Garden asparagus anyone?

[Sheepwheat]

I have a few old yard sites on our land. One day last fall while driving past one, I notice what looked like ferns sticking up in some caraganas. I went in and found indeed it was a few spears of asparagus that had ferned out. The yard would have been occupied in the 50's or thereabouts. So I am hoping to divide or dig up the crown and see if it will do better in the garden at home?

Anyone know when best time to dig and move is? It is a FFFFFAAAAAATTTTTTT few stalks, let me tell you.

[sumdumguy]

Asparagus fern can be full of seeds. The seeds fall onto the ground under the fern and grow. A couple of years ago there were thousands of young seedlings beside the main row at a farm nearby. The neighbour dug the seedlings and planted a quarter mile row of little hairs in a deep watered trench. The seedlings took off like bandits so I’d say spring Is good for transplanting. It takes six or seven years for the young to produce big, healthy pickings. Asparagus can grow wild in Wascana Creek. Our neighbour had a favourite picking spot and robbed it every year.

On old plants the roots are probably very deep so a deep, skinny spade might work best and dig a deep trench to transplant into. You have a back hoe or tree spade?

[farmaholic]

The stuff has a prehistoric look to it.

[burnt]

That time of year - MMmmmm

[sumdumguy]

Recipe? Looks delicious too.

[beaverdam]

My folks never seemed to care for asparagus, but my wife and I love it. Like sheepwheat, I found some growing in an old farmyard we acquired, moved some home, and have just left it growing in grass(along the garden), like I found it. Produces nice spears, but have been wondering if it would be even better, without having to compete with the grass?

How do you all maintain your patches? Do you let it grow wild, in the wild grass? Do you trim the grass down? Do you till around your asparagus patch, but yet still have grass throughout your asparagus? Do you till through out your patch, so no grass is in or around the spears?

[Ache4Acres]

Ours is a planted patch. So we have been rototilling along the rows and pulling all weeds, it’s a bit of a project for the 800ft or row we have. I would think keeping the grass back is better . Good luck. Enjoy!

[burnt]

Recipe? Looks delicious too.

A dash of this and a dollop of that. But if you want to get really technical, she dug the recipe up - here you go. She doesn't always have apple cider on hand so subs it with other fruit juice, she says.

Strawberry + Asparagus Salad

Ingredients:
- 1 lb. asparagus - blanched and cooled
- 1 quart strawberries - cut in half (¼ if large)

Dressing: Mix in a jar
- ¼ cup sugar (or substitute ie: stevia, or splenda)
- ¼ vegetable oil
- 2 Tablespoons apple cider (I used apple juice with a cinnamon
Stick simmered on stove for ½ hr.)
- 1 Tbsp. poppy seeds
- 1 ½ tsp. sesame seeds
- ¾ tsp. grated onion (I used dried onion flakes broke up small)
- ¼ tsp. salt
- 1/8 tsp. pepper
- 1/8 tsp. paprika
- 1/8 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

Place asparagus and strawberries on platter
Pour dressing over them and serve

Notice: recipe calls for apple cider which I used above when made for my family reunion.
I read the recipe wrong when making for WMF Potluck today and used apple cider vinegar
Both were received well but I thought the vinegar a little strong so would reduce it to 1½ Tbsp.
Your choice - not sure you could do anything to wreck this recipe it is just so delicious!


Prepared the night before but never put dressing on till ready to serve.