What grows 7 inches a day? Fun Asparagus Facts!

Asparagus facts!

• How much does Asparagus grow in a day? 

  • How much an asparagus grows in a day is highly dependent on the weather! With the changing weather in the spring, especially in North Carolina, how much an asparagus grows depends on how warm it is. Asparagus can grow anywhere between 6-10 inches in 24 hours. During this time, we harvest asparagus daily. In the beginning of spring, when the weather is cooler or less consistently warm, asparagus grows a little more slowly. Asparagus is harvested when it is about 6-8 inches long. 
• You can eat asparagus raw
• • Yes! Asparagus is a safe vegetable to eat raw and is very rich in nutrients! Just make sure that you trim the woody ends of the asparagus, and choose a firm feeling asparagus for a crisp, raw asparagus! 
  • If you find raw asparagus a bit bitter, there's an east fix! You can cook it with a bit of lemon juice to reduce that bitter flavor! 
  • Asparagus is rich in Vitamin A, C, and K and serves as a source of fiber and antioxidants.

• Asparagus is a perennial can live for a long time

  • Yes, asparagus is a perennial, which just means that once you plant it, they continue to regrow and produce each spring. This is different from an annual plant, which grows once then dies off. 
  • Asparagus can continue to produce for more than 20 years if well maintained! 

• Does Asparagus sleep during the winter months? 

  • Yes! Asparagus goes dormant in the winter months, after spending the summer ferning to grow and store energy in its root crowns. After the first frost in the fall (when the temperature drops around freezing overnight) the asparagus goes dormant until the spring! 

• What do asparagus plants do in the summer? 

  • In the summer, asparagus plants either "fern out" or "bolt" - when the last spears of asparagus are not harvested (or cut), the asparagus grows into a fern-like plant that photosynthesizes and stores energy for the next year! 
  • This happens as a natural process, as the fern plant tries to store energy (via photosynthesis) for the upcoming cold season when it goes dormant. 
  • This is important, as the roots of the asparagus plan store energy like a battery until the following spring when it is time to make more asparagus!

• What makes your pee stink?

  • Does asparagus make your pee stink? It actually depends on the person! The change in urine smell is caused by a compound called “asparagusic acid” and is actually a sulfur-containing compound. 
  • When you eat asparagus, the “asparagusic acid” is broken down. The sulfur parts of the acid are removed when you pee! Because your body gets rid of these in your urine, it makes your pee smell! 
  • Here’s the weirdest part: Your pee smells like that when you eat asparagus, without exception. However, some people say asparagus doesn’t make their pee smell because they can’t smell it! Depending on your genetics, you may lack the ability to smell those sulfur compounds.

Hope you enjoyed some asparagus facts! For more information on getting Asparagus at Carrigan Farms, visit our website here: www.carriganfarms.com/asparagus/