It can grow in both cool and warm climates as long as it is exposed to at least six hours of sunlight a day and it is drought-tolerant. Although varieties were whittled down over time, it became much harder to make the final selections. On heavy soils consider creating raised beds. Asparagus is seen as a luxury vegetable, with tender spears shooting through the soil in spring and early summer. Spread: 45cm (18"). Harvest Asparagus in 3 weeks. Purple asparagus isn’t only different because of its color but also because of its content. It is longer and thinner than its cultivated cousins and has a more delicate taste as well. It has excellent flavor and does best when grown in zones 3-8. Asparagus ‘Gijnlim’ is an ‘all male’ variety. It prefers full sun and the plant itself can get up to three feet in height. However, the edible stalks are harvest… Cookies are used to collect visitor data to help improve this website and to show advertising. Click “Accept” to consent to ALL cookies, or visit Cookie Settings to change. ul.art-contest p a:hover{text-decoration:none;color:#298CBA;} } It is a type of herb that is very easy to cultivate and it is also a type of Mary Washington asparagus. The Precoce D’Argenteuil asparagus is tender and very tasty. Newer varieties such as Pacific 2000 and Guelph Millennium are well One of my most premature orders (so some may think) is 20 crowns of asparagus. padding:15px; The best varieties of asparagus are those that have been bred and selected in Northern Europe and are well adapted to our climate. Height: 150cm (59"). In addition, because it tends to have more sugar than other varieties of asparagus, it is also much sweeter in taste. Hybrids versus non Hybrids. If your order contains Asparagus crowns then we can only despatch when all plants are ready in the Spring. Materials and Methods One-year-old crowns were purchased from Walker Brothers Plant Company and transplanted on May 31, 2011, at the UK Horticulture Research Farm in Lexington. It was awarded the RHS AGM in 1993 and again in 2009. £19.50 inc. p&p Asparagus 'Guelph Millennium' (12 crowns) This new male dominant F1 hybrid variety is exceptionally well adapted to cooler conditions and is therefore a very good choice for the UK climate. Asparagus is easy enough to grow but just be aware that you need to prepare the soil properly, have plenty of space in your vegetable garden and it will need to have regular hand weeding. © 2020 Allotment Book. It can grow in most types of climates and it can be harvested once the stalks are pencil-thin. The Apollo asparagus yields a large crop and blooms earlier than many other types of asparagus. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. After this point, any further asparagus spears should be allowed to mature, to give the plants energy for the following year's harvest. The ancient Greek doctor, Hippocrates, used the plant to treat diarrhea and pains of the urethra while another Greek doctor, Dioscorides, recommended it to treat kidney problems, sciatica, and jaundice. Asparagus plants will crop for about 20 years after planting, so it really is worth preparing the ground in advance of delivery. Once a bed is mature, weeding remains as the biggest challenge. The Jersey Series asparagus is a hybrid variety of all-male plants and includes Jersey Giant, Jersey Knight, and Jersey Supreme. 2. The majority of asparagus is green in colour, but you can also get white and purple varieties too. They usually mature in late spring in most climates and they do best if you live in zones 4-6. The tender spears are delicious when lightly steamed as a side dish or added to salads. Varieties. White Asparagus. It also grows in most climates from 45ᵒ to 85ᵒ Fahrenheit and it can even tolerate frost. It is resistant to rust and fusarium wilt and it does best in growing zones 3-8. float:left; In addition, because it tends to have more sugar than other varieties of asparagus, it is also much sweeter in taste. They are more vigorous than the older, open-pollinated varieties. Asparagus plants grow tall but provide little leaf cover to the soil, giving the opportunity for weeds to germinate at their base. Some gardeners might splutter, "Planting Although many people believe that thinner and younger asparagus is more tender, it is actually just the opposite. List of Asparagus Varieties and Their Types While there are only 3 types of asparagus, green, purple and white, there are a handful of varieties to choose from. The Atlas asparagus is resistant to most diseases that affect asparagus plants and it does very well in hot climates. Growing asparagus is a long-term, but incredibly worthwhile investment. British asparagus is a hero vegetable. However, the plants produce less numbers of spears. Purple Passion is the most common variety. Do not replant an old asparagus bed with new asparagus plants. It usually grows between seven and nine inches long and is very meaty and tasty. Types of Asparagus . It’s typically in season in the UK from April until June, traditionally starting 23 April (St George’s Day) and ending on the summer solstice in June. The stalks themselves grow to approximately ten inches long and they are very meaty and yummy. The Frenchmen also cultivated asparagus in their greenhouses to ensure its year-round supply since it’s King Louis XIV’s favorite type of food. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. Asparagus is available year-round, but spring is the best season for this nutritious vegetable. Asparagus varieties we would recommend are 'Ginlim' (RHS Award of Garden Merit), 'Pacific 2000' and a late variety to extend the season, 'Guelph Millennium'. ‘Jersey Knight’ is one of the more vigorous types of asparagus; highly resistant to asparagus diseases such as crown rot, rust and fusarium wilt. Green asparagus is inarguably the most common type of asparagus found in most supermarket produce departments. The only difference between green and white asparagus is the color because white asparagus has the same taste and texture as green asparagus, provided that it is the same or a similar variety. ul.art-contest {clear:both;}. Best if grown in zones 3-10, this type of asparagus does well even in cold climates and is high in vitamins A, B6, and C. The Jersey Supreme, a fairly new variety, is also resistant to disease and produces a little earlier than the Knight or Giant does. 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