Interesting facts

In the 16th century, asparagus first sprouted in the soil of the region around Vienna. It had already been cultivated in Bohemia and Moravia. The precursor to asparagus was assumed to have grown along the rivers of North Africa and the Near East. Starting in the middle of the 18th century, fresh asparagus was an indispensable dish in the imperial court. After the appearance of the first asparagus recipes in Viennese cookbooks in the 19th century, the Marchfeld region gained in significance as an asparagus-growing area. Today, GPS is responsible for the exact planting of seedlings in the loose alluvial soil: they have to be perfectly aligned in rows and columns! The plant’s roots can grow up to two metres deep. Shooting upwards through the soil are the leafy greens of the asparagus, whichare cut in the autumn. In the following summer the first buds become visible, while in the spring of the following year the asparagus stalks form. The parts above the soil turn green or violet, due to sunlight. But under the soil, in underground trenches where they ripen, they remain white. After three years the harvesting can begin. Carrots, on the other hand, have just a two-year growth process. They are distinguished by their variety of colours and plant families. Today the orange variety is the most common one.