haven't emerged yet. Freshly picked homegrown asparagus will have much more flavor that what you will find in store-bought asparagus. Cook as soon as possible to ensure peak flavor. Spears start to lose flavor and moisture as soon as they are harvested. To prepare, rinse with cool running water and trim an inch from the stem end. Cut an inch or two off the bottom end to remove the heavy fibrous portion. Asparagus can be eaten raw, or cooked in a variety of ways. My favorite is simply to saute in a pan with real butter and fresh garlic, and real salt. The best method to use for preserving asparagus is freezing. Blanch spears 2 to 4 minutes depending on size. Immediately immerse in ice water for 5 minutes to cool. Drain slightly, then package in freezer bags gently squeezing out as much air as possible without smushing the spears. Asparagus will keep this way for up to a year. |
Herbs Index Recipes Winter gardening Seeds Artichokes Asparagus Beans Beets Broccoli Brussels Sprouts Cabbage Cantaloupe Carrots Cauliflower Celery Corn Cucumbers Eggplant Garlic Kale Kohlrabi Leeks Lettuce Melons Okra Onions Peas Peppers Potatoes Pumpkins Squash Sunflowers Tomatoes Watermelons |
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