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ITS FARMING :

The asparagus (Asparaguses officinalis L.,
Liliaceous) is a rustic vegetable which can reach
1.5m height. It is also long-lived thanks to its
underground parts, and tolerates all climate
types but with a preference for the sunny places.
Cold and wet grounds should be avoided. Among
all asparaguses, we find more or less the late or
early ones, which can make it possible to spread
out its harvest.

What one calls “claws of asparagus” is actually the whole root.
Starting from these claws are the stems emitted, called “turions” or
“asparagus spear”.

Harvesting needs patience. After waiting theoretically during 3 years, harvests are done annually
during 10 to 15 years.

The soil around Malines is conducive to the tillage of asparagus because its claws particularly like
sandy grounds, which are heated quickly. But they can also be satisfied with a more classical ground.

How to plant the claws ?

Start by preparing your soil in autumn:

 Trench of approximately 25-30 cm depth, over a
width of 30 cm, separated every 1.80 to 2.00 m.
 Leave the ground extracted between the trenches.
 Loosen (without turning over) the bottom of the
trench and add basic compost and fertilizer.

At the time of the plantation of the claws, the following spring:

 Realize at the bottom of the trench small earth
hillocks, approximately 8 cm height every 60-80 cm.
 Plant a tutor, which will allow to locate the site but
also to attach the frail stems during the first years.
 On each one of these small hillocks, deposit a claw,
with the central bud at the top, and spread out the
roots well around. Shorten those which are too long.
 Recover the bottom of the trench with 10 cm fine earth; the claws are then covered very
thinly (2 or 3 cm), the time for the plant to acclimatize to the soil.
 During this first year, the plant will gently accommodate.

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