<>Wow, keith, give me a rundown on how you did the asparagus from seed...
Bev,
I remember a post of yours about asparagus and meant to send this:
Seeds for Spears
By Keith Bellinger
8/18/2006
Bob is in his eighties and planted a small patch of asparagus, "... over
twenty years ago." Earlier this year he asked if I wanted some spears. I
told him that I didn't care for the vegetable but admitted I was a
third-grader when it was forced on me. He laughed and proceeded to tell
me how delicious it is. I accepted a handful of spears reluctantly,
"Maybe they can be pickled. Anything is good pickled."
Being a poor country boy, I didn't know that pickled asparagus is
gourmet food and a spear is often used as a swizzle stick in a Bloody
Mary. I learned that I liked them (asparagus, not vodka in tomato juice)
enough to want a patch of my own and asked my friend for some seeds. Bob
said, "Please, take them all!"
That was a month ago; I brought home a green berry-laden branch and
stuck it in a small empty vase on my windowsill before proceeding to
read everything written about growing the perennial vegetable. Most
references, including the excellent one here at Farm and Garden written
by Gregg Banse, recommend starting with crowns instead of seed, as it
takes several years to establish a productive patch. If a backyard
gardener has one virtue it is patience. The wait doesn't bother me but
many guides suggest using all-male hybrids. That just doesn't seem
natural. I became determined to carry on my old friend Bob's legacy.
Just this morning I noticed the berries in my vase had turned from green
to orange. I thought, "The seeds inside cannot possibly be mature."
From The Seed Starter's Handbook by Nancy Bubel: Asparagus: To save
seed, cut the ferny plant top when the berries are red, and hang it to
dry. Soak the berries in water to soften the skin, then wash them and
rinse off the pulp. Spread the seed on a tray and keep in a warm, dry,
airy place until thoroughly dry.
Jackie Clay, Backwoods Home Magazine on-line columnist, suggests, "To
save {asparagus} seed, just wait until the berries are orange in the
fall. Then pick them and let them dry well. When they are dry, crush the
berries by rolling them between your hands."
I jumped in the truck and an hour later returned with several dozen
orange/red asparagus berries in a paper sack.
Half of my berries went into a cup of water; the others left in the bag.
Tonight I mashed the berries in the cup, strained them and dumped the
seeds onto a paper plate.
Just for fun I reached over to the windowsill and plucked a berry from
the month-old branch in the vase. It split easily with only a fingernail
and five dark seeds rolled out. They cannot be distinguished from the
others. Maybe they are mature. Keeping them separate from the others, I
will let them dry further, package and label them and in the spring do a
little experimenting. Wouldn't it be fun to learn that the seeds can be
harvested from green berries?
Springtime may seem a long way off right now but I aim to be prepared.
There are differences of opinion about how big an asparagus patch to
plant. Douglas C. Sanders from the Department of Horticultural Science
at North Carolina State University recommends 10 crowns for each family
member or, "If you are especially fond of asparagus or want a surplus to
can or freeze, plant at least 25 plants for each family member."
Neil Moran at gardenguides.com suggests that, "A ten foot square bed
will support about ten plants which is a good start for a family of four."
Hmm, Bob's patch is less than a hundred square feet and he said it
produces more than he can eat but he has forgotten how many crowns he
originally set. I'll start small and fill one of my five by six foot
beds; if spaced according to my county extension office's guidelines of
two inches apart in four rows that will be 120 seedlings. They will
remain in that nursery bed until the following year at which time I will
have a permanent spot prepared. I will transplant the best crowns and
twenty years from now maybe a young gardener will ask for some berries
to start his own patch.
20 stalks trimmed asparagus spears
2 ½ cups white wine vinegar
10 peppercorns
1 bay leaf
½ tsp. grated nutmeg
Wash the asparagus in cold water, and then soak in lightly salted water
for 4 to 6 hours. Blanch the asparagus in boiling, salted water for
1-minute. Remove and drain on a clean dishcloth and cool. Place the
vinegar, peppercorns, bay leaf and nutmeg in a saucepan over medium-high
heat. Bring to a low boil. Cook 5 minutes. Remove and cool thoroughly.
Pack the asparagus in a sterilized wide-mouth jar, standing the spears
upright. Cover with the cold vinegar mixture and seal. Refrigerate and
hold 2 to 3 weeks prior to serving.
.