The asparagus season got off to an exceptionally early start in Limburg Province this year. Thanks to a few warm days in March, the first open-ground asparagus is already available, just in time for the Easter holidays. “It’s only once every 10 to 15 years that we’re harvesting this early,” growers say.
Anyone planning an Easter menu this weekend is in luck. Although the asparagus season normally gets underway later, the weather conditions have led to an early harvest of the "White Gold". “The warm weather in March has already activated the plants,” explains grower Johan Driessens from Kinrooi (Limburg Province). “We’re a few weeks ahead of other years. A start like this only happens once every 15 years.”
Production has also begun at Asparagus Farm Lavrijsen in Herk-de-Stad (Limburg). “They’ve arrived earlier than expected,” says Sofie Lavrijsen. “The plants have been awakened by the warm days in early March. Our queen product is awake, but it could do with getting a bit warmer for production to get in full swing.”
Perfect timing for Easter
The early start is a commercial boon for growers. With the holidays approaching, demand for Flanders’ first open-ground vegetables is traditionally very high. “And that works out well for us,” explains Driessens. “At Easter, people want something festive on their plates. The advantage is that we can now get very good prices.”
Risks of an early start
However, an early start also carries risks. For instance, the cold nights of the past week could pose a threat to the quality of the asparagus. “In the event of night frost, the tips of the asparagus can freeze as soon as they reach the top of the bed,” warns Lavrijsen. “That’s tricky, because you don’t always see that damage when harvesting or sorting. Sometimes you only notice it once the asparagus is already in the shops. So we need to be extra vigilant now.”
It also remains to be seen whether there will be enough for everyone over the Easter holidays. The cold nights have, in fact, slowed growth down a little. “We naturally hope that we can serve everyone, both the hospitality sector and the retail sector. But we really have to take it day by day,” Lavrijsen adds.
The asparagus season traditionally runs until 21 June. Anyone wishing to enjoy "White Gold" in the coming weeks can find local asparagus in both local shops and larger chains.