Articles
Year-round asparagus production
Article number
1376_22
Pages
157 – 160
Language
English
Abstract
Asparagus is generally considered a seasonal crop in temperate climates.
Many tropical countries produce the crop year-round using the mother fern system, or more specifically in coastal Peru where the unique climate (low rainfall, equable temperatures) allows the use of a drought induced dormancy instead of a winter dormancy.
Production in the tropics has the major problem of distance from markets with the short shelf life of asparagus, and therefore normally requires expensive air freight.
Producing perishable products like asparagus close to market is highly desirable.
Over the years there have been several efforts made to extend the harvest period, and the latest iteration developed in New Zealand involves the growing of the plants in 8-m wide plastic clad Haygrove greenhouses in 1 m high (and 1 m wide) beds filled with coir.
The asparagus plants are typically at 30×30 cm in the planted beds, using coir previously used for growing greenhouse strawberries hydroponically for 1 year.
Yields in excess of 20 t ha‑1 year‑1 of spears have been achieved, and the potential would appear to be over 30 t ha‑1 year‑1. This is attributed to the ideal nature of the growing medium, the use of hydroponics and aerial environment compared with production outside in the soil.
Harvesting is easier as the spears are produced 1 m above the ground, and robotic harvesting should be simpler to achieve than in the field.
Out-of-season asparagus sells at 3-4× the price of in-season asparagus so the economics of growing such a crop look very promising.
It may even be possible to obtain 3 crops of spears every 2 years.
White asparagus can also be produced in a similar manner, by covering the beds during spear emergence with panda film.
Many tropical countries produce the crop year-round using the mother fern system, or more specifically in coastal Peru where the unique climate (low rainfall, equable temperatures) allows the use of a drought induced dormancy instead of a winter dormancy.
Production in the tropics has the major problem of distance from markets with the short shelf life of asparagus, and therefore normally requires expensive air freight.
Producing perishable products like asparagus close to market is highly desirable.
Over the years there have been several efforts made to extend the harvest period, and the latest iteration developed in New Zealand involves the growing of the plants in 8-m wide plastic clad Haygrove greenhouses in 1 m high (and 1 m wide) beds filled with coir.
The asparagus plants are typically at 30×30 cm in the planted beds, using coir previously used for growing greenhouse strawberries hydroponically for 1 year.
Yields in excess of 20 t ha‑1 year‑1 of spears have been achieved, and the potential would appear to be over 30 t ha‑1 year‑1. This is attributed to the ideal nature of the growing medium, the use of hydroponics and aerial environment compared with production outside in the soil.
Harvesting is easier as the spears are produced 1 m above the ground, and robotic harvesting should be simpler to achieve than in the field.
Out-of-season asparagus sells at 3-4× the price of in-season asparagus so the economics of growing such a crop look very promising.
It may even be possible to obtain 3 crops of spears every 2 years.
White asparagus can also be produced in a similar manner, by covering the beds during spear emergence with panda film.
Publication
Authors
M.A. Nichols
Keywords
protected cultivation, hydroponics, enhanced yields, local production
Groups involved
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