Plant ID card |
|
|---|---|
Botanical name |
Asparagus officinalis. |
Common name |
Asparagus. |
Family |
Asparagaceae. |
Origin |
Mediterranean Basin. |
Dimensions |
80 cm to 1.5 meters. |
Foliage |
Green leaves with a very feathery appearance. |
Bloom |
Very small yellowish flowers appear from May to August, before small round, bright red, toxic fruits. |
Exposure |
Sunny, warm, sheltered from the wind. |
Ground |
Sandy, light and deep. |
Rusticity |
Asparagus does not do well in cold soils and cannot tolerate temperatures below -5°C. |
What if you grew your own asparagus?
First of all, master the vocabulary: all of the roots are called “claws” while the edible part is called “spear”.
When to plant asparagus?
It may be recommended to thoroughly prepare the soil which will accommodate the underground stumps
from the fall.
Otherwise, do the work before planting.
Draw trenches 15 cm deep for green asparagus and 25 cm for white and purple varieties.
Each line must be spaced 1.50 m apart.
Add compost.
Asparagus does not do well in cold soils: therefore adapt the planting period to the climate of your region to benefit from sufficiently warmed soil,
in February, March or April.
Also read: Leek: an easy-to-grow vegetable with many benefits
How to plant and care for asparagus?
Buy 2- or 3-year-old claws from local nurseries.
Dip them in water, then place them every 50-60 cm in the trenches, on a layer of compost.
Spread the roots.
Cover with soil, pack well on the sides of the trench and water lightly.
Hoe and weed regularly during the first years.
In the vegetable garden, you can place asparagus near tomatoes, potatoes, or leeks.
In the vegetable garden, you can place asparagus near tomatoes, potatoes, or leeks.
Copyright (c) 2020 Yongkiet Jitwattanatam/Shutterstock.
No use without permission.
When and how to harvest asparagus?
Once the asparagus is planted, you need to be a little patient before tasting the first harvest: you have to wait
on average 3 years
to obtain one or two shoots and four years to hope to have a harvest worthy of this name,
from April to June,
each year, for 15 to 20 years.
Equip yourself with
a gouge
, a tool made up of a handle - most of the time wooden - and a long, sharp steel head, allowing you to easily extract the asparagus from the ground.
Insert the blade into the ground, use a levering motion by pressing down on the handle to cut the root and effortlessly pull the asparagus.
Harvest 60% of the shoots
and let the others grow to allow the plants to regenerate for the following year.
Also read: Seasonal vegetables: to enjoy all year round!
What are the main varieties of asparagus?
There are three main varieties of asparagus:
green, white and
purple
.
White asparagus grew exclusively in the ground and was harvested without ever being exposed to sunlight
;
The purple asparagus has been exposed to light a little, which explains its slight coloring;
Finally, green asparagus, whose spear is the tastiest and can be eaten without being peeled, grew above the ground for a few days.
It is harvested when it measures approximately 15 cm in height.
The green asparagus, whose spear is the tastiest, grew above the ground for a few days Copyright (c) 2023 Tomas Vynikal/Shutterstock.
No use without permission.
What are the nutritional benefits of asparagus?
Asparagus contains
a good dose of fiber,
thus facilitating intestinal transit.
They are rich in mineral salts (potassium, calcium, magnesium) and vitamins (A, B9, C, K).
Among these vitamins is folate, which is very beneficial for pregnant or breastfeeding women.
Asparagus is also very low in calories (30 Kcal per 100g).