Many connoisseurs can hardly wait for the asparagus season. The noble vegetable has only been on the market in Germany for a few months. The reason for the short harvest time is to protect the asparagus plants, which become too exhausted during longer harvests.
When is the asparagus season in Germany?
Depending on the weather, the asparagus season in Germany begins in mid-April and traditionally ends on June 24th, St. John's Day. During the asparagus season, it is important to harvest the asparagus plants regularly and then give them a rest period to recover.
Start of the asparagus season in April
Asparagus begins to grow as soon as the ground is at least twelve degrees warm. This is rarely the case before mid-April. The asparagus harvest can only start earlier in very warm years.
If you want to eat asparagus at Easter, you have to rely on imported asparagus. Some farmers ensure early offers by warming the asparagus beds with a heater.
End of asparagus season on St. John's Day
Traditionally, the asparagus season ends on June 24th. After that, fresh asparagus from Germany will no longer be on sale.
The reason for the end of the asparagus season is that the asparagus plants need a lot of strength to produce thick asparagus spears. After the season they need a long rest period to recover.
If you grow asparagus in the garden, you should definitely give your asparagus this rest period. If you prick the asparagus after this point, you will drain the plant too much. It will produce less next year and cannot be harvested for up to ten years.
Harvest during the asparagus season
During the asparagus season, you need to harvest your asparagus plants regularly. You should grab a knife and cut asparagus twice a day.
When white asparagus pushes through the mound and is exposed to the sun, it changes color and produces flowers very quickly. This can be prevented by harvesting in a timely manner.
Green asparagus must be cut while the flowers are still tightly closed. Otherwise it will be bitter.
- Start of the asparagus season: Depending on the weather from mid-April
- End of asparagus season: June 24th.
- Harvest regularly during the season
- Fertilize asparagus plants after the season
- Cut asparagus in autumn
Tips & Tricks
Extend the asparagus harvest by covering the asparagus beds with thick fleece or black foil. Exposure to sunlight causes the ground to heat up more quickly. The asparagus starts to grow sooner and you can harvest asparagus earlier.
