Growing Asparagus
Aspargus officianalis : Asparagaceae / the asparagus family
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| T | |||||||||||
| P | P | P | P |
(Best months for growing Asparagus in South Africa - Summer rainfall regions)
- T = Plant out (transplant) seedlings
- P = Plant crowns
- Easy to grow. Plant as crowns. Best planted at soil temperatures between 61°F and 86°F.
- Space plants: 8 - 16 inches apart
- Harvest in 2-3 years. Plant 'crowns' to harvest earlier .
- Compatible with (can grow beside): Parsley, Basil, Nasturtiums, Lettuce
- Avoid growing close to: Garlic, Onions, and root vegetables
Plant crowns (roots) 20 - 40 cm apart and a few cm (1 inch) deep in well manured soil. The asparagus shoots grow in spring. Harvest the shoots which are bigger than 1 - 2 cm/half-inch in diameter. Leave the rest to grow into the leafy ferns (1.5 m/5 - 6 ft tall) which will feed the crowns to give a crop next year. In autumn the ferns will be covered in bright red poisonous berries.
Leave the ferns to die down in autumn, then trim off the dead stalks and pile on plenty of rotted manure/compost to give the roots plenty of food to produce new stems in spring.
Harvest by cutting off the stalk, close to the ground. From the third year you can get an additional crop by letting the first lot of ferns grow, then bending down the stalks to break them. A second crop of shoots will grow and can be harvested. Leave subsequent shoots to grow on to ferns. Asparagus does not like continuously wet and warm soil. It grows better where there is a cool or frosty season.
Culinary hints - cooking and eating Asparagus
Steaming is traditional, then coating with melted butter or hollandaise sauce.
Alternatively break in short lengths, and cook quickly in hot oil in a wok and sprinkle with soy sauce or balsamic vinegar.
NOTE: The asparagus berries are poisonous. Only the young shoots are edible.
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