Ah, spring time. We’ve got flowers in our hair and our hearts are full of love. Yes, the Age of Asparagus has arrived, and it’s now at the Food Bank.
Asparagus spears, the part we eat, are the young tender shoots of the Asparagus plant which emerge from the soil in early spring. Farmers cut the spears off just below the soil surface. The first spears of the season are thick, but as the season progresses, new spears get thinner and thinner because the plant has less energy stored in its roots. When the spears have shrunk to the thickness of a pencil, the farmer will stop harvesting and let them grow.
Asparagus plants can reach five feet or more in height, and have beautiful fern-like leaves and small red berries. The plants grow all summer, storing energy in their roots for the following spring. During the fall, the farmer will mow down the tops. The plants will stay dormant through winter, which allows shallow rooted winter crops, like lettuce and spinach, to be grown in the same space.
Asparagus plants are perennials, meaning they live for many years. In fact, asparagus plants will live up to 20 years in the garden, producing shoots every spring. Asparagus is usually planted as dormant roots called ‘crowns’ in the winter. It takes three years from planting before the first spears can be harvested.
Look for asparagus in the Food Bank’s garden. Our asparagus plants were donated by The Natural Gardener, and they are just sending up their first shoots.
Want to volunteer in our garden? Shifts are now open Monday through Friday. Sign up today!
