Growing Asparagus is a long-term investment, but in my opinion, it's worthwhile. It takes 3 years before you can take a full harvest from your plants (taking one or two spears from each plant in Year Two is admissible). If you are too impatient your plants will never "grow up big and strong"! Even in the third and subsequent years you must be restrained: stop harvesting spears at about the end of June in the UK. Tradition says that you ought not to harvest after Midsummer's Day (21 June), but I think a little bit of leeway is acceptable.
I have just harvested my first spears of the year. Not many, but they represent a long-anticipated delight that can simply not be matched by anything available in the shops, most of which is flown in from faraway places like Peru and Thailand. (I make an exception in the case of Farmers' Markets, which frequently offer some exceptionally high quality local produce.)
One of my six raised beds is devoted to Asparagus. In it I have 9 plants. There were originally 10, but one died during its first year. I keep hoping that the other plants will spread out and occupy the vacant slot, but it hasn't happened yet. You can see in my pictures that each plant has a bamboo cane marking its site. Later in the year, after harvesting ceases, I will allow some shoots to develop into ferns, which will be tied-in to the canes for support. In the picture you will see spears of Asparagus popping up all over, near the bases of the canes. Each year the plants have produced a greater number of spears than the year before. Last year I probably harvested about 10 or 12 spears from each plant. This year maybe it will be 12 or 15!
Just to give you an idea of scale, the height of the boards of my raised beds is 6" / 15cm, so the biggest Asparagus spear in my pictures is approximately 8" tall, which is about right for harvesting. You don't want to let the spears get too big, because they start to go woody after a certain point. Experience will tell you when. When harvesting you should cut each spear individually, with a very sharp (preferably serrated) knife, just below ground level, making a clean cut.
Did I mention that my Asparagus is Gijnlim, an all-male variety? I think you would guess that from the following picture...:)
This was today's harvest - the grand total of four spears.
Our first Asparagus was eaten as a lunchtime snack: two spears each, topped with a poached egg, and some leftover Hazelnut mayonnaise. The combination of egg and Asparagus is a marriage made in heaven!
What's your favourite way to eat the stuff? Please leave me a comment with your favourite Asparagus recipe.
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Giveaway: Nothing to do with Asparagus, but I thought you might like to know that Ali from Mud Pie is giving away three lovely books about gardening in Australia. Visit her blog to get the details, and leave a comment if you want to be in with a chance to win!
Ok, you tie the ferns to the canes? Mine have all gone to ferns since I planted them this year, I just let them grow out but I never thought of tying up the ferns. I have started these asparagus in a raised bed since my ones in the ground...well, never got taken care of. (a few of my roots died as well so maybe I will move in the ones from the old bed). Anyway, I think your asparagus looks great and hope mien does as well. I had never eaten asparagus until I met my husband and we only ate it boiled with butter. With the egg looks wonderful though.
ReplyDeleteOh I meant to ask is hazelnut mayonnaise something you made?
ReplyDeleteBecky; Re the Hazelnut Mayonnaise - Jane made it (of course). You just replace about 25% of the olive oil with Hazelnut oil. You can also use Walnut oil.
ReplyDeleteBecky: I always tie the Asparagus ferns lightly to the canes to support them and stop them toppling over. The fern gets pretty lush, and can easily become top-heavy. You could just as well put string around the whole Asparagus patch rather than tying-in each plant to a separate cane. It's just that I only have a few plants and it ends up being a 5-minute job.
ReplyDeleteI think maybe the fence around the asparagus bed is holding mine up alrigh (I went out and checked).
ReplyDeleteAs for the mayo. I have never even heard of hazelnut oil and walnut oil. I am going to have to look and see if we have that here.
Lovely Asparagus I eat them with lots of melted butter or quiche or with salmon basically next year this will be on my list to grow
ReplyDeleteThe Hazelnut mayo is the "Food of the Gods"! Absolutely fabulous. You MUST try to get some Hazelnut oil. If you can find it, it will sound expensive, but bear in mind that you only need a little each time.
ReplyDeleteOh, lucky you!! I think my favorite way to eat it is wrapped in proscuitto and sprinkled with a hard grated cheese...yum!!
ReplyDeleteImpressive asparagus. I'm afraid I just steam it au naturale.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the information about asparagus. I really must try to find the space to grow some in the future. Although I'm pretty impatient - three years is a long time!
ReplyDeleteOh okay, I am convinced now - I must plant asparagus... yours look wonderful. What kind of position do they like?
ReplyDeleteOh yum I loooove asparagus. A colleague of mine has an asparagus farm and brings in boxes for us. I like mine just slow roasted in the oven drizzled with olive oil and salt - very plain but oh so sweet and melt in your mouth. Or crunchy in a stir fry! Mmmmmmm...
ReplyDeleteI can't wait for three years! At least mine is in the ground, but you are a cruel, cruel man Mr Willis to flaunt your asparagus under my nose like this. Isn't it funny that no-one has mentioned your naughty reference to boy asparagus....All the other readers must be much more refined than me. LOL
ReplyDeleteHeard that too asparagus takes 3 years before the first harvest. I tried to grow but failed. Not patient enough, and sowed some other seeds into the soil- does the asparagus seed takes long time to germinate? My favourite is simply fry with garlic, or just water boil it, yummy!!
ReplyDeleteThey look great, I don't grow asparagus, I think I would give it a go if I ever got an allotment.
ReplyDeleteMilka: I don't know how long Asparagus seed takes to germinate, because I have never tried. It is normal to buy 1-year-old "crowns" (bare-root plants) from a reputable supplier, which is what I did.
ReplyDeleteRobin; your way of cooking the Asparagus with prosciutto and cheese sounds pretty good. I'll try it that way when I get some more spears...
Lightly steamed with butter is my favorite way. Don't have any asparagus growing here. We did have an asparagus bed in the 80s at our other house. Funny story - when my husband was digging the new asparagus bed, a neighbor came over and asked in all seriousness whether we were putting in a swimming pool. We had asparagus from there for several years but then it slowly stopped producing.
ReplyDeleteThe anthropomorphism of asparagus! Steamed, oven roasted, with butter, egg or prosciutto they are all fabulous!
ReplyDeleteFabulous veggies!
ReplyDeleteAn asparagus question: what is your protocol on harvesting stalks? Do you harvest the first few and leave the rest? Do you harvest all the stalks except for the pencil thin ones?
I have a small patch and always wonder.
Oh yum. I dream of having an asparagus bed. Come the move...
ReplyDeleteLuvaragula: I cut all the spears until about the end of June. After that I let them grow to maturity. So far, I have not had any pencil-thin spears - they are all about as thick as a finger (or thicker).
ReplyDeleteOh wow fresh asparagus harvest. I wonder if asparagus can actually grow and produce spear in tropical country but in cooler area like on high altitude. Like in Cameron Highland in Malaysia for example.
ReplyDeleteOh yum! Great pics too! I was just checking to see if anyone had mentioned the 'maleness' of your asparagus and was delighted to see that Hazel had ;)Mo
ReplyDelete