National Asparagus Day

[Darius_Jedburgh]

Sorry if you followed the tip given.
A long shot at best.
View attachment 585589

Should have been on Bryony and Greenanteen🍾🍾🍾

 

[Accy cyclist]

Is Asparagus still expensive? I remember the chef/owner of a 'high class' restaurant i worked in,in the mid 1980's charging about £7 for a few spears of the stuff,on the menu. I buy it,but only when it's about 15p a bunch,in the supermarket reduced sections and then it goes into my slow cooker with loads of other veg.

 

[PaulSB]

Is Asparagus still expensive? I remember the chef/owner of a 'high class' restaurant i worked in,in the mid 1980's charging about £7 for a few spears of the stuff,on the menu. I buy it,but only when it's about 15p a bunch,in the supermarket reduced sections and then it goes into my slow cooker with loads of other veg.

That's probably the worst imaginable way to cook asparagus!! I haven't bought asparagus in years but restaurant price will be very different to shop price. At a guess English* asparagus in season will be around £1.50 - £2.00 per bunch.

*No point in buying anything else as asparagus rapidly loses its flavour in transit from overseas.

 

[PaulSB]

Today is National Asparagus Day!

Anyone got any tips?

🤔

I'd no idea it was this early in the year. I have two asparagus beds on the allotment, one old established which is reaching the end of it's productive life and an 18 month old bed which should yield the first spikes this season.

Here in Lancashire first spikes should appear in early May and harvest in mid-May. Once we start cutting we have enough for two people to eat 3-4 times/week and some years a small surplus to share with neighbours.

 

[PaulSB]

Do you guys use one of these to cut your stems, or just any old kitchen knife?
View attachment 585590

I use an old kitchen knife

 

[annedonnelly]

Actually I checked mine today and there is a spike nosing out by half an inch, yay. I waited two years before harvesting (but I think you'd get away with taking a small number of spears after one year), I think this will be their sixth year. It's definitely a highlight of the year when I start cutting.

The nursery I bought from said to wait so I probably will.

I'm checking my rhubarb daily - also new last autumn - and I think I'll get a stem or two in the next day or so

 

[Accy cyclist]

I can't wait for domestic asparagus to be in the shops (hopefully this weekend) and for my wee-wee to be stinky.

I had 5 spears of asparagus with my tea (Cornish pastie,mashed carrots and turnips) last night. When i peed in the shower 4 hours later i did get an odd slight whiff. I couldn't quite describe the aroma. I'm going to eat some more later today then pee in a pot and sniff it to try and describe the smell.🤔

 

[Dave7]

I had 5 spears of asparagus with my tea (Cornish pastie,mashed carrots and turnips) last night. When i peed in the shower 4 hours later i did get an odd slight whiff. I couldn't quite describe the aroma. I'm going to eat some more later today then pee in a pot and sniff it to try and describe the smell.🤔

Why don't you pee through your neighbours letterbox then get their opinion

 

[Eric Olthwaite]

Why don't you pee through your neighbours letterbox then get their opinion

Well in my case they asked me to stop doing that some time ago.

 

[T4tomo]

I sue i heard on country file or some other such programme you should wait 3 years between planting and harvesting for best results ( i assume that means heaviest crops in later years?)

I like mine pan fried with balsamic vinegar thrown in towards end of cooking. serves up it tender but slightly crunchy. no good once its gone soggy

 

[lazybloke]

I sue i heard on country file or some other such programme you should wait 3 years between planting and harvesting for best results ( i assume that means heaviest crops in later years?)

I like mine pan fried with balsamic vinegar thrown in towards end of cooking. serves up it tender but slightly crunchy. no good once its gone soggy

I think a 3 year wait is appropriate when growing from seed but it's quicker to start to year-old crowns.
My crowns came with a suggestion that a small harvest could be taken after a year, like what @Tail End Charlie said.
I took full harvests from the 2nd year onwards.

There's nothing like fresh asparagus, plant to plate in 5 mins.

 

[T4tomo]

I think a 3 year wait is appropriate when growing from seed but it's quicker to start to year-old crowns.
My crowns came with a suggestion that a small harvest could be taken after a year, like what @Tail End Charlie said.
I took full harvests from the 2nd year onwards.

There's nothing like fresh asparagus, plant to plate in 5 mins.

Ahhh that makes sense thought 3 years was a fair old wait. when does one plant a crown? is there a particular time of year that is best?

 

[lazybloke]

Ahhh that makes sense thought 3 years was a fair old wait. when does one plant a crown? is there a particular time of year that is best?

Ahhh that makes sense thought 3 years was a fair old wait. when does one plant a crown? is there a particular time of year that is best?

Crowns are provided just before the growing season, so you've missed this year.
Think I got mine circa March, but hard to remember exactly as that was nearly 2 decades ago.

Mail-order, so I had to plonk 'em in the ground promptly before they dried out. That meant lots of March toil in the garden to have the asparagus bed prepared, ready and waiting.

I gave some surplus crowns to my parents, with an order form for more. They ignored the form and just stuck with the four crowns. Went over there last weekend for a BBQ and they proudly served the latest harvest, about 5 spears. That's not self-sufficiency, and it's certainly not a glut!

 

[T4tomo]

Will made a mental note next year to allocate some "bed" preparation in early spring!

 

[lazybloke]

Will made a mental note next year to allocate some "bed" preparation in early spring!

I replaced my "bed" with a trampoline and climbing frame but picked up two allotment plots, both with asparagus, and MUCH better soil.