The Asparagus Patch

In April 2005 we planted a half - acre of year-old Jersey Knight asparagus crowns we had grown in our own seedbed over the previous year. 

Jersey Knight is a high-yielding all-male hybrid.

Asparagus Facts

Asparagus is a perennial crop that with good care can produce for more than 20 years. 

·        Asparagus is a member of the Lily family.  There are male and female plants.

·        Asparagus spears grow from a crown that is planted about 8 inches deep.

·        An asparagus planting is usually not harvested for the first 3 years after the crowns are planted, allowing the crown to develop a strong fibrous root system

·        The outdoor temperature determines how much time will be between each picking...early in the season, there may be 3-4 days between pickings and as the days and nights get warmer, a field may have to be picked every day.

·        Under ideal conditions, an asparagus spear can grow 10" in a 24-hour period.

·        Each crown will send spears up for about 8-10 weeks during the spring and early summer.

·        The larger the spear diameter, the better the quality!

·        After the season’s harvest is done the spears grow into ferns, which produce the food and nutrients necessary for a healthy and productive crop the next season.       

·        Asparagus is a nutrient-dense food which is high in Folic Acid and is a good source of potassium, fiber, vitamin B6, vitamins A and C, and thiamin.

·        Asparagus has No Fat, contains No Cholesterol and is low in Sodium.

 

(from the Michigan Asparagus Advisory Board)