Harvesting asparagus

Asparagus takes a long time to get going, particularly if you start it from seed. Experts recommend not harvesting the yield from the first couple of years to ensure the plants establish a strong root system and energy reserves for bountiful crops in the years to come. Once your asparagus bed is established, break off the stalks at ground level when they are 5 to 7 inches tall and before the tips begin to loosen. If you harvest more asparagus than you can eat, cut off woody ends, blanch the spears, and chop and freeze them for later use in soups and other dishes throughout the winter.

Do you grow different varieties of asparagus? Which ones do you grow? Please tell us how you use your asparagus harvest—and what you do with all the excess asparagus. Do you freeze it to enjoy a burst of spring flavor in the winter? Or do you give it away to family, friends, and neighbors to enjoy?