We're very lucky to have Paul from Pod Gardening on board with Element. Each week Paul the garden buff will be giving us some expert advice on how to create sustainable, chemical-free, edible gardens. To celebrate we have 6 seed bundles to give away.
How to harvest (and consume) asparagus.
Asparagus is ripe for the picking over the next 4 to 6 weeks. Spears are sweetest when freshly picked - but remember to only harvest from 3 year old plants. Let spears alone from mid November onwards so they can feed the crowns in autumn as they die back.
The spears are ready for harvest once they get to a full hand's length above ground. They should be wider than a pencil and have a tightly closed bud at their tip. You can harvest them either by snapping them off at ground level, or, using a sharp serrated knife, cutting them carefully about a finger-tip below ground. Take care not to sweep your knife through the soil or you might damage other developing shoots.
From the moment you pick, the flavour of asparagus begins to deteriorate. Get the pot boiling, pick the fresh, young spears and blanch in boiling water for 30 seconds. Serve over salads. Or cook 'til the spears are soft and drizzle with butter or hollandaise sauce. It's also delicious to eat skinny stems raw.
