Focus on... Asparagus

It isn’t that difficult to grow delectable gourmet vegetables, as Lucy Chamberlain explains how to cultivate plump and succulent asparagus spears year after year

- Lucy Chamberlain

Asparagus like ‘Gijnlim’ take a few years to harvest, but you will be rewarded with an exceptionally high yield

Did you know?

Open-pollinated asparagus varieties give mixed plants (male and female), while all male F1 hybrids are preferable due to higher yields, earlier emergence, less delay between spears, a longercropping season and greater longevity.

Asparagus ‘Burgundine’ is higher in antioxidants than green types and can be eaten raw

ASPARAGUS is a perennial vegetable that is often referred to as ‘luxury’ and ‘gourmet’ thanks to its specific season and the time required from starting to cropping – but trust me, everyone can afford a patch of asparagus. Let’s look at the less-costly cultivation methods, plus some growing techniques that guarantee luxury for all.

Growing essentials

Please don’t let the time you need to wait before that first cut deter you: just get on with it! Once started, a well-tended bed can last for as long as 20 years. There are two propagation options: open-pollinated or more modern, all-male F1 varieties (for more details about these, see page 20). Open-pollinated seed (which is less vigorous than F1 hybrids and therefore cheaper), sown direct will need at least three years to bulk up; one-year-old crowns take two years; and F1 hybrid modular plants somewhere in between The additional benefit of all-male plants is these beds often have more longevity.