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We are regular visitors to the local Farmers market here in the Hastings Valley, particularly as we intend to be vendors there in the not too distant future. Last weekend was no exception, into town at an early hour to check out what was on offer, and chat with the producers about what had been happening for them that week.
It was the stand from Pembrooke Plants and Poultry that caught my eye - and to be honest it was their sign out the front - ASPARAGUS CROWNS - 10 for $26 - that really got my interest.
I love fresh asparagus.
And the thought of growing our own, for us and our CSA shareholders sends a tingle down my spine.
Now I knew that the planting bed for the asparagus needed special preparation, and given that these guys produce for 20 years once they are in place, it makes sense to put in a bit of extra effort. So after the markets, it was home and into the market garden, and start preparing the first section of the asparagus bed.
The area has been marked out for awhile now, and about a month ago, we hired a rotary hoe to knock out the grass cover. So my week was spent turning the area, adding a trailer load of aged cow manure and another of compost, and then a good serve of lime, as these guys prefer neutral (pH 7) soil.
Friday saw me visit the nursery at Pembrooke Plants and Poultry and collect the asparagus crowns, along with some day lilies (we'll use the flowers in our salad mix.) Which means that we spent Saturday planting the asparagus, and what an effort it took.
After adding all the material to the planting area, 'trenches' were dug with centres approx. 1.5 m (5 ft) apart. These were about 200 mm (8 ") deep. The crowns were set out in these trenches with 450 mm (18") spacing between each. The roots were then splayed out over the slight ridge that we'd formed in the middle of the trench, bedded down and then the trench was back filled.
The rows were then given a good water before a thick layer of mulch was added. Now we just sit back and wait till spring .... next year - you see you don't harvest any spears in the first year, and not really that many in the second year either. So patiently we'll be waiting .... know that we'll tell you all about it here.
And now for some plant information.
Asparagus (Asparagus officinalis) is a herbaceous perennial plant that grows to 100-150 cm (3-5 ft)tall. Asparagus has been used from very early times as a vegetable and medicine, owing to its delicate flavour and diuretic properties. Eaten worldwide, green asparagus accompanies eggs in China and beef in Britain, and is not considered a delicacy as it is very cheap and easy to obtain. However, some other forms like the white and purple cultivars can demand a premium.
The crowns that we've planted are the favourite 'Mary Washington' which is one of the most popular of all heirloom varieties. The shoots (called "spears") on this cultivar are tender, thick, heavy and straight and are of a rich dark green colour with a purple tinge. It is known to produce uniform spears and a heavy yield, and was originally developed in California, then introduced by the United States Department of Agriculture in 1949.
So who is Mary Washington? Well Oregon State University has the whole story, stating that:
"Modern American rust resistant varieties trace back to breeding work done by J. B. Morton at Concord, Massachusetts under heavy rust conditions. A male plant, A7-83, from a variety called 'New American', was found to be exceptional in transmitting rust resistance and vigour. When A7-83 was crossed with B32-39, a female selected from the English variety `Reading Giant', the resulting progeny was the best of many hundreds tested. From this progeny came the strain called 'Martha Washington' and the two original parents were known as `Martha' and `Washington'. Later, another female selection from `Reading Giant', called `Mary', was crossed with `Washington' resulting in the development of `Mary Washington' the most important U.S. variety to date. Currently a strain of the `Mary Washington' type, 'California 500', is the leading variety being planted."
So that's who Mary Washington is, and how this asparagus cultivar got it's name. Sounds much better than A7-83 or B32-39, don't you think?
Of course, in real life Mary Washington was the mother of the first US President, George Washington, and Martha was his wife.
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Author Bio Box: Andrew Hearne
 See our daily posts about sustainability and bio-dynamic market farming at http://www.1466group.com/biodynamic_treechange
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