A grower in Hampshire has begun harvesting asparagus about six weeks ahead of the traditional UK season using covered tunnels and recycled coconut husk fibre as a growing medium.
New Forest Fruit is producing commercial volumes of asparagus using coir, a natural fibre derived from coconut husks. The material is used to create a protected growing environment within tunnels that retains heat and encourages earlier spear emergence.
According to the company, the method relies on capturing natural warmth rather than artificial heating. The asparagus crop grown in the tunnels is also covered with fleece to retain heat from sunlight, raising soil temperatures and supporting plant growth.
Sandy Booth, owner of New Forest Fruit, said recent weather conditions supported the early harvest.
"This week's double-digit temperatures, both day and night, have made a real difference to our asparagus crop.
"In our tunnels, we're able to capture and retain that warmth, creating a favourable microclimate that accelerates spear emergence and improves early-season quality.
"In addition to the use of recycled coir, the asparagus crop in our tunnels is covered with fleece, trapping warmth from the sun and resulting in a natural increase in soil temperatures, helping spears emerge without artificial heating."
Temperatures consistently above 10°C have helped the asparagus plants break dormancy and begin active growth. The company reports that the use of coir also influences flavour characteristics by increasing Brix levels, a measure of sweetness in plants.
The early-harvested crop is being supplied to Tesco.
Lisa Lawrence, asparagus buyer for Tesco, said the earlier harvest would extend the availability of British asparagus.
"The British-grown asparagus season is relatively short, so to get the absolute highest quality variety six weeks earlier than usual is a real coup and bonus for shoppers.
"As a result of this, early season asparagus we will have about 60 per cent more on our shelves this year."
The UK asparagus season normally runs from late April to June and typically lasts about eight weeks. The earlier harvest is expected to extend the availability period of domestically grown asparagus in supermarkets.
Source: Daily Echo
