- How to harvest wild asparagus in spring
- How to identify and find wild wild wild asparagus
- Practical methods for harvesting wild asparagus
- Preserving and preparing wild asparagus
- Tips for learning how to harvest wild asparagus like an expert
- Harvest wild asparagus as your grandfather did
- How to harvest wild asparagus seeds
How to harvest wild asparagus in spring
Have you ever thought about how to harvest wild asparagus? You can also enjoy a nice walk in the countryside. Well, come with me, I’ll tell you. For me, spring not only smells of flowers and wet earth, it also smells of freshly cut wild asparagus.
In a previous post, I shared how to find them in autumn. Now, it’s time to go back to our secret spots and harvest with excitement. Around here, in the northeast, spring came a little early this year, and the asparagus didn’t have to wait long. I have gone out several times with my basket and my little knife, and the harvest has been so good that I can’t believe it.
How to identify and find wild wild wild asparagus
The magic of recognizing them in spring
Wild asparagus grows mainly in fields and hedge fences. I have also seen them growing in unusual places. Once you know how to identify them, you get used to them. On several occasions, driving around, I saw them when I least expected it.
One key I learned over time is to look for the remains of the previous year’s plant, those dry straw-like stalks. Chances are you’ll find new shoots just below or next to them. Be careful not to trample the fresh shoots, sometimes they hide in the undergrowth as if playing hide and seek with you!
Did you know that they often follow the line of telephone poles or old fences? One theory says that the birds eat the seeds and Nature has its own secret maps!
Sometimes I mark my favorite spots with a rock or an old nail sticking out of a fence. It’s a little trick that reminds me exactly where to return in the spring.
Practical methods for harvesting wild asparagus
Tools and techniques
I have found that the best way to harvest wild asparagus is with a good knife. Be sure to cut the asparagus below the soil. Slide the knife all the way to the bottom, where the stalk touches the ground, and cut them off.
You can also use pruning shears if that is more comfortable, as long as the cut is clean and does not damage the crown of the plant. It is important to harvest only young asparagus, about 15 centimeters long. They grow very fast, so be careful.
I have noticed that right after it rains or when the county mows the lawn, the asparagus stands out. It’s almost as if they are shouting “here I am!”
It usually comes back to my plots every few days until the season is over. And remember, please don’t harvest all the stalks. It is a good habit to let several plants grow as bushes or give seed. This will make for a repeat harvest year after year.
I once heard the story of a plot that continued to produce asparagus for a hundred years. Imagine how many generations of pickers passed through there!
Preserving and preparing wild asparagus
Homemade methods to make it last longer
Once you have all this asparagus, how do you preserve it? I like to freeze them with my FoodSaver V2244 vacuum sealing system. This device is great. It puts food in a bag, takes out the air, and lets you freeze it longer.
First I blanch them for 30 seconds to 1 minute, depending on the thickness, and submerge them in an ice bath. Then I freeze them for 30 minutes on a tray before sealing them. This greatly improves the keeping quality.
Tasty ideas to enjoy them
I also love to grill asparagus. I mix them with extra virgin olive oil, a little garlic powder, seasoned salt, and cook them on aluminum foil. That smoky touch transports me directly to sunny days in the country.
Sometimes I add them to nice pasta with vegetables and chicken. It’s a simple and healthy dinner. Knowing I picked the asparagus myself makes it even more special!
Tips for learning how to harvest wild asparagus like an expert
- Explore in the fall: Locate mature plants that have produced seeds. They will be easier to find the following spring.
- Visit your sites frequently: Especially after rain or mowing.
- Discreetly mark your find spots: Use natural or inconspicuous elements that only you will recognize.
- Be patient: Sometimes asparagus is not ready when you are. Nature has its rhythm.
- Share but care: Teach others, but also protect these wild treasures.
Harvest wild asparagus as your grandfather did
Picking wild asparagus is not just a springtime activity. It is an intimate connection with the land, with the rhythm of the seasons, and even with family memories.
Every time I go out with my knife and backpack, I feel like my grandfather is with me. He taught me how to pick asparagus when I was a child. Do you have a story like that too?
Do you dare to go out and pick your own this spring? You know how to pick wild asparagus. So, put on your boots, grab a basket, and follow your instincts and the land’s secrets.
How to harvest wild asparagus seeds
And if one day you want to go further, you can also learn how to harvest wild asparagus seeds. All you have to do is let a few sticks ripen until they bear fruit, small red berries. Inside are the seeds. When you collect them and dry them well, you can save them to plant them yourself. It is a beautiful way to close the cycle and start a new one.