6 Top Asparagus Tips

If you are looking to grow this culinary treat, here are some things you should know…

1) As asparagus will be in the same site on your plot for many years, it is really important to do your prep work. Make sure the site is free-draining, with nutrient-rich soil, in a spot free from frost pockets. Also, make sure the space is convenient for you to work around with other crops, and you are happy for that to be you asparagus bed for years to come.

2) You can grow from seed, or from crowns. As you shouldn’t harvest spears for the first couple of years, in order to let the plants become established, many people prefer to opt for crowns – as growing from seed adds extra time on top of this. Seeds, however, are cheaper – so decide what suits your growing needs and garden budget more.

3) In spring, your asparagus crowns will burst into growth – this is a good time to apply a generous amount of organic fertiliser around the base of the plants. This helps add a little pep to the soil. On the subject of soil, when you are siting a new asparagus bed, don’t put it where the crop has been grown before, as soil will be tired.

4) One of the few pests you will have to contend with when growing this crop is the asparagus beetle. They will strip outer leaves from the stem, as well as the outer bark, so can cause a lot of damage (this is both the beetles, and their larvae). The mahogany-black beetles are just shy of a centimetre long and have bright markings on their casings. They lay dark-coloured, cylindrical eggs on the shoot tips and stems. The adult beetles appear in spring as the spears first emerge, having overwintered in the leaf litter surrounding crowns or in the old hollow stems themselves. Dispose of old stems at the end of the season to get rid of overwintering beetles – you don’t want to give them anywhere to hide.

5) In the third year of growth, you can finally begin cutting! The first spears nudge through the ground from about early to mid April. Allow a cutting period of eight weeks from this point, taking the last cut in about mid June to let the foliage develop and recharge plants. Spears may be cut once they reach about 10-15cm high – leave them to grow longer and the outer skin becomes tough and will need peeling. To cut, insert a knife next to the spear and cut it off 5cm below ground level so you get some pure white stem with the spear.

6) Asparagus is one of those crops really best enjoyed fresh, so cut as you need, rather than storing for a long period of time to avoid spoiling, where this is possible. The fresh spears are jam-packed with nutrients and flavour, and are a real treat for veg gardeners. However, if you do have a glut all ready at once, fear not! The spears can be kept in the fridge for up to a week, stood in cold water. Alternatively, they do freeze rather well – simply cut the stem into sections and blanch for a couple of minutes in boiling water beforehand to get the best results.