Asparagus

Asparagus is one of the few vegetables to harvest in spring (May to early June) in Europe. It is expensive here because it takes a whole year to grow but only has a short harvesting period. This means using up precious land and a lot of manpower for what it can provide.

The advantage of growing asparagus at home is that it is a perennial vegetable, once planted, you will harvest asparagus every year, from the third year onward, without too much care.

To grow asparagus, dig a long trench around half meter deep in spring, place the root part of asparagus (available in garden centre) in the trench, cover with half the soil. Water well and young asparagus will pop up all along the trench, for the first 2 years, do not harvest but let these young plants grow, so that they develop strong root system. By end of the year, cover with the remaining soil until level.  In early spring cut off dead plants and let new shoots grow again. Harvest green asparagus in the third years onward.