Written by Charlotte West
Thousand of years ago asparagus was cultivated as a medicinal plant in monastic gardens, but today it is prized in many countries for its flavor. While some countries prize the mouth watering white asparagus, it requires more technical harvesting. That being because the white variety grows void of light in built up mounds having to be dug up to be harvested. It’s green and purple counter parts, however, are more forgiving.
The true green or purplish asparagus is a table staple. Purple or green grows almost in almost any soil conditions. These two types of asparagus are easy to grow and harvest. They tend to like to full sun which is no problem here in Dixie country.
Green and purple grow the best in warm weather. I prefer the genuine green for it;s higher content of vitamin C and it aromatic flavor. The true green color comes because of its high content of chlorophyll.
It is pretty adaptable to any soil types, but do not over water. You want a tall strong asparagus. My friend Bill says that as a kid he used to gather asparagus from the roadside; kind of like how collard greens grow wild in the south.
Harvest time should happen in late spring to early summer. Stop harvesting asparagus when it gets to be smaller than the diameter of a pencil. You may even have to wait a year or so before you can even harvest. Harvesting smaller than this will result in a poor root stock for the following year. This is a perennial plant therefore you want to allow the plats to go to seed, not only for self production but so that the plant can store nutrition and food for the following season
As we all know good asparagus is not cheap to buy so be patient if you can’t harvest the first year or so. It will be worth the wait.
The proper way to store asparagus is to wrap it in a damp towel in your crisper. It will store fresh for a few days. It is not suggested to freeze asparagus as it contains 95 percent water and freezing will only cause it to be limp. You want a nice crisp break when you snap this amazing vegetable.
So to get that restaurant flavor and texture, you will need to cut off the bottoms and place the tips and used parts in cool water before cooking to stop them from drying out and boil or steam the vegetable. Now you may wonder what to do with the left over parts . You can shred them like you would a carrot and use the shredding to use later in soups. This will provide a yummy addition to any soup base and it will make it rich in vitamin C.
This is my first year growing asparagus. My plants were one year old plants. So it will be fun to see what they become. I will keep you posted how this all works for me.
Charlotte West moved to southern Utah in 2004 from the farmlands of southern Arkansas, where cultivating the earth is a way of life. Her experiences give her a unique perspective on how plants grow, adapt, and survive in different climates. She finds great joy in sharing her knowledge with others and tending to her garden. From seedlings to 70-year-old elms, she can help you with your horticulture needs.
