Asparagus - Grown Tender In The Home Garden
by John Yazo
Asparagus is a fern like perennial vegetable. It is grown for it's young tender shoots, also called "spears". It is one of the first vegetables harvested in the spring. Fresh picked it is far more tender and tasty than the ones purchased in the local supermarket. It is also a good source of nutrients and vitamins like, vitamins B and C, along with calcium and iron.
There is some care that is needed to be taken when planting asparagus. It will grow in the same location for about twenty years if the bed is properly prepared. It is a crop that prefers full sun but will tolerate some shade. When planted in full sun it will grow more vigorous and will be less susceptible to disease problems. It likes a light soil that warms quickly in the spring and is well drained. A soil that stays wet or has standing water will rot the root system of asparagus. To prepare the soil dig in plenty of composted manure and achieve a good soil structure that will drain properly.
Depending on how much you like asparagus about fifty plants is enough for the average use of a family of four. If you really plan on consuming allot the you can easily triple the quantity planted. When purchasing asparagus to be planted you will be buying what is called "crowns". Purchase crowns that are one year old, two year old crowns don't seam to hold up to the shock of transplanting as well as the one year crowns do. When purchasing them make sure the nursery is reputable . Don't purchase the crowns until you are ready to plant. The crowns should be fresh, firm and disease-free. They can also be planted from seed but will take allot more patience, but do have there advantages. A seed grown crop usually will out preform a crop that is started from crowns. The advantage of seed crops is that you can eliminate the female plants. An asparagus bed with all male plants will produce twenty five to thirty percent more spears.
Once you bed has been prepared you will need to prepare a trench about twelve inches wide and six to eight inches deep to accept the crowns. When setting the crowns make small mounds of soil or compost so the the tentacle type root system drape over the small mounds placing the crowns about one and half to two feet apart and cover with about two inches of soil to start. Keep adding soil over the trench every two weeks until it is slightly mounded higher than the sides of the trench.
After the crowns have been planted apply a layer of organic mulch to suppress any weeds. It is very important that weeds are keep under control and don't take over the beds, weed as needed. As the bed of asparagus matures it will crowd out allot of the weeds. During the first two years you will need to keep them watered on a regular bases, as they get more mature the plants will send out roots that will go deeper into the ground and watering wont be as critical as when they are young.
Fertilize the beds in the early spring and in the fall with a liquid organic fertilizer like compost tea or side-dress the beds with an aged or composted manure.
At the end of the growing season leave the old dried foliage and mulch for winter protection and remove it in the early spring so the ground will warm quicker. Be sure it is removed before the first shoots start to appear.
If you prefer white asparagus you can easily mound compost or mulch up around the shoots as they emerge. This will keep them white and extra tender. It is a little more work but much worth it.
If
you would like to comment on this website or have any suggestions
please feel free to contact us
