White asparagus is considered a delicacy. It has a milder flavor than green asparagus. White asparagus is preferred in gourmet cooking. It is also expensive. Here is how to grow your own.
Blanched In Darkness
White asparagus is grown just like regular asparagus with one important difference. The shoots are deprived of light so they never turn green. There are two ways this is normally done.
Cover With Dirt
The first way is the least expensive. You simply heap dirt on the crowns so that the shoot is a normal length underground before it pokes through. Use a knife to cut the shoot from the base and pull it out. You should have a normal shoot with just a bit of green on it, where the tip poked through.
Black Plastic Hope Houses
If you are more ambitious, however, you can try the second method. A set of hoops are placed along the row of asparagus and covered with black plastic. This blocks all the light from the shoots. Every day, you briefly remove the plastic while harvesting the shoots that are ready, then immediately replace it when you are done. Again, you should have white asparagus.
Cut At Ground Level
Remember to cut the asparagus stems at ground level. Leaving a stump allows diseases to take hold and can kill the asparagus.
When To Stop Harvesting
The shoots will become smaller in diameter as the season progresses. When they become the diameter of a pencil, it is time to stop harvesting them. Remove the cover or dirt and let the asparagus grow. This allows the plant to store enough energy to make it through the winter and the next year’s harvest.
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White asparagus demands a lot of hard work till their maturity but it is interesting to work for their protection.
So this is how white asparagus are made. This is interesting! I want to try the first method of growing white asparagus. I’m really curious how this one grows. Thanks!
Growing white asparagus might be a challenge for me. I love gardening but I haven’t tried growing white asparagus and the idea of doing it seems interesting. I think you need to have patience and hard work in doing this. I might try it some time. Anyway, thanks a lot for sharing this info.
I like Asparagus, and I always make Asparagus salad. I usually mix it with onions and a little vinegar to make it more delicious. I remembered last winter, we made an Asparagus soup and it was really good. Anyway, growing an Asparagus is not that easy. We really need patience and time before enjoying an Asparagus meal..
Growing asparagus takes care in the way it is planted and cultivated, but it is a learned skill. I believe anyone can learn it, if they try.
I think growing white asparagus is difficult. But you said it is a learned skill. Gotta try this and all I need is patience. I think I have to get a copy of your book so that I can start preparing my vegetable garden. I love vegetables!
Wow! You’re definitely right! Growing white asparagus is labor intensive and there’s no doubt that they’re so expensive. Hmm.. since you’ve mentioned the process on how to grow them, perhaps I should try this as well. My sister loves to make vegetable salads, plus she has a vegetable garden too. This might be a great opportunity to grow some white asparagus. Wish me luck!