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Harvesting My First Asparagus

April 20th, 2010

I harvested my first asparagus last week. I have a few asparagus plants in the front foundation border because the ferns add such great texture to the garden. Each spring I harvest a few spears from these plants.

I started a proper asparagus bed last spring so I can’t harvest any of those this year. I can’t wait until my proper asparagus bed is producing, we really love asparagus.

In fact we love asparagus so much I’m considering doubling the size of my asparagus bed. I think it’s one of my favorite spring vegetables and I don’t see it at the farmer’s market very often. We love eating it sauteed or roasted and drizzled with olive oil and some freshly ground pepper.

Do you grow asparagus in your garden? What’s your favorite way to eat it?

22 Comments to “Harvesting My First Asparagus”
  1. […] This post was mentioned on Twitter by mark mile, Susy Morris. Susy Morris said: Harvesting My First #Asparagus http://goo.gl/fb/gecig #edible […]

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  2. Dave on April 20, 2010 at 8:35 am

    I began planting asparagus this year but it will be a long time before I can reap any benefits from it. I like asparagus exactly how you described! Simple, easy, and tasty!
    .-= Dave´s last blog ..How to Get More Plants for Your Money =-.

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  3. Sense of Home on April 20, 2010 at 8:48 am

    Love asparagus! Your pictures look beautiful. I will be planting asparagus this spring, the plants should be in at the green house any day now. Wish I had the space to plant more, but I will be putting in three plants this year and that is better than none.
    .-= Sense of Home´s last blog ..Nutritious Fast Food =-.

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  4. Alyse on April 20, 2010 at 9:05 am

    My parents gave me some asparagus from their patch Saturday. Unfortunately, they live far away and I don’t get to raid their veggies.
    But it was wonderful, their gift. :)
    Our Farmer’s Market doesn’t open until mid-June, so no asparagus from there either.
    If they’re small I love to just nibble on them raw. Otherwise, I thoroughly enjoy them grilled with a little olive oil, salt and pepper. Yummy. :)
    .-= Alyse´s last blog ..Day of Horticulture =-.

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  5. Jennifer on April 20, 2010 at 9:57 am

    one more year for my asparagus, but I did locate two wild patches that I’ll transplant. definitely going to be adding more crowns asap!
    .-= Jennifer´s last blog ..Busy Little Shirkers =-.

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  6. Justin on April 20, 2010 at 10:08 am

    Asparagus is a real favorite in our house. During this time of year when it’s inexpensive and the sweetest, I buy at least one bundle per trip to the grocery store (if not two).

    My all-time favorite is roasting it. However, it makes fantastic soup and it can be canned if you have a pressure canner. Just don’t add any cream until serving time.

    Someone also told me once that their family steams it and overcooks it. Then, they use a knife to mash/spread a spear onto a piece of crusty bread or toast. I’ve never tried it myself, but it sounds awesome.

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  7. Momzoo on April 20, 2010 at 10:21 am

    We just planted an asparagus bed, I am excited to harvest it in the coming years.
    .-= Momzoo´s last blog ..A Little Lovin’ in the Carrot Patch =-.

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  8. Michelle on April 20, 2010 at 10:54 am

    I don’t grow asparagus yet as we plan on moving and I want to wait until we get where we’re going! But I do love it…especially roasted. It’s also good, sliced on the diagonal and stir fried with a bit of soy sauce and ginger!
    .-= Michelle´s last blog ..lunch. =-.

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  9. C Aultman on April 20, 2010 at 10:58 am

    I just planted my first asparagus bed this year and I am so excited that the ferns are coming up now.

    I don’t know why I took so long to plant a bed, I have been in this house almost 20 years, just think of the asparagus I could be harvesting if I had planted when me moved here.

    Same with pecan trees, I would really love one but takes a few years to benefit. I could be harvesting loads of pecans if I had planted 20 years ago.
    .-= C Aultman´s last blog ..Prom 2010……….. =-.

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  10. Rachel on April 20, 2010 at 11:25 am

    we love asparagus anyway, but especially grilled or lightly roasted. I have 9 tiny little seedlings started right now and am kicking myself for not having started them when I first thought about it 3 years ago!
    .-= Rachel´s last blog ..“peace of bread” =-.

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  11. lee on April 20, 2010 at 11:35 am

    Try them with oyster sauce. That’s my favorite way of eating asparagus.

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  12. meg on April 20, 2010 at 1:09 pm

    I tried Roasted Asparagus with Browned Butter (http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=226706) and it was so amazing! I love it just eaten right from the garden though!

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  13. Morgan G on April 20, 2010 at 1:43 pm

    Oh my goodness, Susy! It’s gorgeous – congrats! Asparagus is one our favorites, too. Just bought my first seed packet, but ran out of room to actually plant them. Guess my hopes for my garden are bigger than it’s square footage. Next year!
    .-= Morgan G´s last blog ..Coachella: 60,0000 Strong… Give or Take =-.

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    • Susy on April 20, 2010 at 2:12 pm

      I always have more seeds/plants than I have room for as well.

      Reply to Susy's comment

  14. Sincerely, Emily on April 20, 2010 at 2:12 pm

    Oh YUM! I planted 24 crowns several months ago. Only 5-7 have survived. I look forward to adding more to it next spring. I may even plant some around the other gardens for the lovely fern tops too. So pretty. Emily in So. TX

    Reply to Sincerely, Emily's comment

    • Susy on April 20, 2010 at 2:29 pm

      Too bad only 5-7 survived. Not all of mine have emerged yet, but I got 2 different kinds to make the harvest period longer. One kind is coming up, the other isn’t yet.

      Reply to Susy's comment

  15. mamaraby on April 20, 2010 at 3:33 pm

    Color me jealous. We’ve always planned on planting asparagus, but haven’t gotten around to doing it. Other things to do I suppose. I *love* asparagus, though. The seasonal stuff….not the stuff available all year round.
    .-= mamaraby´s last blog ..View from the Garden =-.

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  16. slowinsydney on April 22, 2010 at 1:31 am

    I love, love asparagus! I have 7 plants all which are growing in pots – I know people say you can’t grow them in pots but my pots are fairly large. I planted 2 year crowns last spring and they seem to be thriving. They all had a number of spears but I decided not to harvest but wait for the next spring to let the plants get stronger. I hope to plant 4 more pots this coming spring as my guide tells me I need 7-11 plants for a fmaily of 4.

    As for eating, is there anything better than grilled?

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  17. nic @ nip it in the bud on April 23, 2010 at 4:25 pm

    my allotment neighbour grows the most amazing asparagus and I love the way it literally grows before your eyes (inches per day). I collected some seeds last year but didn’t get round to sowing them but then at the plot yesterday I spied a stalk peeking out from beneath some black plastic. Must be more organised next year!
    My brother lives in Germany and Asparagus is big business over there. May is the season and I know one family who have a long established tradition of freezing their first asparagus batch to eat on Christmas Day.

    Reply to nic @ nip it in the bud's comment

  18. Janie on April 25, 2010 at 10:21 pm

    I just planted my second asparagus bed in the back yard of the house I’m renting. Chances are, I won’t be living here when it’s ready, but I like the idea of leaving an asparagus legacy behind! I dug one into the community garden I was a part of last year, too. Someday I will settle into a place I can actually enjoy it year after year…

    Reply to Janie's comment

    • Susy on April 25, 2010 at 11:22 pm

      Good for you for planting even though you might not be around, you never know how long you’ll be somewhere. I’ve talked to sooooo many people that say, “Oh, I should have planted stuff, but I never got around to it. If I had known we were going to be here so long I would have, but it’s too late now.” (then of course 3 years later they’re still there).

      I would have been thrilled to move into a home with blueberry bushes, strawberry plants and an asparagus patch!

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This is a daily journal of my efforts to cultivate a more simple life, through local eating, gardening and so many other things. We used to live in a small suburban neighborhood Ohio but moved to 153 acres in Liberty, Maine in 2012.

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