Growing Asparagus In My Vegetable Garden

Every spring, I love wandering down to my asparagus patch to count how many tender asparagus are emerging from the soil.  Asparagus are edible shoots, commonly called “spears” that rise early in the spring from underground stems called “crowns.”  These perennial plants require patience and at least a few years to become a well-established patch in the garden.  I made sure that an asparagus crop was planted when I first bought this farm several years ago. 

When it comes to asparagus, there seems to be endless debate over which is better – thin spears or thick spears.  It’s widely thought that thin asparagus are tastier, based on the notion that slender spears are younger.  However, that just isn’t true because the thick spears are already thick when they poke up from the ground, and the thin spears will never get any fatter.  The two are just different varieties.  I love both kinds of asparagus, but I do find that fat stalks actually tend to be a little more succulent.

Another controversial issue regarding asparagus is that of color.  Americans like their asparagus to be bright green, whereas in Europe, white asparagus are prized.  To grow white asparagus, the farmer heaps earth on top of the emerging shoots, prolonging the underground growth.  The soil surface is then watched very carefully for the appearance of the tips because the shoots will rapidly turn green if exposed to sunlight.  It’s said that white asparagus has a more refined, slightly earthy flavor.  One thing is certain:  because more work is required to grow it, it’s also more expensive.

Here are some tender asparagus emerging from the soil in my vegetable garden.

Jodi, Erika, and George carry earthenware cloches into the asparagus patch to try an experiment.  They sure like to have fun.

Their idea is to place the cloches over the new asparagus as they poke through the ground.

The cloches are then filled with rich, composted soil in hopes that the asparagus within will be white and not green.  We’ll see if it works in a few days.

This is the same asparagus patch one week later.  Look how tall!  And let me tell you how deliciously fresh they taste!  By the way, they’re still experimenting with the cloches – I’ll keep you posted.

This is an unusual variety of asparagus called ‘Purple Passion’ – They’re really beautiful in salads.

MORE GREAT ASPARAGUS LINKS!

Asparagus Recipes from Martha Stewart Living

Asparagus: Power Foods from Whole Living.com

Asparagus Gruyere Tart Recipe from Everyday Food (Watch the video!)
 
Everything Asparagus at Martha Stewart.com

Comments

[Nan Ashby]

Hi Martha, Who's idea for the cloches? What a inventive idea. Hope it works. I like asparagus so much because, when growing up we had a delicious asparagus casserole which makes my mouth water just thinking of it. I have never eaten a white asparagus, or the purple passion variety. Please on your TV show, have an asparagus segment for the many different recipes I know you would share with us as your garden produces this delicious plant. Tell Jodi, Erika, and George they are true asparagus growers and the cloches are, I think, going to work. Nan

[liz]

those cloches are actually quite beautiful!
can't believe how much they grow in one week....i really enjoy seeing what's growing in your gardens!

[AngieD]

Martha: I love white asparagus and always wondered why it always cost more than the green. Now I know. I live grilling asparagus with olive oil, salt and some parmesan cheese. What is your favorite way to prepare it?
Have a great Monday!!

[JBrennan]

Martha:

Thanks for the blog on asparagus. It is one of my favorite vegetables and as you brought out on the old MSL show, can be prepared in a variety of ways, steaming, roasting, etc.

The "purple passion" looks particularly interesting and beautiful. It reminds me of the old majolica asparagus serving pieces, which often were purple in color. Is it an older variety?

The cloche experiment should work as long as the sunlight doesn't hit the emerging spears. Please keep us posted.

Joseph Brennan

[Kathy]

Hi, Martha,
Your asparagus patch is prolific. Nan's casserole sounds delicious, and some more asparagus recipes would be good. The cloches are an inventive idea. Let us know how it works. I can just taste those spears. Whether thin or fat, green, purple, or white they are delicious!
Kathy

[Becky Capecchi]

I was in Germany, Switzerland and Austria last year at this time, and the "Spargel" (white asparagus) stands were everywhere! They are very proud of their local produce! We had white asparagus several times, as soup, baked, roasted, and as a side dish with sauce, and I found it very delicious. My question is, is it less nutritious because it lacks the green chlorophyll(sp?)? I would also like to see a segment on asparagus on the show.

[The Bitter Foodie]

Hi Martha!

I always love seeing how things work in your garden - my Mother and I were just discussing her first asparagus crop last week.

Everyone can read about it on my new blog The Bitter Foodie

Thank you!

The Bitter Foodie

www.thebitterfoodie.blogspot.com

[Jan Erickson]

Hi Martha, What beautiful, delicious looking asparagus you have in your garden! I love the photos of your garden crew. They look like they are having a great time! I remember, years ago at Turkey Hill, watching you growing white asparagus in your beautiful garden there. Can't wait to see how the white spears turn out this year. I don't think I have ever seen spears of asparagus as tall as yours. Thanks for sharing another delicious blog! Jan

[ShopLittleGifts]

Oh interesting - that's how they make white asparagus! Honestly I love them both - green and white. The white ones generally have a more tender texture. Gosh, now I want to grow asparagus as well... but I don't have anymore space in my balcony... strawberries, spinach, potatoes, lettuce, garlic....

[Kathy :)]

I will be interested to see how the cloches work. When my great-grandfather came over from Italy he planted asparagus and for close to 30 years they came back year after year. (My grandfather took over the garden.0 I used to pick them as a child, but can you believe it I've never eaten one. I can't stand the smell. I make them for my little family now...I put them on a baking sheet in the oven with just a little sea salt and olive oil (350 for 15 mins) and they love them....

Kathy :)

[maurdel]

Becky, I too think the white asparagus must be a bit less nutritious. This may be one food standard which the Europeans have got wrong.
I have found that the purple ones can be very delicious. I think I prefer them to the green.

[Trish]

I am amazed at all of your plants and not just your tall asparagus; although your first photo looks like a short totem pole. I love wandering down to my garden too; just so I can pray over my little sprouts so they don't dry up and die on me! I hate Florida soil/sand!

I thought using cloches was a real clever idea. Just for the heck of it, I'm going to guess that Jodi thought of it. Let's have a guessing contest! Trish

[Marlene Legault (Town of Durham, Ontario, Canada)]

Cardboard sauna tubes also work to produce white asparagus. I have used them for my celery too.

We are still grieving the death of CoCo our beautiful Siberian Husky last month. It does take time to get over the death of a pet. Great photos and wonderful memories are a great help...
Thanks for both of these as we share it your loss..

[Margie]

Where I am we just do the "stalking the wild asparagus" . However much is gone because of how the irrigation ditches have to be maintained to prevent wasting water. No more trees, grass or other water wanters.

[Kathy H.]

Loved the blog on asparagus, your pictures are always so perfect. Tell us when and how do you pick the tall spears. Do you cut them or pull like rhubarb? I haven't picked it since I was a child, and we found it wild in the woods, with my Aunt. I loved it then, as I do now.

[John]

I love your new cookie cookbook!! I just bought it! The photos of the cookies are stupendous! Real sensuous! I am a Juvenile Diabetic so I can only dream of eating these gorgous treats! I think of your book as " Diabetic poronography" Keep up the good work!!!

[Jewel]

I had to laugh at the one comment made by Marlene Legault "stalking the wild asparagus". It's absolutely true here. So many eyes are on the "wild" patches growing along the back roads ready to snip it and snatch it up.
-Apparently there is one region in Europe, France maybe? I will have to check, but anyway it is known to grow the very best white variety- I had this variety to eat once years back in a small restaurant in Switzerland by advise of my dinner companions. They told me to order the menu dinner plate just for this white asparagus that accompanied the meat. It was deeeeelicious!

[Theresa]

Well I think the chlorophyll in the green asparagus is good for you. I cannot say if the taste of white asparagus merits this as I have never had it.

[loree ambur]

Martha,
What do you do with the abundance of food you grow?