Can all Asparagus plants be harvested?

Good afternoon Nancy,

I hope you are having a great day. Your question sure did being back some good memories until I figured out you were talking about harvesting and “eating” Sprengeii Asparagus Fern. As per your question NO, all asparagus cannot be harvested.

Sprengeii Asparagus Fern is a beautiful fern which is used in potted hanging baskets. In fact, Sprengeii is poisonous. It is VERY invasive. Do not plant in your garden. If allowed to grow, the roots will spread and take over your garden, especially in warm climates. It will take a lot of work to remove. Take it back for a refund.

Everyone knows how much better home grown vegetables taste when compared to the grocery store vegetables. I have to tell you my story about asparagus.

My memories: I had a Bridge (card game) partner. He contracted Rheumatoid arthritis as a child. Tony was confined to a wheelchair. He loved to eat good food. About twenty years ago, my wife invited him over for dinner. We were going to have steak, salad, pickled beets, and cauliflower for dinner. He told me cauliflower was his favorite vegetable.

Tony was a city fellow. I rolled him out to my garden to help pick the vegetables for dinner. I removed the bags over the tops of the cauliflower heads. He was totally surprised and excited because he had never seen cauliflower grow, yet alone harvested it.

He explored my garden like a kid in a candy store. He also asked me “what were these bushes with tiny red berries in the corner?” I told him the bushes were asparagus plants. Again, he was stocked because he had never seen asparagus grow. He wanted to know, where were the asparagus? I told him this was a stage, and the asparagus spears would pop out of the ground in the spring. I told him I would invite him back for some asparaguses.

At dinner that night, Tony went totally INSANE. Tony’s eyes sparkled and got bigger after each bite of cauliflower. He could not get over the taste of fresh cauliflower from my garden. I had to go and cut another head of cauliflower for him to take home. He was actually upset because he had never had fresh vegetables straight from the garden in his life.

I cannot begin to explain what happen when Tony cut and streamed the fresh asparaguses from my garden that spring. Tony passed a few years ago. Every time I cut asparaguses, I remember my little buddy.

Nancy, there is one vegetable from the garden which surpasses all vegetables. That is fresh asparaguses.

Hard to grow, no. Growing Asparagus is a piece of cake! Find a place of its’ own (separate patch). Dig a trench about six (6) inches deep, plant, and cover. Do not plant seeds. Start from crowns. Keep clear of weeds just like any other plants in your garden. Keep moist not wet.

Plants will flower and turn to bushes during off season. The bushes will look just like Sprengerii Fern. The brushes can get three (3) feet tall. IMPORTANT, “WAIT” until third (3rd) year before you take fruits. Year after year, you will continue to have one of the most unbelievable tasting vegetables you can grow…a true delicacy.

Asparagus lose 50% of their favor within four (4) hours after cutting. Therefore, harvest in the morning when the air temperature is cool. Immerse the spears in ice cold water. Drain and place in refrigerator.

Nancy, do not go through life without having fresh asparaguses from your own garden.

http://www.vegetablegardener.com/item/2564/how-to-...

http://local.garden.org/Asparagus_Denver_CO-r12164...

I have a 20x20 feet vegetable garden and nine (9) rare fruit trees. Remember gardening is on-going. You learn more each year. Right now I am researching and thinking about planting a “Peanut Butter Tree”.

http://www.daleysfruit.com.au/fruit%20pages/peanut...

I wish you and your family a beautiful day. Peace, from Los Angeles.

I tried googling asparagus sprengeii and didn't find that but did find asparagus sprengerii, which is not an edible plant and has, in fact, parts that are poisonous. It's a tropical plant and is not going to survive a Colorado winter. The edible kind is called asparagus officinalis