Description: Asparagus is native to the Mediterranean and has been cultivated for many centuries. The mature plants, which are either male or female, are lacy and fern-like, with the female plants bearing red berries in the fall. It is an extremely hardy, delicious, and very nutritious vegetable whose spears are harvested and enjoyed in the early spring. It takes a fair amount of work to prepare and plant asparagus, but the rewards are well worth the effort. A well-planned asparagus bed will deliver tasty delicacies for decades. Unless you can flash freeze asparagus, this is one vegetable to be enjoyed when it's fresh and then eagerly awaited next season. Nutrients: dietary fiber, vitamins C, K, B6, and A, magnesium, calcium, phosphorus, iron and zinc.

Guidelines: Growing: Winter hardy, frost tolerant perennial that grows in full sun or partial shade. Transplant established seedlings or 1 yr old crowns in the spring or fall into fertile, well cultivated trenches 12" wide and 8-10" deep, in rows 18-24" apart. Cover the crowns with about 2 inches of soil. As the ferns emerge and grow, gradually fill in the furrows with layers of rich soil and organic compost. Add 2-3" of aged mulch after planting and each successive season. Plant Seeds: 1/2" deep in 4-6" pots. Soil Temp: 65-80?F. Thin To/Mature Plant Spacing: 12". Average Yield/100' Row: 400 spears. Seed Viability in ideal storage: 3-4 years. Companions: Basil, Marigold, Nasturtium, Parsley, Tomato.

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