Page 34 - Simply Veg 3.21

Guelph Millenium
The ground will sink so you could earth the rows up or add soil later. If the season is
dry water lightly and apply a top dressing
of nitrogen fertilizer (I use Growmore). More don’ts. Do not crop that year, possibly cut the odd spear in year two if the new growth looks vigorous, in year three crop moderately for around four weeks. You require plenty
of vigorous ferns to get good crops the following year. In year four if the asparagus is showing lots of stout spears crop for six weeks, I sometimes do seven, but for only
a few of the plants. If your asparagus bed is exposed you will need to support the ferns right from day one, if they are broken off
the crown (root) will die. I now use plastic clematis trellis supported by builder’s ‘pins.
I wouldn’t get too paranoid about your soil, by all means try to improve it, but look at the pictures of mine on the first of May 2021.
As Randy Edeleman said ‘the concrete and the clay beneath my feet.... My Backlim asparagus just punches it way out.
Field Blewits - a ‘second’ crop in the asparagus bed after mulching with horse manure
Several years ago a
gentleman from Belgium
emailed me to ask if he could
come round as he had been
told that if coming to the UK
he had to see my orchard;
this was in May – not a
lot to look at in May in an
orchard, most blossom had
gone over and of course
no fruit. What there was for him and his
wife to look at was some cracking Buddy strawberries and some top-notch asparagus which, since he was in a camper van, I gave him both for tea. He was puzzled with the asparagus, because it was green (when its coming through it looks purple – it’s not). On the continent asparagus is white because
it is blanched, or forced, that is to say it is earthed, much like we do potatoes. Over here it is pretty well denigrated and thought of as being tasteless. I decided to prove a point. One March I placed cut down barrel rings over two plants and fill them with peat, the result, beautiful pure white spears, the taste – not tasteless but not on par with my conventionally grown ‘grass’
Pests. For years I never saw an asparagus beetle, the biggest pest was black keeled slugs, these lay eggs on top of the crown, pinhead slugs were a common site, as
was their parents during a shower of rain, most of the damage being done at night. Asparagus beetles are easily recognised with their harlequin bodies, what is a lot less noticeable are their dirty grey larvae that graze the ferns. A few days lack of attention can see completely defoliated ferns which
turn yellow and die. The asparagus beetles tend to move round the back of the plant when you cast a shadow over them, when the plant is handled, they drop off and play possum- I soon wised up to that one. There is quite a satisfying scrunch when pinched.
I trialled several varieties of asparagus in tubs (Tub Grass) several years ago. Some of which were American and some from down under. I didn’t think them as vigorous as the modern Dutch varieties. I have extended
and pull down, keep the top end and discard the bottom bit – don’t bother doing this with a knife; paint the asparagus with oil, strew with fresh herbs- or dried ones, fennel seeds work well. Place in the oven, gas mark 7/8. We don’t have an electric oven but try 400C, cook for fifteen minutes for al dente, sixteen minutes for a very slightly shrivelled look, no more or you will ruin it. Serve as a starter or with the main course. You could of course cover with grated cheese when or nearly cooked.
Cut up the spears into one and a half inch pieces, sear in oil in a wok with the cover
on to seal in the flavour, keep shaking wok, add stacks of fresh ginger, either grated or in pieces, add a cup of hot water – stand back. Replace cover and finish off cooking by steaming, additives can be mushrooms or/and nuts; the previous season I tried anchovies, these break up very easily, so add them last. Arrowroot can be used to thicken the resultant liquid. This dish is very nice with boiled or fried rice.
He was puzzled with the asparagus, because it was green...
my original bed and planted Pacific 2000 a purple variety and the Canadian variety Guelph Millennium, Pacific 2000 is slightly earlier than my Backlim, but the spears are smaller diameter. I first saw Guelph Millennium at Easton Walled Garden, the ferns were getting on for one
and a half inches in diameter, I would have liked to have seen the spears.
Being the generous person I am, I give loads away to friends and relatives, during
a hot spell you can virtually see it grow,
it requires picking daily. So how do we preserve it? I tried freezing but when it defrosts it is fit for stews only. Soups are always welcome, and they freeze well. Before that, here are some ways to deal with fresh asparagus. We seldom steam it and obliterate it with that French sauce. There are alternatives. Oil a metal baking tray, do the snap test on the spears, fingers of both hands approximately either side of centre
The concrete and the clay beneath my feet
34 Simply Vegetables
Tub Grass