Asparagus

If you enjoy asparagus and are lucky enough to have the space in your garden, then why not try a bed of this herbaceous perennial. Once established, the crowns will produce asparagus for at least 20 years.

Asparagus is ideally suited to cold, frosty climates, where it’s able to be dormant through the winter months. They are available bare-rooted in garden centres during late Autumn, and Winter.

Have a bed especially for asparagus as it doesn’t like having its roots disturbed. Cultivate the soil to 30cm in the autumn, blend in well-rotted compost and leave for a couple of months prior to planting.

Plant the crowns with the roots facing down and in rows 15cm deep, 50cm apart and 1m in between rows. Planting too deep will produce larger but fewer spears.

Don’t be tempted to harvest your asparagus until the third season, until then, leave the spears to flower into feathery foliage, which will feed the developing crowns. In Autumn cut back the ferny foliage or allow it to die down. Here the crown will hide underground until the soil warms up again in spring. Asparagus is generally free of pests and disease, although subject to root rot if too wet and rust disease.

Having grown your own asparagus, there’s nothing better than steaming or grilling it, and serving with a delicious hollandaise sauce!