Native to the Mediterranean and eaten by the ancient Egyptians and Greeks, succulent asparagus spears are ready for harvest when most other plants in the vegetable garden are just getting started.
Saving Seeds From Your Own Plants
You may expand your asparagus bed by saving seeds from the female plant. Simply cut the ferny plant top in late fall when the berries are red. Hang the fern to dry then soak the dried berries in water to soften the skins. Squeeze out the seeds and rinse off the pulp. Dry seeds between paper towels for a day or two then store them in a sealed plastic baggie and refrigerate until ready to sow. To make sure they remain dry, slip in another small piece of paper towel with the stored seeds.
Growing Indoors
To gain an extra year of growth - and who doesn't want to eat these tasty vegetables as soon as possible - start your seeds indoors in February. When using purchased seeds or your own saved seeds, presprouting will ensure greater success.
Spread seeds between folds of lightly dampened paper towel, slip into a plastic baggie and seal. Lay the baggie on top of your refrigerator where it's warm. Expect germination within 10 to 14 days. Sow your presprouted seeds in 3 1/2 to 4 inch pots and place on a sunny windowsill. Water as needed and fertilize only once, if at all, with a diluted liquid organic fertilizer.
Planting Young Asparagus
Prepare your asparagus bed with deep fertile sandy loam soil. Low fertility can cause fibrous spears. Attention to plant spacing and soil pH will reward you with many years of this delicious treat.
After the last spring frost, dig holes 8 inches deep then carefully remove your new asparagus plants from their pots and settle them in the bottom of the holes. Fill each hole with soil about half way, making sure the greens are still above the soil. Space the plants 12 inches apart. Over the summer, gradually fill in the planting holes to the surface as greens grow above ground level. Deep planting will encourage a strong root system and protect the slender shoots of young plants from heavy winds.
Asparagus has plenty going for it. The first vegetable in the spring garden after a long winter, this hardy perennial can last for 20 or 30 years in well planned asparagus beds. A highly nutritious vegetable, asparagus deserves a place in every garden.
Linnea Heinrichs - After years of extensive research into the medieval period, Linnea's debut novel, The First Vial, was published in 2005 by Thistledown ...
