How to GrowAsparagus

Asparagus is a vegetable that belongs to theallium family, which also comprises leeks,onions, chives and shallots. It is native to theMediterranean and Asia Minor areas, but hassince been cultivated in most countriesaround the world. Contrary to many people’sconception, asparagus is a hardy plant andadaptable to most climate conditions, andindeed, as a perennial that overwinters in theground, they thrive in places that have winterground freezes. Asparagus is also a veryhealthy vegetable, providing good levels of awide range of nutrients. These includepotassium, B vitamins and calcium. And withno fat and virtually no calories, asparagusdelivers all these positive benefits withoutany downside.

Position

Choose a position where your asparagus canstay permanently. They are a perennial plantand, given the right conditions andmaintenance, can provide you with crops foryears, even decades. Indeed, you won’t beharvesting them until at least the third yearafter planting, as the root system takessome time to grow strong enough towithstand harvest. Ideally you want to givethe asparagus a position in full sunlight.They will tolerate partial shade, but fullsunlight produces the most vigorous growth

and the healthiest plant. The location alsoneeds to drain well, as standing water willrot the roots.

Soil

Asparagus plants like a soil that is welldrained and rich in organic matter. Theydevelop very deep roots, so you want to tryand make sure the soil is loosely structuredfor quite a way down the soil profile,enabling the roots to grow well and formoisture to percolate and aeration to occur.The best way to prepare the soil forasparagus plants is to dig a trench of around75 centimeters and then add lots of organicmaterial to it. This can include compost,manure, worm castings, leaf litter and so on.You can then layer soil over the top. Thelower layer of organic matter will draw downthe roots of the asparagus plants, makingthem stringer and more resilient. It will alsohelp keep the pH of the soil balanced.Asparagus prefer a soil of between 6.5 and 7in pH, so if your soil is acidic consider addingsome organic lime along with the organicmaterial.

Planting

Asparagus is typically planted either asseeds or seedlings. In either case, ensureyou have organic specimens. Plant

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approximately 40 centimeters apart. Thismay seem like a lot but it is to prevent theextensive root systems from competing witheach other for nutrients. Water the newlyplanted specimens well, ideally withharvested rainwater. You can also plantasparagus as ‘crowns’. These are noduleswith roots already growing and are typicallyabout a year old. Plant in trenches aroundsix inches deep and well composted. Placeeach crown on a small mound and spreadthe roots out in different directions to ensurerobust growth. Planting crowns will meanyou should be able to harvest in the secondyear after planting rather than the third.However, make sure you source crownsfrom an organic supplier, and do not use anythat are more than a year old, as the shockof transplantation is more severe with oldercrowns. In all cases, mulch around theplants to help preserve moisture and protectthe plants during the winter.

Companions

A common companion plant for asparagus istomato. The tomato repels the asparagusbeetle that feeds on the roots, while theasparagus is thought to repel certainnematodes in the soil, which may damagethe tomatoes. You should avoid plantingasparagus in close proximity to other alliumsas, given the similar genetic profile, they willbe competing for the same nutrients andinhibit one another’s growth.

Water

Water regularly, as the soil should be welldrained. The asparagus plants need morewater in their first two years of growth toestablish themselves. You may want to

consider installing a drip irrigation system.

Maintenance

Compost around the plants each spring tohelp support growth. The extensive roots ofthe asparagus plants typically out-competeweeds for nutrients, so they shouldn’t be aproblem after the first year or two. After thefirst frost in winter, or when the foliage ofthe plants turns yellow or brown, cut theasparagus back to ground level. This willhelp stimulate growth in the spring. Whenyou cut back the foliage try to avoid lettingthe berries fall to the ground as they cangerminate and your garden bed will have toomany plants to be support.

Harvest

In the third year after planting, you canharvest the spears over a four-week period,while by the fourth the harvesting period canbe extended to 8 weeks. Looks for spearswith tightly formed tips and thin, strongstalks. As the weather warms up over theharvesting season, more and more spearswill appear and you can harvest every otherday or so, depending on the number ofplants you have. Snap the spears off atground level.

Kitchen

Like most vegetables, asparagus are bestused as soon after harvest as possible. Thisis when they are at their fresher and soreplete with the maximum amount ofnutrients and flavor. However, uncookedasparagus spears will keep for up to threedays in the refrigerator and still be tasty.However, the spears should really be keptdamp, so either wrap in a damp tea towel or,

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alternatively, place the base of the stems ina jar with about an inch of water in thebottom then cover the tops loosely with aplastic bag. Asparagus can be used raw insalads, but that method means the stalksremain somewhat fibrous and only the tipsare generally used. To use all of the spearsthey should be quickly boiled or steamed, fortwo or three minutes at most. This softensthe stem to make it more appealing but alsoretains most of the nutrients. The key is toretain the bright green color of the stems – ifthey start to leach color they are leachingnutrients and flavor. A good tip is that onceyou have finished boiling or steaming, plungethe spears into ice water to preserve thecolor and flavor.

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