Friday, May 8, 1992 ~ North Shore News - 15

Asparagus plants provide plentiful supplies

Pre-planting preparation means everything to success with perennial

MANY CONSIDER asparagus to be a trendy dish. Sure,
you might find it on Caiuck and Buffy’s table as they make
their bid for the cover of Vancouver Magazine, but real

people don’t eat the stuff.

it’s green, it’s expensive and it
looks rude; so why would I want
it in my garden?

Let’s start with the fact that it’s
good for you. In preparing for
this article, i placed a call to
Dial-A-Dietician (no lie, try it
yourself — 732-9191). They gave
me the following nutritional
breakdown of four cooked spears
of average size:

Its low 15 calories plus two
grams of protein, three grams of
carbohydrates and just a trace of
fat, make it a good candidate for
us fat guys. The 186 milligrams of
potassium qualifies it as.a great
source of energy, and if, is also
very low in sodium (only two
milligrams).

At 16 milligrams of vitamin C
per serving, asparagus is a good
natural source for this major
nutrient. More importantly, it also
supplies 59 micrograms of folate.
As folate is crucial in the forma-
tion *of healthy blood and overall
growth, this rare natural source
should be included in the diet of
children and expectant mothers.
-The good supply of the B vitamins
can also assist in our ability to
cope with stress.

When one adds these health
issues to the picture, asparagus
starts looking pretty good. And
that’s another thing: asparagus
can make an equally significant

Geott
Tobiasson

OVER THE GARDEN GATE

contribution to the visual aspects
of the garden as well. The fine
texture and rich, dark greens of
the maturing fern-like growth
make a complimentary backdrop

to the well-tended vegetabie

garden,

it is easy to grow, too. Unlike
most other annual vegetable
crops, asparagus is a_ perennial
that will continue supplying you
with an attractive, healthy pro-
duce for many years. This being
the case, choose a locaticn that
can be left undisturbed for an ex-
tended period.

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Look for a sunny, well-drained
site, preferably on the north side
of the vegetable bed as mature
growth can reach four to six feet,
thereby shading other crops. An
area measuring three feet by eight
feet should provide enough room
for sufficient plants to feed a
family of four.

In growing good asparagus,
pre-planting preparation is
everything. In addition to the
good drainage, your soil should be
rich in organic matter. Remove
the top six to eight inches of top-
soil from the area and work three
inches of compost or well-rotted
manure into six to eight inches of

the ‘subsoil.

A“liberai dusting of bonemeal:..

prior to replacing the-topsoil will
ensure strong shoots. “

You can start asparagus from
seed or from dormant plants.
Starting seeds will require that you
wait at least two years before
harvesting any of your shoots,
while planting dormant plants
could yield a small harvest the
year after planting.

When planting rooted plants,

make two rows 18 inches apart
and eight inches deep by 12 inches
wide. Space your plants 18 inches
apart, staggered down the centre
of each row, and spread the thick
roots evenly out from the crown.
Carefully cover with three inches
of light, well-worked, stone-free
soil and water in.

Top off with an additional inch
of soil once settling has occurred.

When planting by seed use the
same site preparation and spacing.

Grouping the seed in twos and
threes will assure that each loca-
tion produces a_ healthy male
plant. You can thin them out as
they develop. The male ‘asparagus
is more productive and has a bet-
ter flavor, so look for and remove
the berry-producing females.

Next week we can discuss after
planting care, pest control,
harvesting and long-term
maintenance considerations. Until
then, sow it grows.

Rhodo society hosts show

THE VANCOUVER
Rhododendron Society is
holding its 35th annual show
on Saturday, May 9 from noon
to 5 p.m., and Sunday, May 10
from tl a.m. to 4 p.m.

The show takes place at
VanDusen Botanical Gardens,
corner of Oak Street and 37th
Avenue in Vancouver. Admis-
sion is free.

There will be an hourly ;af-
fle for plants and other prizes,
with a grand prize draw at the
end of the show.

Members of the Society will
be on hand to help with garden
planning and discuss problems.
Visitors will be able to join the
Society at this time.

For more information con-
tact Rex Merritt at 228-8546.

° SANDBOX SAND FILL SAND * CRUSHED & ROUND STONE
¢ RIVERSTONE ¢ TOP SOIL e BARK MULCH ° LAVA ROCK
AVAILABLE FOR DELIVERY ONLY