Mary Washington Asparagus Seeds

An heirloom variety, Mary Washington Asparagus is a stem vegetable. An early, high-yielding cultivar, the plant produces long, straight, dark green shoots with tight tips and a delicate, fresh flavor. Harvest shoots in early spring while very young, about 5 to 7 inches long. Asparagus spears can be boiled, braised, roasted, steamed, stir fried, or grilled. Asparagus is considered a superfood for its nutrient rich content, having a high (top 20) Aggregate Nutrient Density Index score (ANDI), or micronutrient-per-calorie density. It is a good source of vitamins B6, C, and K, fiber, niacin, thiamin, riboflavin. It also contains a range of phytonutrients.

Mary Washington, a long-lived, herbaceous perennial, is a member of the asparagus family (Asparagaceae). The plant self-propagates by rhizomatous roots. Dioecious, asparagus requires cross-pollination of 2 separate plants, a male and female, for fruit production. Once established, the plant can produce for decades, but it should not be harvested until the second year or third year.

If asparagus is not harvested, the plant produces a towering fern of attractive feathery foliage of very branched, tiny, linear leaves that turn yellow in fall. Mary Washington is a female selection and may also produce ornamental red berries. The berries are toxic and should not be eaten. The plants have ornamental value and are suitable for edible landscapes.

Mary Washington Asparagus is easy to grow. It prefers full sun and loose, organically rich, evenly moist, sandy, well-drained soil with a neutral pH of 6.0 to 7.0. Soil should be free of weeds. Top dress with compost and apply nitrogen yearly, in early spring. Mary Washington grows best in cooler locales with long winters. The plant is resistant to blight, some rusts, and rabbits.

A cool-season vegetable, one of the first to be planted in the garden, asparagus seed can be direct sown into the garden in early spring, 2 to 4 weeks before the last frost date. It can also be started indoors 8 to 10 weeks before transplanting in the garden when the soil reaches a temperature of 60 to 65°F. Mulching helps to moderate soil temperature as well as to maintain soil moisture and control weeds. Protect plants with row covers if temperatures are expected to dip below 20°F.