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« Week 24: Breaking through the Plateau, June 1-7 | Main | Music City Moms Summer Fitness Challenge Unites Moms Across Middle Tennessee »

Grow Asparagus Now, Feast Later

By Cindy | June 11, 2008

Ah, the flavor of freshly grown asparagus is all that I imagined it would be. Sweet, delicate and crunchy, this wispy fern growing vegetable deserves a spot in your yard! Workout now by digging a trench to plant asparagus crowns and within two to three years, a perennial of 15 to 20 years will continue to produce a vegetable that deserves a place on your plate for taste and health.

The Benefits:

1. Gardening is hard work. The exercise it takes to dig a trench may be a short term workout, but it’s a workout. Throw in shoveling mulch, weeding throughout the Spring, Summer and Fall and cutting back the plants for winter and You’ve guaranteed a low-impact, regular exercise into the coming months.

2. The Nutritional Facts. The Michigan Aparagus Advisory board summarizes the value of Asparagus perfectly:

Asparagus is one of the most nutritionally well-balanced vegetables in existence. It leads nearly all produce items in the wide array of nutrients it supplies in significant amounts for a healthy diet.

Asparagus is:

• Low in calories, only 20 per 5.3 oz. serving, less than 4 calories per spear.
• Contains no fat or cholesterol.
• Very low in sodium.
• A good source of potassium.⁽¹⁾
• A source of fiber (3 grams per 5.3 oz. serving). ⁽²⁾
• An excellent source of folacin. ⁽³⁾
• A significant source of thiamin. ⁽⁴⁾
• A significant source of vitamin B6. ⁽⁴⁾
• One of the richest sources of rutin, a compound which strengthens capillary walls.
• Contains glutathione (GSH). ⁽⁵⁾

***Notes explained at MAAB

3. Highest levels of Folic Acid in a Vegetable.

A 5.3 ounce serving provides 60% of the recommended daily allowance for folacin which is necessary for blood cell formation, growth, and prevention of liver disease. Folacin has been shown to play a significant role in the prevention of neural tube defects, such as spina bifida, that cause paralysis and death in 2,500 babies each year.

4. Savings: Asparagus is pricey at the grocery store. Jumping at the $2.99 lb specials, I started calculating the cost of planting asparagus. Regular price an asparagus bunch runs for $3.99 to $4.99 a lb.

I purchased 10 crowns (Jersey Knight) for $13.81 from Four Seasons Nursery which included shipping. The plants were $4.96.

I completed a soil test with the local Agriculture extension office for $7.00.

The ground didn’t require extra fertilization, so all that was left was a truck load of mulch to top it off for approximately $15.00 where we used the remains in our front yard, too!

With the possibility of harvesting 9 crowns (only one did not emerge) for the next 15 years or so, the savings is evident!

5. Even a Brown thumb/ novice gardener (like myself) can easily grow asparagus. When I discovered how easy it is to plant asparagus and the lifespan, I had to take a chance and try growing it. Once the initial digging is complete, and the plants underground, there’s nothing more to do.

What’s great about asparagus is that rabbits don’t like the flavor (we have two that live around the neighborhood), it’s pretty bug resistant, and requires little maintenance. The biggest requirements are providing sufficient water (at least once a week), weeding and cutting back in the fall.

Many states have a website to cover the local nuances of weather and conditions necessary for successful vegetable gardening. For the good ol’ state of Tennessee, visit The University of Tennessee Extension website. It’s full of great information. Here’s the link for Asparagus in Home Gardens.

6. Tasty & Simple to Cook: I love asparagus steamed or stir fried with a touch of olive oil. The trick is to not over steam it, so that it maintains it’s crunchy, yet tender texture. Freshly picked asparagus is more tender and sweet than a batch from the grocery store.

• Dress up with a splash of lemon juicy, pepper and dash salt
• Stir fry and add to eggs in the morning
• Steam for approximately 10 minutes on stove and dress up with your favorite herbs (great with tarragon)
• Stir fry with a vegetable mix to go over rice
• Add to a quiche
• Eat as a snack

Have I convinced you to give asparagus a try yet? Here’s the coolest fact about Asparagus. In a day, it can grow over 10 inches! You can almost sit there and watch as it grows throughout the day! How cool is that?

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Topics: Nutritional Knowledge |