how to cook asparagus

asparagus storage tips

growing asparagus

asparagus nutrition

asparagus types

asparagus history

asparagus fun facts

asparagus fun facts

1. Asparagus is a member of the Lily family.
   
   
2. Asparagus spears grow from a crown that is planted about a foot deep in sandy soils.
   
   
3. Asparagus begins as a tiny black seed.
   About a year after planting, the seed has developed long, tubular roots and is then called a "crown".
   
   The crowns are transplanted to fields where they are placed in deep trenches and covered with 10 to 12 inches of soil.
   
   It then takes two years before the plant is ready to be harvested for the first time.
   
   The fields are harvested every spring thereafter and will continue to produce for 15 to 20 years!
   
   
4. Under ideal conditions, an asparagus spear can grow 10" in a 24-hour period.
   
   
5. Each crown will send spears up for about 6-7 weeks during the spring and early summer
   
   
6. The outdoor temperature determines how much time will be between each picking...early in the season, there may be 4-5 days between pickings and as the days and nights get warmer, a particular field may have to be picked every 24 hours.
   
7. After harvesting is done the spears grow into ferns, which produce red berries and the food and nutrients necessary for a healthy and productive crop the next season.
   
8. An asparagus planting is usually not harvested for the first 3 years after the crowns are planted allowing the crown to develop a strong fibrous root system.
   
   
9. A well cared for asparagus planting will generally produce for about 15 years without being replanted.
   
   
10. The larger the diameter, the better the quality!
    
    
11. Asparagus is a nutrient-dense food which in high in Folic Acid and is a good source of potassium, fiber, vitamin B6, vitamins A and C, and thiamin.
    
12. Asparagus has No Fat, contains No Cholesterol and is low in Sodium.