SAVOUR MANITOBA | SPRING 24 51
I
t wouldn't be spring in Manitoba without
asparagus. A delicious perennial edible
grown by home gardeners and market
gardeners, asparagus does well in cool climates.
Easily grown from crowns, popular asparagus
varieties include Jersey Knight, Sweet Purple
and Millennium. Carl Durand, owner of Futura
Farms in Selkirk, grows Millennium asparagus
that he enjoys eating fresh. Five years ago, he
planted a row of 100 asparagus crowns.
"e same rule that applies to growing
rhubarb, another perennial edible, also applies
to asparagus," says Durand. "Do not harvest
asparagus for the first two years after planting.
is will give your asparagus plants time to
develop a deep root system."
Once your asparagus patch is established,
resist the urge to harvest every last spear, says
Durand. Leaving some stalks and foliage so that
they can absorb energy from the sunlight and
power up their root system will reward you with
a bountiful crop the following year.
Colin Rémillard, an avowed foodie and co-
owner of Jardins St-Léon Gardens at 419 St.
Mary's Rd., sources locally grown asparagus for
his customers as soon as it becomes available —
usually by late May or early June.
"I love that asparagus is edible raw or cooked.
I like to keep asparagus quite crunchy when I am
roasting it," Rémillard says.
"Roast asparagus for a few minutes on the grill
with olive oil, salt, pepper and garlic and you've
got yourself a crowd pleaser and a half."
Fresh asparagus can be frozen. You'll need to
blanch it first.
Asparagus
grows well in
cool Manitoban
climates.
GROWING ASPARAGUS
BY COLLEEN ZACHARIAS
