How to plant asparagus outdoors. How asparagus grows: features of growing different types

Openwork branches of asparagus are very beautiful, they can be used for bouquets. But if you want use asparagus as a vegetable plant, then in no case can these branches be cut off, the plant needs them so that next spring it can form more fleshy young shoots.

Properly cooked, freshly cut, juicy young shoots of asparagus are famous for their delicious taste. In ancient times, it was believed that asparagus grows from the horns of bulls buried in the ground. And today, prejudice is associated with the cultivation of asparagus. So, it is believed that large gaps should be left between plants, annually cover the surface of the soil in the garden with a thick layer of manure and regularly spray seedlings with salt water.

If the land in your area is well-drained, and the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe site allows you to set a plot for this delicious vegetable for ten years, you should try growing asparagus. But be patient - you will be able to harvest the first harvest only after two years!

Asparagus is planted with seeds or seedlings in late April - May. Annual asparagus plants are planted, two- or three-year-olds are taken worse. If you sow asparagus with seeds, then the harvest can be harvested only after three years.

Asparagus Care

Asparagus beds are regularly weeded by hand. If necessary, shoots are tied to supports, watered in drought. The fruits are removed in time, not allowing them to fall to the ground.

In autumn, yellowed stems are cut at a height of 2.5-5 cm above the ground.

In the spring, before the shoots appear, with the help of a chopper, an earthen ridge is made over a row. Complex fertilizer is scattered over the surface of the beds.

Asparagus harvest

The first shoots of asparagus appear shortly after transplanting. In no case do not cut them - let them grow into openwork bushes.

In the second year after planting, the crop is not harvested, or one or two young shoots are simply cut off from plants of some varieties.

In the third year after planting, they start harvesting asparagus. Shoots that have reached a height of 10-12 cm are cut at a depth of 5-8 cm with a special asparagus knife or broken out with a finger. If necessary, the shoots are cut out daily, preventing them from overgrowing.

At the beginning of summer, harvesting is stopped. The remaining shoots are allowed to develop so that the plant gains strength by next year.

Asparagus is harvested within 6-8 weeks. To extend the harvest period, an early variety, such as Connoveri Colossal, is planted in the same bed, and late variety eg Martha Washington.

Varieties of asparagus

The most common varieties of asparagus are Connovers Colossal (for sandy soils) and Giant Mammoth (for heavy soils). Both varieties produce large shoots with excellent taste, in both varieties the male plants are more productive than the female plants (which form fruits). In recent years, new hybrid varieties have appeared, represented exclusively by male plants. They are more productive, but they can only be propagated by dividing the plant.

CONNOVERS COLOSSAL- the most popular early variety. The plant produces thick shoots that are suitable for freezing.

FRANKLIN

MARTHA WASHINGTON- a variety of American selection, very common, high-yielding, gives long shoots, resistant to rust.

CITO- a variety of French selection, high-yielding, with unusually long shoots; early hybrid variety, represented only by male plants.

LUCULLUS- a hybrid variety, represented only by male plants, more high-yielding than old varieties, shoots are tall and straight.

LIMBRAS- a hybrid variety, represented only by male plants, the variety is considered high-yielding with thick shoots. The crop can be harvested in the second year after planting.

Cultivation problems and pests of asparagus

Asparagus ratchet. Asparagus rattle larvae damage stems. The beetles are about 0.5 cm long and have characteristic square orange spots on their black backs. When beetles appear, asparagus is sprayed with karbofos or its analogues.

Purple root rot. The most severe disease of asparagus. The roots become covered with purple mold, the cladodes, or "leaves", turn yellow and fall off. In case of serious damage to the asparagus planting, it should be transferred to another site and root crops should not be grown on the infected land for three years. Lime the earth, treat plants and soil with a 1% solution of Bordeaux liquid or blue vitriol, in spring and autumn. If not all plants are infected, shield healthy plants by sticking plastic shields into the ground.

Thin shoots. Sometimes, instead of the usual thick ones, thin shoots grow, no more than 3 mm in diameter. The reason for this is most often the exhaustion of the plant due to the fact that in the previous season the shoots were cut too long. Asparagus is harvested by the end of June. Other reasons for the appearance of thin shoots may be premature harvest after planting or lack of nutrients in the soil.

Rust. In summer, red-brown spots appear on the "leaves" of asparagus. Rust-affected asparagus shoots are cut and burned.

Swinging shoots of asparagus in the wind. If the asparagus shoots are not tied up and constantly swayed by the wind, the roots can break and rot. In a blown area, shoots need to be tied to supports.

The use of asparagus in cooking

The traditional way to cook asparagus, like stem chard, is by steaming. Boiled asparagus is served hot with melted butter or cold with a vinegar sauce. vegetable oil. Asparagus cannot be stored and digested for a long time; boiled shoots should remain tight (not sag when held by the base), but should not break. You can also boil asparagus soup, make soufflé, but usually there is not enough of it to prepare these delicious dishes.

Freezing Asparagus

Asparagus shoots are sorted into thick and thin. Rinse thoroughly, tie into small piles. Blanch in boiling water (thick shoots for 4 minutes, thin shoots for 2 minutes). Place in plastic containers and freeze.

How to store asparagus

Cut asparagus shoots quickly lose their quality, it is recommended to cook them within an hour after cutting. If not possible, the shoots can be packed in a plastic bag and stored in the refrigerator for no more than 3 days.

How to cook asparagus

The shoots are washed, with the help of a sharp knife, the skin is removed from them, starting under the top. The peeled shoots are kept in a bowl with cold water. With a soft thread, shoots are tied from above and below into bunches, cut off at the base at the same level and placed vertically in a pot of boiling salted water so that the tops of the shoots are above the water level. The pan is covered with a lid and kept on low heat for 10-15 minutes. Then the asparagus is dried and served at the table. The water remaining from cooking is not poured out, but used to make soup.

Asparagus is not yet very common in our country, but this vegetable contains a lot useful substances, so it is still worth considering the possibility of cultivating it. Growing asparagus at home is possible not only in the open field, but also on the windowsill, although the cultivation of this crop in a city apartment is considered a difficult task.

In this article, you will learn how to grow asparagus from seeds and what care you need to provide plants for high yields.

Growing asparagus from seeds

Asparagus is one of the healthiest, tastiest and most expensive crops. Asparagus is also early vegetables and the harvest begins in April, as does rhubarb. Harvested young shoots can be eaten raw or steamed, grilled or baked.

Consider how to properly grow asparagus in the garden, and what conditions and rules must be observed.

What do you need to grow

When choosing a planting site, it is worth giving preference to a sunny and sheltered place, you can even arrange a bed in the back of the garden.

Note: Culture can be considered a long-liver in the garden, since in one area without a transplant it can live 20-25 years.

For planting seeds, it is necessary to prepare holes 30 * 30 cm in size, into which a mixture of rotted manure, soil and garden compost must be added (Figure 1).

Sowing seeds can be done in early spring, but the fastest harvest can be obtained from young plant or its root, which can always be purchased at a gardening store. Planting of plants is carried out at a distance of 40-45cm from each other.

During the growing season, asparagus care is very simple:

• Manual weeding;
• Fertilizing plants before and after fruiting (rotted manure or chicken manure);
• Autumn mulching, which will consist of a thick layer of natural materials ( leaf humus, sawdust, crushed bark, etc.);
• Before mulching, yellowed greens must be cut at the root.

Harvesting the first harvest can begin with plants that have reached the age of three. Cut off shoots 15-20 cm long from ground level and for 4-6 weeks from the start of fruiting. However, shoots of older plants can be harvested for 8-10 weeks. For harvesting, it is necessary to use a special knife, which can easily cut shoots at a depth of up to 2 cm under the soil or break them off at ground level.

Peculiarities

Asparagus should be planted in the ground in early spring before buds form on it. During planting, the soil is fertilized with ordinary humus (consumption for square meter soil about 10 kg of humus). Rhizomes are carefully placed in a previously prepared trench about 30 cm deep and then backfilled with earth (Figure 2).

Note: Backfilling should be carried out so that the plant is planted in a recess. This planting of rhizomes will greatly simplify watering the beds.

After planting, the asparagus should be watered abundantly. The optimal distance between the trenches is considered to be a gap of at least 60 cm, since the bushes will grow with age. Plants in a row are recommended to be planted at intervals of 30 cm for normal growth and development in the future.

soil under autumn planting it is necessary to dig well and fertilize it, while adding the following elements per 1 sq m of soil area:

• Superphosphate (60 grams);
• Potassium sulfate (about 30 grams);
• Ammonium sulphate (20 grams).

When planting asparagus for the winter, it is not necessary to bury it, but on the contrary, a low mound should be formed above it, which can protect root system from winter cold. The distance between plants can be left, as during spring planting. In order to obtain seeds, it is necessary to plant at least 2 plants, but even more is better so that they can pollinate among themselves. The number of plants planted is due to the fact that only male or female flowers can grow on one copy.

Care rules

Asparagus is no exception among other crops that are grown in the garden or in greenhouses, and also needs care, consisting of fertilizers and soil loosening, as well as timely watering (Figure 3).

Watering should be carried out systematically and in small portions. One of key points is the fact that it is absolutely impossible to allow stagnant water, as this can destroy the plant. However, the drying of the soil also does not benefit this crop, so the soil should be moderately moist all the time.

Loosening the soil should be carried out immediately after watering and weeding (at least 7-8 times per season). The amount of the harvested crop significantly depends on the applied fertilizers and therefore top dressing must be carried out before planting, and also continue throughout the growing season.

In the autumn period, before the onset of stable frosts, it is necessary to remove all old stems (young and old bushes) from the beds, and spud and cover the bottom of the plants with peat (1.5 buckets per 1 sq. M.) or compost. When sheltering the lower part of the plants, a mound up to 5 cm high should be made around the horse system, which will help protect the plant from frost.

In the second and third years of life, you need to feed the plant with a complex mineral fertilizer (nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus), spending up to 30 grams of the drug per square meter of soil.

Growing conditions

Asparagus is a versatile crop that can be grown even in winter (greenhouse) or spring (greenhouse). In order to harvest in winter or early spring, it is necessary to use the rhizomes of 5-6 year old plants. They need to be dug up in October and placed in a cool room (basement), because for storage planting material the temperature is 0+2 degrees.

With the onset of December, rhizomes can be planted in a greenhouse, while planting should be carried out in small containers, pressing them tightly against each other. On one square meter of soil, at least 18-20 rhizomes can be planted. After placing the planting material in the soil, it is covered with a very dense layer of humus (about 20 cm), and the containers are covered with a black film.

After completion of planting work in the greenhouse, it is necessary to maintain a stable temperature regime(+10 degrees) during the first week. However, with the advent of the first shoots, the temperature is raised to +18 and maintained at this level for about 2 months, while the harvest will last.

Growing technology

With the onset of the spring period, you can begin to prepare planting material. In early April, it is worth starting to soak the seeds, while they are placed in warm water containing a growth stimulator and left in it for two days.

Prepared seeds should be sown in light soil, which will consist of two parts of garden soil and one part of sand, manure and peat. Upon completion of planting, the soil is moistened with a spray bottle, since the earth should not be allowed to dry out. You can also cover the container with glass, which will also prevent the soil from drying out (Figure 4).

For good growth seeds require a stable temperature regime (+ 25-27 degrees) and daily airing of the container. During seed ventilation, the glass from the container is wiped and turned over each time.

Seeds give the first shoots 6 weeks after sowing, and it is worth being patient in anticipation of the appearance of young bushes. Transplant plants to permanent place no earlier than mid-June.

When to plant asparagus and how to care for it

Seedlings of the culture are grown from seeds planted in seedling pots or by sowing them in open ground. Care for future seedlings is based on timely watering, removing weeds and loosening the soil.

Note: Proper care behind seedlings makes it possible to get fully formed plants by autumn, which will have strong rhizomes and several shoots (3-5) about 25-40 cm high.

Before the onset of frost, it is necessary to cut off the above-ground shoots to a level of 10 cm from the soil surface and leave the plants in this form for the winter. With the onset of spring, seedlings need to be dug up and planted in a permanent place. When choosing a suitable place, the site near the wall or along the fence is best suited, which is explained by the longevity of the plant.

The allotted area is cleared of weeds in the fall and organic fertilizers (15-20 kg per square meter) are evenly distributed on the soil surface, after which the soil is deeply dug up. In the spring, the seedlings are planted on the beds, on which the rows are placed at a distance of 70 cm from each other. The seedlings are placed in dug holes 30 cm deep and 40 cm in diameter, at the bottom of which a mound of humus is made. Seedlings are planted in it, and the height of the mound should be equal to the edges of the hole.

Note: If a sufficient amount of organic fertilizer was applied to the soil in the autumn, then humus can not be poured into the holes and replaced with loose soil.

Before planting the seedlings, their roots are shortened and made 3-4 cm long. In the hole, the roots are distributed evenly over the mound and sprinkled with a layer of soil 5-7 cm thick, after which they are compacted and watered. Upon completion of the absorption of water, the soil should be mulched. During the summer, you can do several fertilizing with nitrogen fertilizer (25 g / sq. M.). With the onset of the autumn period, the aisle must be dug up and cut off the dried stems 10 cm above ground level. Care for biennial plants is the same as for the first. Aisles can be sown with watercress, radish or vegetable beans.

From the video you will learn how to plant asparagus in the fall.

Planting asparagus in open ground should be carried out in early June, and for this it is best to take a calm area with good light, and it is also desirable that it be close to a fence or wall.

The culture does not tolerate high humidity in the soil and for this reason it is not recommended to plant it in areas where there is a high occurrence of groundwater. The choice of a site for cultivation should be taken very responsibly, since this crop is long-term and can grow in one place for 20-25 years.

What should be

The optimal soil for growing asparagus should be fertile, enriched and sandy loam. Preparatory work they start with the site back in the autumn and carry out a number of such actions:

• Weeds are cleared;
• Dig up to a depth of 50 cm;
• Fertilizers are applied with the expectation of 1 sq.m. - compost (15-20 kg), superphosphate (70g), potassium sulfate (40g).

With the onset of spring heat, the plot is harrowed and at the same time applied for every meter square square ammonium nitrate 20 g each and wood ash 60 grams each.

soil care

Before direct planting, holes are made on the site with a depth of 30 cm and a width of 40 cm, which should be at a distance of 60-70 cm from each other. The bottom in the furrow must be loosened to a depth of 20 cm and then a hill of loose soil should be poured, which should reach the edges of the hole.

A seedling is placed on the mound, but its roots are first shortened to 3-4 cm and then the hole is covered with soil. land in without fail compact and irrigate. When the water is absorbed, the area is mulched.

asparagus fertilizer

Asparagus is not a whimsical crop and caring for it consists of the usual procedures for any gardener: watering, loosening, weeding and fertilizing with fertilizers. Loosening the soil around the plants is carried out to a depth of 6-8 cm, while trying not to damage the root system.

During the first two years, it is recommended to grow various green crops between the rows.

Ways

In the summer, several dressings of the planted crop are carried out. To do this, you can alternate mineral and organic fertilizers (solution of mullein or bird droppings).

Good development of seedlings is confirmed by the presence of 2-4 stems on the plant by the beginning of August. With the approach of the first frost, it is necessary to cut off all the shoots and cover the roots with a layer of humus (5-8 cm) or leafy soil, which will prevent them from freezing.

The better

To accelerate the growth of shoots, it is necessary to add a solution of slurry to the soil (in the ratio of 1 part slurry and 6 parts water), after the completion of the first weeding. After a period of three weeks, the bed is fed with a solution of bird droppings (1 part droppings per 10 parts water).

The final dressing is applied before the onset of frost, using complex mineral fertilizers for this. It is also worth remembering that if you fertilized the soil before planting, then top dressing should be applied only in the second year.

How to grow asparagus at home on a windowsill

Asparagus growing on window sills are representatives of the vegetable asparagus genus, but belong to other species. Domestic asparagus is the closest relative of vegetables.

In the photos with asparagus in the open field, you can see that they grow in gardens with a warm climate and they will not survive our harsh winters. To grow a full-fledged crop on the windowsill, you need a lot of space for their roots, and such an undertaking may be unsuccessful.

How to grow asparagus in the garden

Before starting planting work, it is necessary to determine the site for this perennial plant. Loose fertile soil is suitable for it. The soil must be prepared in the autumn.

With the onset of autumn, the selected area is dug up and phosphorus fertilizers are worn. In the spring, the soil is re-dug and nitrogen fertilizers are applied. This preparation of the site for planting is explained by the fact that asparagus can grow in one area for up to 20 years. Throughout the entire growing period, with the onset of autumn, all shoots are cut off and the beds are covered with a new layer of humus or compost.

Seeds germinate in open ground for a very long time, and for this reason, seedling planting is preferred:

• The seeds are soaked in warm water for a week;
• The hatched seeds are planted to a depth of 1.5-2 cm;
• The readiness of seedlings can be established by the formation of a developed and healthy root system;
• Ready seedlings are planted in furrows at a distance of one meter, and the soil at the bottom of the furrow is loosened.

Seedlings are placed at a distance of half a meter from each other, after which abundant watering and mulching of the beds are carried out.

The video shows how to properly grow asparagus in the garden or in the garden.

Today, many gardeners remembered, began to grow and fell in love with the unfairly forgotten asparagus. But before it was called the royal vegetable. Ordinary people were forbidden to grow this crop, since eating asparagus was considered the privilege of the nobility. Dishes from it are still delicacies, and most importantly - they are very healthy. Therefore, do not deny yourself the pleasure, buy several varieties of asparagus and plant in your garden.

Choosing a place and soil for planting asparagus

Asparagus in one place grows up to 20 years, its yield increases for the first 6–7 years, then remains stable, and after 10 years it decreases. This means that the site for asparagus must be chosen as for a seedling of a tree or shrub, that is, for a long time. The place should be open to the sun and rarely visited. A well-lit corner of the garden is ideal. Perennial spicy and medicinal herbs. The best predecessors of asparagus are cereals and crops that require deep digging of the earth (potatoes).

The place for planting asparagus should be open and sunny.

The soil under the asparagus should be fertile and well breathable to the roots. Six bushes are enough for one family, which will occupy about 2 m². Fertilize the bed with humus, compost or fresh manure, scattering 1-2 buckets for each square meter before digging. Heavy clay soil should be corrected by adding coarse sand to a consistency until the damp earth no longer sticks together into a lump.

Asparagus grows in one place for many years, so the land needs to be well seasoned with organic matter - manure or humus

They save from the close occurrence of groundwater (at a depth of less than 1.5–2 m²) high beds- from 10 cm and above. Also, asparagus doesn't like acidic soils, before planting they are deoxidized with lime, bone or dolomite flour. Application rates depend on the pH of the soil at the site. The instructions for deoxidizers indicate dosages depending on this indicator.

A table with application rates is applied to the packaging of dolomite flour

The pH level in different parts of the same garden can vary. To determine it, you will need: a sample of the earth taken from a depth of 20-30 cm, and litmus paper. Take a spoonful of the analyzed soil and dilute it to the state of liquid mud with rainwater from a barrel. Dip the litmus into the gruel and immediately apply it to the indicator scale to determine the color. If it seems to you that the color has not changed, then most likely the pH is between 6 and 7, that is, your soil is slightly acidic. If in doubt about the performance of litmus paper, dip it in 70% vinegar. She should blush.

Pay special attention to preplant weed control. Growing asparagus will braid the entire bed with roots, they will get mixed up with each other, it will no longer be possible to disturb the ground to remove weeds. Therefore, dig the area onto the bayonet of a shovel, carefully removing all the roots. If you plant under a fence, then dig sheets of slate or tin along the border with the street so that the root offspring of perennial weeds do not penetrate the garden bed.

Video: asparagus in the garden, harvesting

Methods and timing of planting asparagus

Like most plants, asparagus reproduces by seeds and vegetatively, that is, part of a bush or rhizome. You can buy planting material, ask friends or take it on your site if you already have adult asparagus bushes.

Sowing with divided rhizome or seedlings

Most easy way- divide a 4-5-year-old bush. It consists of several shoots, each can become a seedling if it is carefully separated from the total mass along with the roots. The optimal time for this landing method:

• the beginning of spring, when the shoots are just breaking through the ground;
• autumn, after yellowing of the aerial parts (panicles).

An asparagus seedling in early spring looks like an octopus, in the center only a shoot starting to grow is visible

The first full-fledged harvest of asparagus from seeds you will collect only in the third year, and planted with a rhizome - in the next season.

When preparing a site for asparagus, consider such a nuance as the direction of the rows. It is better if they are located from north to south. The length and number of rows depend on the availability of seedlings. The distance between the bushes will be 40 cm, between the rows - 1–2 m. Then proceed according to the scheme:

1. To lay a row, dig a trench 30 cm deep and 40–50 cm wide. Fold the excavated earth along the trench.
2. Make the bottom wide and flat.
3. If the earth at the bottom is dense, loosen it, dig it up.
4. Pour humus, compost or manure into the bottom with a layer of 8 cm.
5. Along the entire length of the trench, on top of the fertilizer, pour the earth taken out during digging with a comb. Its top should be 10 cm below the top edge of the trench.
6. Spread the seedlings at a distance from each other.
7. Spread the roots of each along the slopes of the bulk shaft.
8. Fill the roots and the entire trench with earth, level the surface.
9. Water well and mulch.

If you plant seedlings in pots, then you don’t need to free the roots from the ground and straighten them, just take the plant out of the pot along with the lump, put it on top of the shaft and bury it. The aerial part can be deepened by 3–5 cm. When planting with a part of the root taken from an adult bush, in the spring, when the shoots have just begun to grow, you can fill them in whole so that there is a soil layer of 3 cm above the tops of the shoots. The planting depth of asparagus does not have of great importance- its stems grow well both underground and above it, the main thing is that the roots are covered with soil.

Photo gallery: planting several seedlings of asparagus in a trench

The bottom of the trench for planting asparagus should be wide and even. The bottom of the trench is fertilized with humus. Make a comb from the excavated earth on top of the organic layer. Spread the asparagus seedlings and spread their roots along the slopes of the ridge. Fill the roots and the entire trench with the rest of the earth. second row of asparagus

Video: planting an asparagus root in a hole

Sowing asparagus seeds in the ground

The seed method is more interesting, but time consuming. Of course, it's nice to watch how with your help the seeds wake up and give small shoots. But these shoots must be protected from cold, heat, stretching, drying out or, conversely, decay.

You can sow asparagus seeds directly into the ground from late May to early June. It should be borne in mind that, although adult asparagus bushes are cold-resistant, young shoots are afraid of even slight frosts, therefore, when spring sowing in the ground, they must be covered with a film or agrofiber.

Experts say that male plants are more resistant to cold than female ones. Signs of a "boy" asparagus - there are many shoots, but they are thin, berries do not form on the bushes. The “girl” has fewer shoots, but they are thicker, berries are tied on the bushes.

Sow the seeds in the ground like this:

Throughout the warm season, asparagus needs to be watered and weeded. For the winter, it is better to cover with spruce branches, burlap or other breathable covering material.

The next spring, after sowing the asparagus with seeds, the weakest young shoots are cut or rooted in the ground in order to thin out and leave the best ones in the garden, leading to plantings of 40 × 40 cm.

Asparagus shoots grow thin and long even in open ground, this is their feature, not stretching

The collected shoots, if they are thick and juicy, can be used for food, the rest cannot be injured. If they are cut or broken, then the plants will die, because they do not yet have a powerful root with many buds from which new shoots would grow.

Sowing asparagus for seedlings

Sowing seeds in pots is carried out in March, and it is possible to plant them in the ground only at the beginning of summer. For planting, take pots 6 cm wide and deep. The soil is suitable for purchased seedlings or your own. To make your own soil mix:

1. Take one part of sod land, peat and humus.
2. Stir, moisturize. If after that the earth shrinks into a lump that does not crumble, add coarse sand, perlite or vermiculite to loosen.
3. Pour a glass of wood ash into a bucket of the resulting mixture, mix again.
4. Disinfect the soil by heating it in any way until steam comes out of it. Can be spilled with boiling water.

Choose well-known and proven brands of soil, disinfect soil mixtures of dubious quality

I tried to fry the earth on the stove myself. The smell was suffocating, strong and unpleasant. Therefore, it is better to disinfect in the garden on the grill or use boiling water. With the latter method, the earth turns out to be too damp, so prepare it in advance so that it has time to dry.

Until recently, I was sure that you only need to warm up the ground from your garden, and ready-made soils from the store are safe. But last year, the mother-in-law sowed seedlings in purchased land and suffered heavy losses from the whitefly. These insects bred every week, spread to all the plants in the house and ate even strong tomatoes that were already blooming to bare stems. One can guess for a long time how a greenhouse or hothouse pest got into a comfortable apartment on the 6th floor, but the most obvious one is that the larvae were in store soil.

Sowing asparagus for seedlings is carried out in this way:

Seedlings of asparagus can be planted in open ground only when the return frosts in the morning stop. Stop feeding 2 weeks before planting. For a week, begin to temper, that is, gradually accustom to fresh air and sunbeams. Water well during the day.

Video: planting asparagus seedlings in the ground

Transplanting asparagus, also for winter consumption

Transplantation of an adult asparagus bush is done in several cases:

• asparagus was planted in a sunny place, but over time it became shady;
• the bush is outdated, the yield has decreased, it needs to be divided for rejuvenation;
• on the site of asparagus, it was decided to plant another, more appropriate culture here, or build a building;
• I want to eat asparagus all winter, cook delicious dishes from it for the New Year's table.

Transplantation is done according to the same principle and at the same time as planting with roots. In summer, it is better not to disturb the bushes.

Asparagus bush to transplant or divide better in spring when its aerial part is still small

For winter consumption, asparagus is dug up in the fall and planted in a greenhouse, conservatory, insulated greenhouse or other structure that allows planting directly into the ground in winter:

1. In autumn, when the aerial part of the asparagus turns yellow, cut it off.
2. Dig up the whole root or part with 2-3 buds.
3. They are transferred to a greenhouse or other insulated and bright structure and planted.
4. Maintain the optimum temperature for this crop, water regularly.
5. A week after planting, they begin to actively feed nitrogen fertilizers or mulch with humus.

AT industrial scale asparagus is grown all year round

Is it possible to grow asparagus at home

There is no record of growing asparagus for food in pots or boxes at home. The root of an adult fruit-bearing bush goes 1–1.5 m deep, and only having grown well, it can produce many succulent shoots. The closest relative of asparagus, indoor asparagus, grows safely in the apartment, but it has only decorative value.

In Europe ahead of us, there is already a new trend: they do not grow asparagus, but harvest wild green asparagus. It is believed that no one fertilizes plants under natural conditions, so they are more natural and healthier. By the way, wild green asparagus grows in the Caucasus and Crimea. From time immemorial, locals have been picking it and using it in cooking: stewed with vegetables and nuts, eaten with satsivi and in stews.

Video: how to grow and cook asparagus

The main difficulty in planting asparagus is that one plant is not enough for the needs of the family. This means that it is necessary to dig not just a hole, but one or two trenches. In addition, the land before planting should be well fertilized with organic matter and cleared of weeds.

Asparagus is not yet as popular among gardeners as, say, potatoes, cabbage or tomatoes. However, every year she finds more and more admirers, because the culture is long-term and persistent. If you know how to grow asparagus, the plant will not cause trouble, but it will delight you with delicious juicy shoots.

There are several ways to get asparagus, as the plant is also called, on your beds:

• seed;
• dividing the bush;

Features of seed cultivation

They have rather large seeds, although they germinate reluctantly and for a long time. But in this way you can get a lot of planting material at once. True, the harvest will have to wait 3-4 years. Seeds are sown both for seedlings and immediately for the garden. Depending on the method, the landing time is different.

Seeds must be germinated before sowing.

Sowing seeds in open ground

Asparagus can be sown in open beds no earlier than May. Young seedlings are very sensitive to frost and will die if sown earlier. The grooves should be shallow - up to 2 cm, with a row spacing of about 20 cm. Sprouted seeds are laid out in moistened grooves, leaving at least 5 cm between them. Sprinkle a thin layer of earth on top and mulch.

For the first time, the beds are covered with a film. Asparagus also needs additional shelter for the winter.

Thin out crops begin next spring. Weak plants are cut out.

Sowing seeds for seedlings

You can start growing seedlings of asparagus earlier, as early as March. It is better to sow immediately in separate containers, for example, in cassettes. Seeds germinate in warmth (30 degrees), then the temperature is reduced to 24 degrees. Feed the seedlings every two weeks mineral complex, and planted in the ground in early summer.

When can a bush be divided to obtain planting material?

If your neighbors grow asparagus, you can ask them for seedlings. The bushes that have grown from them will please the harvest next year. Only an adult bush is divided, which is at least 4 years old. You can do this in the spring, when the asparagus is just starting to sprout, or in the fall, after the bush has turned yellow. When planting seedlings, at least 40 cm are left between them, and at least 2 m between rows.

When planting delenok in the spring, holes are made around them to make it more convenient to water. During winter planting, on the contrary, a mound is poured around each seedling to protect it.

How to grow asparagus from cuttings?

Last year's asparagus shoots are quite suitable for use as cuttings. They are cut in the second half of spring, but not later than the end of May, and rooted in the sand, under a cap. A month later, when the roots are formed, the cuttings are planted for growing in pots.

In our Kuban, asparagus is still considered a rare occurrence. At least, to meet her not only in the plots of neighbors or friends, but even for sale in the markets is a curiosity. Meanwhile, this culture is unjustifiably, in our opinion, forgotten.

Asparagus (Asparagus L) belongs to the lily family. Currently, there are up to 150 species of this genus, of which about 30 species grow in Russia. In culture, over 10 different varieties and species are used as ornamental, medicinal and vegetable plants.

Asparagus officinalis L. is the most widespread as a vegetable plant. It is a perennial plant. In the first year of life, when the root emerges from the seed and reaches a length of 1-2 cm, the first scaly leaf is formed at its base. The first shoot develops from the axil of this leaflet.

In the place where the root is connected with the shoot, a rhizome begins to develop later, from which more and more new shoots and white thick roots feed them. These roots depart from the rhizome in bunches and reach a thickness of 5-7 mm in the 4-5th year of life. They penetrate the soil to a considerable depth - up to 2-4 m.

Thin, thread-like roots depart from thick roots, which live only one year, and then die off. Through thin roots, the plant receives water and nutrients from the soil.

Thick roots usually die off after 4-6 years. Their role is to accumulate nutrients, which, starting from early spring, are spent on the growth of shoots.

The life expectancy of thick roots depends on the fertility of the soil, the age of the plant and the number of shoots collected per season. The more favorable the conditions for the development of the plant, the more perfect the agricultural technology, and the less the plant is depleted, the longer its roots live.

Instead of dead buds at the base, young thick roots form in the upper part of the rhizome. Overwintering buds for the next year are laid above the level of last year. The growth of the rhizome is thus directed upwards, and over the years it rises closer and closer to the soil surface.

By the age of 6-7, the asparagus plant grows up to 50 cm wide and has up to 100 thick roots and almost the same number of old dead ones.

The asparagus stems are erect, smooth, branched, up to 1.5-2 m high. The branches extend from the stem at an acute angle. On the branches in bunches of 3-6 sit thin filiform modified shoots (cladodia) 1-3 cm long. They are painted green and perform the function of a leaf.

Actually, the leaves of asparagus are modified into small scales, equipped with a spur. Although they contain chlorophyll, as the shoot grows, they become more and more leathery and do not play a big role in the life of the plant.

Asparagus is a dioecious plant. Male and female plants are found in approximately equal numbers. Asparagus flowers on more or less long articulated stems are 1-2 on the main and on the side branches.

The male flower consists of 6 petals, light yellow in color, 6-8 mm long and has the shape of a bell. The flower has 6 stamens with bright orange anthers.

The female flower consists of 6 small (3-4 mm long) sepals and is colored paler than the male. Inside the female flower is a J pistil, consisting of a triangular ovary and a style with three stigmas. At the base of the ovary, one can observe 6 small rudimentary stamens of an off-white color, devoid of pollen.

Along with male and female, there are also bisexual flowers, in which both pistil and stamens are normally developed and functioning. The number of such flowers is very variable and depends on the variety and weather conditions.

It has been established that male asparagus plants are more productive (by 20-30%) and yield earlier than female asparagus.

When sown in the spring on the site, asparagus plants, as a rule, do not bloom in the first year of life. Flowering occurs in most plants in the second year and begins in late May - early June.

If the shoots are cut off, then the main flowering occurs from the second half of July to mid-August. The male plants usually bloom first. Very old female plants may not flower at all.

Asparagus is a cross-pollinating plant. Pollen carriers are insects, mainly bees. However, due to the fact that asparagus pollen is light, it can be carried a considerable distance by the wind. In bisexual flowers, self-pollination is observed.

After pollination on female plants, fruits are formed - spherical berries with a diameter of 6-8 mm, green at first, bronze when ripe, and then red. In a berry, depending on the completeness of pollination, from 1 to 6, and sometimes up to 8 seeds are tied. Seeds have an irregular rounded shape and a black shiny color. Well-made seeds remain viable for 4-6 years.

Asparagus can also reproduce vegetatively. The old parts of the rhizomes die off; this eventually leads to the fact that the rhizome breaks up into two independent parts and as a result, two plants form in place of one.

According to its requirements for temperature conditions, asparagus is classified as cold-resistant vegetable crops. Adult plants do not freeze out at a temperature of 25-30 degrees below zero and with little snow cover.

At the same time, the seeds during the germination period are very demanding on heat. Minimum temperature, at which they begin to germinate, is 10°C. As the temperature rises to 24°C, the intensity of germination increases. If at 10 degrees germination occurs on the 21st day, at 14°C the seeds begin to germinate on the 11th, and at 24°C already on the 5th day.

Young asparagus plants are sensitive to frost. Their shoots in spring and autumn, in the absence of snow cover, are damaged when the temperature drops to -5-7 degrees and lose their commercial qualities.

On young plantations of asparagus in the first years of plant life, attacks are also observed during overwintering. Hilling and sheltering plants with humus from autumn reduces the threat of such attacks.

In the second year of life, plants begin to grow in spring when the soil above the rhizome warms up to 10-15 ° C. If cold weather sets in during the growth of underground shoots, their development slows down, which leads to a significant (up to 30%) decrease in yield.

According to the requirement for illumination, asparagus can be classified as a shade-tolerant crop. Only at a very young age, with a lack of light, the growth and development of asparagus slows down. In the adult state, the plants grow well, develop and proceed to flowering in shaded areas.

However, it should be remembered that in a well-lit sunny area, the soil warms up earlier and the plants. start growing faster, which allows you to receive products at an earlier date.

soil requirements of asparagus

Asparagus makes high demands on the soil. Well aerated soils with highly permeable subsoil are suitable for it. The best for asparagus are light sandy, sandy or loamy soils.

The growth of shoots on light soils is directed straight up, and the shoots are less likely to bend. Experiments have shown that asparagus can be successfully grown on drained peatlands.

Asparagus does not tolerate high acidity. Soils with a pH of 6.5-7.0 are optimal for it. On slightly acidic soils, lime is required.

Soils with a high level of groundwater are unsuitable for asparagus. If a ground water lie closer than 80-100 centimeters from the soil surface, rotting of the roots can be observed, which penetrate the asparagus to a considerable depth.

It is impossible to use swampy and low-lying areas for growing asparagus, as well as those on which sewage spring and autumn waters stagnate.

Asparagus easily tolerates prolonged drought. Green needle-like shoots acting as leaves show that the plant is able to withstand dry air.

Thick roots with a small number of lateral roots and a sparse arrangement of root hairs are characteristic of plants growing on rich soils; they can tolerate sudden fluctuations in humidity.

Really. In the wild, asparagus is widely distributed in the southern zone and floodplains on rich silty soils. Drying out of the soil adversely affects the development of shoots.

With a lack of moisture in the soil, the shoots develop poorly, grow thin, lignified and fibrous, very bitter. In order to obtain high quality shoots on light sandy and sandy loamy soils, it is necessary to irrigate during dry periods.

Fertilizers for asparagus

In one place, asparagus grows 15-18 years. Every year, a significant amount of nutrients is removed from the soil with the harvest. With a harvest of 40 centners, the removal of nutrients from 1 hectare per year is: 120 kilograms of nitrogen, 104 kilograms of potassium, 33 kg of phosphorus and 76 kg of calcium.

In this regard, a high yield of commercial shoots can be obtained only when growing asparagus on soils rich in nutrients.

With a nitrogen deficiency in the soil, the number of shoots on each plant and their size decrease.

Asparagus reacts to a lack of potassium in the soil by reducing the number of shoots on the plant.

Much less often, asparagus lacks phosphorus. If the soil was well filled with manure, the application of phosphorus fertilizers does not always lead to an increase in the asparagus yield.

planting asparagus

Asparagus is a delicacy that has long been appreciated by Europeans.

White and green asparagus has a delicate taste and contains a lot of useful substances. In our latitudes, asparagus cannot boast of popularity - this vegetable is expensive, so dishes from it are rarely on the menu.

However, why not grow this exotic on your site?

Seeds of asparagus can be sown directly into the ground, or you can grow seedlings throughout the year and only then plant them in the beds. And if you have the opportunity to find or order high-quality rhizomes, then you should use this method: it is simple compared to seedlings and reliable.

Rhizomes are planted in April - mid-May. It is necessary to dig deep the soil under the bed a few weeks before planting - it is best when the earth is dry.

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