Hi ! I was wondering if there are any gardeners in this group growing
white asparagus ? Since I love this great vegetable I would like to grow
it myself . I would be very thankful for your advise how to go about it
I live in zone 5 .

Thanks !
Rosie z5

Rosemarie, I have never grown white asparagus. I have had several beds of
green and one purple. Is there some major difference between white and the
other two? I remember seeing advertisements, never checked into it's
requirements.

How is it better than green or purple asparagus? Is it worth the extra work
of growing it instead of the other two?

Good luck. Dwayne

"rosemarie face" wrote in message
...
Hi ! I was wondering if there are any gardeners in this group growing
white asparagus ? Since I love this great vegetable I would like to grow
it myself . I would be very thankful for your advise how to go about it
I live in zone 5 .

Thanks !
Rosie z5

On Tue, 11 Mar 2003 03:37:04 -0500 (EST),
(rosemarie face) wrote:

Hi ! I was wondering if there are any gardeners in this group growing
white asparagus ? Since I love this great vegetable I would like to grow
it myself . I would be very thankful for your advise how to go about it
I live in zone 5 .


I believe it's the same plant - just blanched by mounding
earth up around it so the sunlight doesn't strike the stems.

Sunlight striking a plant produces chlorophyll (the green
color).

Pat
--
CLICK DAILY TO FEED THE HUNGRY
United States: http://www.stopthehunger.com/
International: http://www.thehungersite.com/

rosemarie face wrote:

Hi ! I was wondering if there are any gardeners in this group growing
white asparagus ? Since I love this great vegetable I would like to grow
it myself . I would be very thankful for your advise how to go about it
I live in zone 5 .

Thanks !
Rosie z5

I tried to grow it one year. I bought seeds and got a few to sprout. Then
I transplanted them outside. Some came back the next year but I
unfortunately chose a very harsh location (hot & dry) and between that and
the asparagus beetles, it was toast. Considering the odds against it, it
was amazingly hardy.

Since then, I haven't been able to locate either seeds or crowns to try
again.

For those who asked about the diff between green and white, the spears poked
up nearly completely white. Once they ferned out, they did turn green but a
far lighter green than regular asparagus.

Mary

Mary McHugh wrote in message ...
rosemarie face wrote:

Hi ! I was wondering if there are any gardeners in this group growing
white asparagus ? Since I love this great vegetable I would like to grow
it myself . I would be very thankful for your advise how to go about it
I live in zone 5 .

Thanks !
Rosie z5

I tried to grow it one year. I bought seeds and got a few to sprout. Then
I transplanted them outside. Some came back the next year but I
unfortunately chose a very harsh location (hot & dry) and between that and
the asparagus beetles, it was toast. Considering the odds against it, it
was amazingly hardy.

Since then, I haven't been able to locate either seeds or crowns to try
again.

For those who asked about the diff between green and white, the spears poked
up nearly completely white. Once they ferned out, they did turn green but a
far lighter green than regular asparagus.

Mary

From what I've read, you've got to grow it in the dark to keep it
white. Seems to defy logic, but I've read that in several different
places.

Jeffrey

Hi to all you aspergus lovers. I have been growing white aspergus for twenty
years in zone 5. It is very easy, once you know a few basics.
The best soil is sandy. The plant needs a minimum of three years between
sowing and the first cut. Sow outside and don't touch the first year. Second
year, transplant to permanent location. The plants need about a square yard
of space, as the roots are enormous. I gradually add about 3-5 inches of
earth above the roots. Now here comes the difference between green and white
aswell as between tender and tough: As someone already mentioned - darkness.
Back home we heap earth on the rows. I am lazy - sorry - tall juice cans
work better! Lift and peek - if ready cut just above the ground - if too
short - put the can back and wait. It is that simple!
Occasionally I loose a plant to frost, bugs or whatever. No big deal, as I
sow one pack each year. I harvest between about May and late June. Then I
let them grow out into bushes. I never cut too close to the roots. Small
knife or just snap off, but never pull! No sprays, no chemicals, just a bit
of manure between the rows in fall.
Freshly harvested aspergus gets washed, cleaned and used or frozen
immediately.
Ever tried the old fashionned way, boiled in sal****er, drained, drizzeled
with melted saltfree butter, fresh potatoes and some mild ham? Bonne
appetit!


rosemarie face wrote in message
...
Hi ! I was wondering if there are any gardeners in this group growing
white asparagus ? Since I love this great vegetable I would like to grow
it myself . I would be very thankful for your advise how to go about it
I live in zone 5 .

Thanks !
Rosie z5