Mary Washington Asparagus Seeds

• Package contains approximately 45 Mary Washington Asparagus Seeds.

• Germination:10-20 days at 75 F. 

• Soak Mary Washington Asparagus Seeds overnight before sowing. 

• Plant seeds 1 inch deep and 24 inches apart. Leave 36 - 48 inches between rows.   Does best in full or partial sunlight.

This female variety of asparagus produces delicious spears and has lovely, fern-like foliage. The berries of the plant are red and contain the seeds, which can be saved and used for plantings later on. Mary Washington Asparagus is disease resistant and wonderful to eat fresh or after freezing.

Asparagus is an early spring perennial that is grown for its young shoots. These shoots are full of vitamins and nutrients, are one of the first tastes of spring. Asparagus has been cultivated for thousands of years, and although some people dislike the taste, many absolutely love to eat asparagus spears and look forward to them each spring. There are many ways to enjoy this veggie, and even those skeptical of asparagus are likely to find a recipe that they like. Asparagus is most often green, although it is also found in other colors.

Asparagus prefers full sun and light soil with a high pH (around 7.0). Be sure the planting area has plenty of organic matter. 

After planting asparagus seeds, you will need to wait a couple years to start harvesting. Let the asparagus plants establish themselves in the first two years. Although this does require patience, healthy asparagus plants will produce for many, many years to come and are certainly worth the wait.

Harvest over a 2-3 week period the first time. During this time, you can cut or snap the spears when they get about 8” tall. After this first harvest year, you can start harvesting for longer periods of time depending on how healthy and vigorous the plants are.

Use asparagus on its own, or add it to all kinds of dishes like stirfry, pasta, vegetable mixtures, soup, and more.

1 bunch of fresh washed asparagus (about a pound) 

1 T. olive oil 

1 T. Balsamic vinegar 

1 clove garlic, minced 

1/4 tsp. Italian seasoning blend 

Salt and pepper to taste

1. Trim off the rough ends of the asparagus.

2. Heat the oil in a pan and add garlic and asparagus. Cook the asparagus, turning to ensure an even coat of oil, for about 5 minutes.

3. Add the vinegar and spices, and cook for about 3 minutes more until asparagus is cooked through and has changed color.