Growing asparagus and how to care for it. Asparagus - cultivation and care in the advice of experienced gardeners

To begin with, it is unlikely that it will be possible to grow a full-fledged asparagus suitable for food on the windowsill. Too much space is required for its long root. Because asparagus is often found in apartments as ornamental plant, it is customary to plant a vegetable crop on the beds.

• Asparagus seeds germinate for a very long time, so before sowing they are soaked in warm water for up to four days, changing the water twice a day. Moreover, the container with seedlings should be warm so that the water temperature does not decrease.
• After soaking, the swollen seeds are laid out on a damp burlap or other material and left for about a week until the sprouts hatch (periodically, the seed must be moistened).
• Young shoots are planted plastic cups or in a box filled with store-bought loose soil. Between plants it is desirable to maintain a distance of 6 cm on each side. It is enough to bury the seeds in the ground by two centimeters, no more.
• Containers with seedlings should be placed in a well-lit place, and an additional source of light will not interfere, so that the plants gain strength faster.
• The emerging sprouts are lightly sprinkled with peat.
• After 10-15 days, a complex mineral fertilizer is applied to the ground.
• During the month, water the asparagus, carefully loosen the soil and turn the seedlings on different sides to the light for uniform growth.
• When the stems reach 15 cm in height, the plantings should be thinned out, leaving the healthiest specimens at a distance of 10 cm from each other.

During the month, water the asparagus, carefully loosen the soil and turn the seedlings on different sides to the light for uniform growth.

In the last days of May, seedlings must be hardened: every day, subject to good weather, put containers with plants outside. Start hardening from one hour and gradually increase to 12 hours. By the beginning of June, the seedlings will be completely ready for transplanting on their own. permanent place in the garden.

For young plants, beds 100 cm wide, 30 cm high will be enough. A distance of 40 cm should be left between seedlings, and up to 60 cm between rows.

More popular is the propagation of asparagus using segments of rhizomes with live buds. The survival rate of plants in this case is almost 100%. Planting with rhizomes is carried out both in spring and before winter. Let us consider in more detail the technology of planting asparagus in May.

Having chosen the strongest, fleshy rhizomes on the market, divide them into several parts. Carefully place each part in a previously dug hole 50 cm deep, on the bottom of which a mound of earth mixed with humus is poured. Thus, the seedling should be deepened by 25 cm. Optimal distance between the bushes is 15 cm, the intervals between rows are 50 cm.

Having chosen the strongest, fleshy rhizomes on the market, divide them into several parts.

When planting, try to spread the root system well, cover the rhizomes with a mixture of soil with humus from above and press down firmly. Then water the garden a small amount water.

Regardless of whether asparagus is planted with rhizomes or seeds, subsequent care for it will be the same. Immediately after planting on the plant site, it will be necessary to water abundantly for the first one and a half to two weeks, then sprinkle the holes with peat and reduce watering.

During the summer, it is necessary to regularly remove weeds, loosen the soil between the rows and water it from time to time so that the earth does not dry out, but it also cannot be waterlogged. To speed up the growth of shoots, after the first weeding, you can apply top dressing from slurry diluted with water (6 parts of water to 1 part of slurry) to the bed. After three weeks, it is recommended to feed the plants with bird droppings diluted 10 times with water. And already before the first frosts, the last top dressing with complex mineral fertilizer is carried out.

During the summer, it is necessary to regularly remove weeds, loosen the soil between rows and water from time to time.

For the winter upper part asparagus is cut off, leaving only "stumps" of 2.5 cm, which are spudded with earth, covered with humus and dry leaves on top. The aisles are covered with manure.

Caring for asparagus in the second year looks exactly the same as in the first. And no matter how much you would like to try juicy shoots, be patient until next year so that they are filled with strength and accumulate more vitamins. Premature cutting of the stems will simply nullify all your work.

In Europe, it is customary to cut asparagus shoots only when the height is at least 22 cm and the diameter is at least 1.6 cm.

In the third year, with the advent of spring, plantings will need to be spudded so that the asparagus grows long, straight, and its heads do not open ahead of time. Around the end of April, the time for harvesting the first harvest begins. Try not to miss the moment when the heads have not yet appeared above the surface, otherwise the shoots will lose their presentation, change color and coarsen.

Video about growing asparagus in your garden

Readiness can be determined by cracking the ground above each plant. As soon as you notice that the soil has risen and cracks have appeared, then it's time to dig up the stems, cutting them to the very root. In warm weather, asparagus can be harvested every day or every other day. Just do not remove all the shoots at once, otherwise the plant may die.

After cutting the crop, level the bed, sprinkle with humus on top and slightly compact. AT further care for asparagus is repeated, as in the first two years.

Often, the owners of summer cottages pay very little attention to growing asparagus. In some flower beds, a green "herringbone" decorates a flower bed, does not require special care, its branches are added to bouquets - that's all the use of a useful plant. And if you plant bushes correctly and organize good care behind them, you can treat yourself to a vegetable delicacy that in many countries only people with high incomes can afford. Your main task is to choose the right place in the country for asparagus - that's what they call asparagus in a different way - and it will give a tasty harvest for more than a dozen years.

Planting material preparation

The easiest way to get planting material- buy a root in a specialized center. There you will be explained the features of each variety, they will tell you what kind of soil and care it needs.

The following varieties of asparagus are popular with gardeners:

• "Early yellow" - valued for productivity and disease resistance;
• "Arzhentelskaya" - has excellent taste;
• "Royal" - received recognition from gardeners for resistance to frost and drought;
• "Gainlim" - gives a lot of sprouts.

You can independently obtain material from an adult bush. The first way: divide the rhizome into parts, take several fragments for growing and plant them in the country. The second option: cut cuttings from one-year-old shoots, dip the lower parts in a growth stimulator and stick them in the sand. Seedlings need to be created suitable conditions to root and provide proper care at home. Cover them with their necks plastic bottles, on hot days, remove the covers and moisten the soil in a timely manner. When the plants take root well, transplant them to a permanent place.

Growing from seeds is a very laborious task; it is impossible to plant them immediately in the garden. Grains should be soaked in water and kept in a warm place at +30⁰ for 2 days. When the seeds swell, you need to grow strong seedlings and only then plant them in open ground. Most often, grains are planted in a greenhouse, for this you need to carefully prepare the place. Make furrows, put black soil at the bottom, to which superphosphate and ash are added. The top layer is garden soil with fallen leaves and manure. The planting depth should be about 2-4 cm, the distance between plants should be at least 3 cm.

Growing asparagus at home

Those who do not have a dacha sometimes wonder if it is possible to grow edible shoots from seeds on a balcony or on a windowsill. At home, you can grow only seedlings or indoor flower asparagus. To get the first harvest, the plant must be 3 years old. During this time, a very long root will develop. Of course, you can put a large tub in the room and plant 1 bush, but the harvest will be so insignificant that it makes no sense to do such work.

If you want to buy a delicacy in a store, remember that black Eyed Peas and soy asparagus have nothing to do with asparagus. The first of them is also a very tasty and healthy plant of the legume family. Under the second name is a semi-finished product made from soy.

If you want to grow seedlings from seeds, plant the seeds in separate deep cups. Fill them with a mixture of equal parts garden soil, peat, sand and rotted manure. Seedlings require careful care. The plant does not tolerate dryness, moisten the soil daily. Feed 2 weeks after germination complex fertilizer.

When the seedlings grow to 15 cm, start hardening off the seedlings. Take her to Fresh air or ventilate the greenhouse first for 1-2 hours at the warmest time. Gradually increase your time outside. When the seedlings can stand in the air constantly without any changes for the worse, you can plant them in open ground in the country.

Site preparation

Asparagus is not in vain very expensive. It takes up a lot of space, it takes a lot of time from sowing seeds to harvest, and the number of shoots is small. For those who are trying to collect a large amount of vegetables from a small garden, it is better to abandon this crop. And yet find in the garden small plot, where you can plant at least 3-4 bushes, and grow several seedlings at home. When after 3 years you taste the juicy shoots, your attitude towards asparagus will change.

In the country, soil for asparagus should be prepared in the fall. Please note that each bush will need 0.25 m 2 of empty space. The site should be sunny, protected from the wind. The plant does not tolerate stagnant moisture, with a high occurrence ground water definitely needed good drainage or bulk beds. Most of all, asparagus likes fertile sandy loam. At autumn digging add to 1 m 2:

• Compost - 20 kg;
• Superphosphate - 70 g;
• Potassium sulfate - 40 g.

If you dug up the bed well in the fall, you can only loosen it in the spring. When harrowing, 60 g of ash and 20 g of ammonium nitrate per 1 m 2. Holes should be spacious, 35 cm in diameter and depth. In June, you can plant bushes grown at home in a permanent place. In the hole, make a mound of fertile soil, shorten the root of the seedling to 4 cm and place the plant on the embankment. Bury the hole, compact and water the soil well. In the future, young bushes will need proper care, then they will grow thick and strong.

After planting, mulch the bed with sawdust or leaf compost. This procedure will keep the soil loose, prevent weeds from breaking through, and protect the roots from freezing during the winter months. In the early years, while the bushes are still small, use the space between them to grow from seed. spice crops and greenery.

Proper care - a good harvest

Asparagus is a fairly large bush that grows in one place for many years. He needs a lot to develop properly. nutrients and the soil depletes over time. If you want to get good yields up to 25 years old, fertilize the plot with manure every autumn, and apply compost in the spring. In order for the shoots to grow faster and the harvest to become richer, do not spare organic matter, water the beds with slurry every 3 weeks.

The soil should not be allowed to dry out; on dry days, water the garden bed every day, especially during the growth of edible shoots. If the sprouts do not get enough moisture, they will become bitter and tough. Excessive humidity or stagnant air is also dangerous: plants can be affected by a fungal infection. Loosen well after each watering. upper layer. If you want to make it easier to care for plants, mulch the bed with peat or compost when planting. With a layer thickness of more than 5 cm, not a single weed will appear on the bed.

You may notice that if you plant asparagus in an open area with strong winds, it grows poorly and often gets sick. This happens not from the cold, but from the fact that the roots of the plant are sensitive to any movement of the aerial part. A strong air flow shakes the stems, while small underground root shoots come off, and the whole system begins to rot. To prevent this from happening in your garden, be sure to install a strong stake and tie shoots to it. So that the scattered seeds do not germinate and do not make it difficult to care for the garden, remove the fruits that appear on the branches.

If you want to collect asparagus seeds, do not cut the shoots, let the bush develop. Please note that both male and female specimens must grow in the area to obtain germinating seeds.

The rhizome of asparagus each year grows upwards and gradually emerges from the ground. Inspect the plantings several times a season and spud them. This will allow the underground part of the plant to develop normally. At the end of summer, cut off the yellowed shoots, and before the onset of cold weather, cut off all the stems and cover the ground with peat or sawdust with a layer thickness of at least 5 cm. The rhizomes of adult plants will not die even in severe frosts, and spring frosts are dangerous for young shoots.

Diseases and pests of green bushes

Asparagus is very rarely sick, but sometimes it can be hit fungal infections. Basically, such problems arise if the care of the plant is done incorrectly. The cause of diseases is excessive moisture in the soil or air. Bushes do not like strong wind but they need fresh air. Do not arrange a bed in a completely enclosed space, allow a light breeze to penetrate there. For prevention, you can spray plantings with fungicides in spring and autumn.

Among insects, asparagus has 2 enemies.

• Asparagus fly. Brown midge with yellow legs and head. Its appearance can be determined by twisted and withering shoots.
• Asparagus leaf beetle. A beetle with blue wings and a red stripe. Eats all parts of the plant. Especially active in the second half of summer.

How to properly harvest and preserve the crop

The gardener can't wait to try the young sprouts. Take your time: until the plant is 3 years old, you can not cut the shoots. Wait until the bush has accumulated enough strength, then in the next years it will give you good harvests. The first time, cut no more than 5 stems, leave the rest for the development of a strong bush. From good adult specimens, a gardener can collect up to 30 sprouts per season. Never remove all shoots: if not a single branch remains, the bush may die.

Sprouts that have reached 20 cm in height, on which leaf buds have not yet bloomed, are suitable for food. As soon as the first needles begin to form, the stems will become stiff and unsuitable for food. Open the soil and break off with your hands or cut off the shoots at the very rhizome with a knife, just be careful not to disturb or injure the root system. You can harvest all summer, but the richest spring months.

1. White asparagus is the most valuable species. These shoots were dug out of the ground, not exposed to sunlight and retained the maximum concentration of nutrients.
2. Purple asparagus was not exposed to light for long and did not have time to develop chlorophyll. Slightly bitter in taste.
3. Green asparagus grew in the sun, accumulated a lot of chlorophyll and carbohydrates, but lost some of the vitamins. The taste is bitter.

Everyone's preferences are different, some gourmets consider white asparagus to be the most delicious and tender, others argue that green shoots have a richer and richer taste. If you want to taste white sprouts, protect them from light. In autumn, after cutting the stems, make an earthen mound about 20 cm high above the roots. In the spring, watch the soil surface. When you notice elevations or small cracks, carefully dig the soil down to the root. Cut off the shoots that have reached the desired height, and again restore the mound. After a few days, the next sprouts will start to make their way to the surface, dig the ground again and harvest.

If you didn’t make mounds in the fall, in the spring you can cover the ground with boxes or make a shelter from a material that does not let light through: black film, roofing material.

Fresh shoots should be immediately eaten or used for cooking, preparations for the winter. If you need to use the asparagus later, place it in a jar of water like a bouquet and refrigerate. Remember that if there are products with a pungent odor on the shelves, the shoots will absorb foreign odors. Sprouts can be frozen, but at the same time they will lose some of their taste and useful qualities.

Conclusion

Do not believe the rumors that asparagus is very capricious plant that growing and caring for asparagus from seeds outdoors is too time-consuming. All the most difficult happens in the first year, when growing seedlings at home or in a greenhouse, and when the bushes take root and begin to develop well, they will not require much attention from you. It is necessary to cultivate the soil once and properly plant asparagus in the country, and then it will grow in one place for many years.

To make the shoots white and tender in taste, they need to be protected from light. Most convenient way- in the fall, after cutting the stems, pour a mound of earth over the plant, and dig up the soil when harvesting. When cutting, do not be greedy, do not completely remove all the stems, leave something for the development of the bush. The faster you put the product into processing, the tastier and healthier the dish will turn out. Use asparagus for salads, soups, vegetable side dishes, and feel like a millionaire who has access to expensive delicacies.

Incredibly popular

vegetable crop. What's the secret? Why is it so actively grown and called a miracle plant and a royal vegetable? This is what we will try to figure out.

This nutritional representative asparagus family remarkable not so much for its excellent taste, but for its unique composition. Her shoots contain the necessary human body beta-carotene and choline, thiamine and niacin, folic and ascorbic acids, potassium and iron, magnesium and calcium, sodium, phosphorus, copper, manganese and selenium.

Asparagus (translated from Greek, this word means “escape”), or asparagus (Asparagus) is unpretentious and cold-resistant. She feels great in wild nature: you can meet its thickets throughout Europe, Asia, Africa and even Siberia. The secret is that it easily tolerates severe frosts, down to -30 ° C. Although it may suffer from small (about -5 ° C) spring frosts. This is perennial herbaceous plant , reaching a height of 1.5 m. In one place it can grow for about 20 years, forming more than 50 shoots during this time.

Asparagus - dioecious plant . Her flowers on female specimens first form ovaries, and then small inedible red berries. On the males pollen is produced. In berries, a bit like mountain ash, there are a maximum of two seeds that remain viable for up to 5 years.

The asparagus bush is a tall, green, highly branched stalk that divides into many small stalks. The youngest are collected in whorls and are similar in shape to coniferous branches. And large edible shoots grow from multiple buds located on powerful dark gray rhizomes.

planting asparagus

Asparagus prefers sunny places and fertile soils cleared of weeds, but also grows well on sandy loam.

spring planting

Asparagus should be planted in early spring before her buds start to grow. soil at spring planting fertilize with ordinary humus, spending per 1 sq. m of soil about 10 kg of humus. The rhizomes must be carefully laid in a previously dug trench about 30 cm deep and covered with a layer of earth in such a way that the plant itself is planted, as it were, in a recess: this will make watering it much easier.

Immediately after planting, asparagus should be watered abundantly. The distance between the trenches is left at least 60 cm, because over time, the bushes will grow. The gaps between plants in a row (for their normal development and growth) should be at least 30 cm, that is, try to place no more than 3-4 plants per 1 sq.m.

autumn planting

Plot under autumn planting should dig well and fertilize, adding to the soil per 1 sq.m:

• 60 gr superphosphate,
• about 30 grams of potassium sulfate
• and 20 grams of ammonium sulphate.

When planting asparagus before winter, they do not bury it, but on the contrary, they form a low mound above it. This way you can protect the roots from the winter cold. The distance between the plants themselves is the same as during spring planting.

Here is a video on how to plant asparagus:

Please note: if you want to get asparagus seeds, you will have to plant at least 2 plants, and even more is better. This is related to the fact that one specimen develops only male or only female flowers.

Growing asparagus from seed

This method is not very popular with most gardeners. This is due to poor germination, although with the right approach, growing asparagus from seed is not difficult.

Around the beginning of April, you need to soak the seeds for two days in warm water with the addition of a growth stimulator. Prepared seeds are sown in light soil, consisting from two parts of garden land and one part of sand, manure and peat. Sprinkle lightly (about 1 cm) with earth and periodically moisten from a spray bottle, preventing drying. If you don’t have time to observe the crops, cover the container ordinary glass: so they definitely do not dry out.

Optimum temperature for germination seed is about + 25…+27° С, remember this. In order for crops under glass to feel normal, they must be aired daily, turning and wiping the glass each time.

Asparagus seeds germinate for a long time - up to 6 weeks, so be patient. It will take a maximum of a month and a half after sowing, and if you did everything right, small charming bushes will appear above the ground - asparagus seedlings.

You can transplant them to a permanent place no earlier than mid-June. And when they mature, they can be transplanted both in spring and autumn.

Reproduction of asparagus by dividing the bush

Asparagus is most easily propagated by dividing the bush; You can do this not only in spring, but also in autumn, and even in summer. It is best to divide the bush during transplantation: young plants must be transplanted every year, and adults - every 10 years. When propagating asparagus by dividing the bush, remember: each division must have at least one shoot.

Reproduction by cuttings

You can also propagate asparagus with green shoots, using them as cuttings. For this March to June from last year's shoots of an adult plant, cuttings are cut, which are planted for rooting in moistened sand. Planted cuttings are covered from above with a cap (for example, half a plastic bottle).

Cuttings should be regularly sprayed and ventilated, removing the bottle for several hours a day. They will take root in about a month and a half. After this happens, they must be dived into pots of the appropriate size.

Forcing asparagus in winter

This universal vegetable crop is successfully cultivated not only in summer, but also in winter (in greenhouses) and in spring (in greenhouses). So let's talk about growing asparagus in the winter-spring period in more detail.

Get asparagus in winter and in early spring can by forcing shoots from the rhizomes of adult 5-6 year old plants. To do this, in October, the rhizomes of plants must be dug up and removed to the basement until December, the temperature in which is maintained at from 0 to +2 °С.

About in the beginning of December asparagus rhizomes plant in a greenhouse, in small containers, tightly pressing against each other, trying to place on 1 sq. m at least 18-20 rhizomes. From above they are covered with a fairly dense layer of humus (about 20 cm), and the containers themselves are additionally covered with a black film.

During the first week in the greenhouse, you need to maintain a temperature of about +10 ° C, but as soon as the roots start to grow, the temperature must be raised to about + 18 ° C. Support temperature regime it takes about 2 months - all the time until the harvest will last.

And here, in addition to the usual, an old way of growing asparagus - steam is described.

Asparagus Care

Asparagus, like most of the crops that we grow in greenhouses and in the garden, needs care, consisting of timely watering, fertilizing and loosening the soil.

water the asparagus necessary in small portions, systematically. The main thing - try to prevent stagnation of water, asparagus can not stand it. However, the slightest drying of the soil will also not benefit her. Loosening the soil should be done immediately after watering and weeding, but at least 7-8 times per season.

The yield of asparagus directly depends on fertilizers, which is why top dressing should begin even before planting and continue throughout the life of the plant:

• During spring planting we introduce ordinary into the soil humus(spending about 10 kg of humus per 1 sq.m of soil).
• During autumn planting we bring in for 1 sq.m 60 g of superphosphate, about 30 g of potassium sulfate and 20 g of ammonium sulfate.
• One month after planting must be applied to the soil mullein diluted with water(in a ratio of 1:5). Every year after you have harvested asparagus (somewhere by the end of June), the plants need to be fed (we spend 30 g of superphosphate, potassium salt and urea per 1 sq. M) and unravel and level the ridges. Through such measures, we will give asparagus the opportunity to develop stems and build up mass so that enough nutrients accumulate in the rhizomes by winter.
• At the time of flowering need to be carried out periodically preventive sprayingsystemic insecticide. This simple procedure will help repel pests.
• By July when the asparagus begins to grow again, it needs to be fed again - with mineral or organic fertilizers. For example, an excellent top dressing will be diluted in water. bird droppings: for this, dilute 1 part of the litter with 10 parts of water.
• fourth and last season top dressing need to be carried out in a special complex fertilizer around the end of October before the first frost. So, in order to stop the growth of asparagus, superphosphate and potassium salt can be added to the soil (spending 30 g per 1 sq.m).

autumn, before the onset of frost all old stems must be removed(this applies to both young and old bushes), and lower part spud plants and cover with peat (1.5 buckets per 1 sq. m) or compost, completely covering the lower part of the stem with a hill of about 5 cm in height - this way you will protect the plants from freezing.

spring, in the second and third years of life asparagus is also needed feed - complete mineral fertilizer: nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus, spending about 30 grams of each per 1 sq.m.

Harvesting

For the first time, food shoots appear on asparagus only in the fourth year of life. And it is necessary to break them out only when they begin to lift the crust of the soil. As a rule, harvesting begins in May. But if the winter turned out to be warm, and the spring is early, then asparagus can be harvested from the first decade of April.

Carefully rake the ground where the cracks have appeared, and, having found a seedling, cut it off at the base, being careful not to damage the young shoots and rhizomes. Cut off all seedlings: this will only contribute to the growth of new ones. Holes formed after cutting should be covered with earth again.

In the first year of fruiting cleaning should not be extended for more than a month, so as not to once again weaken the young rhizomes. Collection of seedlings from old plants should be completed by the end of June. The warmer it gets outside, the faster the asparagus starts to grow. But as soon as its shoots appear on the surface of the earth, the heads of the plants begin to crumble, and the shoots themselves lose their taste, turning dark pink and sometimes purple. To prevent this harvest in time- twice a day: early in the morning and late in the evening. At a temperature of about +15 ° C, asparagus should be harvested every 2-3 days.

After harvesting the asparagus, the ridges of the earth must be unraveled, and the surface of the soil must be carefully leveled. Plants, if manure was not applied under them, it is necessary feed using slurry or ammonium nitrate for this.

Carving beautiful openwork greens of asparagus for arranging bouquets, do not cut all the branches from one bush: this can be detrimental to the plant. And collect the seeds only when the berries become a rich red color.

How to properly store asparagus

That, it would seem, is all: the asparagus shoots are collected, the plants themselves are securely covered, and they are no longer afraid of frost. But not everyone knows how to properly store asparagus. Certainly, experienced gardener it will not be difficult to save the crop. And those who grow this crop for the first year often complain that the shoots quickly wither and darken. How to avoid it?

Store asparagus shoots in a dark cool place- on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator. Only in this way they will not lose their taste for quite a long time - about 3 months. Asparagus is perfectly preserved in ordinary wooden box placed in a cool, well-ventilated cellar. And so that the shoots do not fade, sprinkle them with sand.

Varieties of asparagus

There is not just a large, but a huge number of asparagus species - over 300, among which there are vegetable, medicinal and decorative.

In this article we will not talk about each type and, as you already understood, we will only talk about the most common vegetable asparagus and its most common varieties. And what is the difference between green, white and purple asparagus, we have already discussed.

snow head

One of the most popular varieties of vegetable asparagus is the mid-early variety Snezhnaya head. Medium-sized shoots are distinguished by a pointed greenish-cream relatively loose head. The flesh is very tender, tastes like green pea.

Glory of Braunschweig

No less popular late variety, one of the few whose juicy white fruits are intended mainly for canning.

The peculiarity of the Slava Braunschweig variety lies not only in the highest palatability fruits resistant to greening, but also in their large number.

Argenteuil late

This variety of asparagus has fairly large, low-fiber white shoots with slightly splayed head scales.

Differs in the long period of receipt of fruits suitable both for preservation, and for fresh use.

Diseases and pests of asparagus

Despite the fact that asparagus is an extremely disease-resistant plant, it may be affected dangerous fungus Helicobasidium purpureum, which is able to destroy asparagus in just a couple of days. The first sign of damage to asparagus by this dangerous fungus is the shedding of branches. The reason is the death of the root collar. You can get rid of such a dangerous disease with the help of the drug "Fundazol".

The most dangerous enemy of asparagus are asparagus leaf beetles- small black bugs, the larvae of which devour the foliage, as a result of which the plants quickly die. For effective fight insecticides are used with asparagus leaf beetles - Fitoverm, Fufanon, etc.

In the spring, asparagus plants often attack asparagus flies, whose larvae gnaw small holes in the shoots, due to which the growth of the shoots stops and, unfortunately, they are no longer suitable for food. In the fight against asparagus fly, ordinary chlorophos is excellent. Remove all damaged shoots, and treat young plants with the preparation.

It is difficult to imagine such a bouquet that could not be decorated with a sprig of asparagus. In fashionable compositions, arrangers widely use heat-loving species, which give needle-like greens of various shapes and density, but species growing in open ground are still popular.

Description of asparagus (asparagus)

In addition, asparagus is great for stage plantings, creating a graceful veil of openwork branches, behind which you can hide the fence, compost heap or utility yard. Asparagus is especially beautiful in autumn, when bright scarlet berries ripen on a yellowing bush. We add that in Europe young shoots of asparagus are used for food. Since the time of the Roman Empire, asparagus has been considered an exquisite aristocratic vegetable.

Varieties and types of asparagus (asparagus)

Only a few types of asparagus, or, scientifically speaking, asparagus, are suitable for open ground. The most traditional medicinal asparagus (A. officinalis) is a 1.5-2-meter plant.

The whorled asparagus (A. verticillatus) is more graceful, producing thicker greens that are ready for use in bouquets earlier than the previous species.

If your garden does not have room for such large plants, you can recommend Shober asparagus (A. schoeberioides) native to Far East. Its bushes are more compact and reach a little over 1 m in height.

Reproduction of asparagus (asparagus)

Propagate asparagus in the spring by sowing seeds in the ground. They remain viable for 4-5 years. Buy seeds in stores. At abundant fertilizer already in the first year you can get good quality seedlings.

They are transplanted to a permanent place in early spring (until the buds start growing) or in autumn (September). Asparagus prefers open, sunny locations and is wind tolerant.

Planting asparagus (asparagus)

For planting, dig holes or trenches 30 × 30 cm in size, lay organic fertilizers (compost or manure) on the bottom with a layer of up to 10 cm, cover it thin layer land and plant seedlings.

As an adult, asparagus does not tolerate transplants well and hardly restores roots. It can be propagated by dividing the bush, but after that the plants get sick for a long time.

In early spring, thick shoots with numerous scaly leaves appear from the soil. Until they become tough, they can be cut and eaten as a vegetable. If you want to get bleached asparagus, then in the fall you need to pour a layer of sand or light soil (15-25 cm) over the plant. As soon as the tips of the shoots are on the surface, the soil is raked and bleached shoots are cut out at the base.

It should be remembered that harvesting asparagus weakens the plant, and it must be allowed to photosynthesise. Therefore, at the end of May, the layer of sprinkled soil is removed, the plants are fertilized with a solution of mullein or complex mineral fertilizers, and the bushes are allowed to develop lush greenery.

Remember that you can cut shoots only from well-developed plants, it is better not to disturb newly planted and young specimens.

Spring shoots are unstable to frost, but it is not necessary to make a special shelter for them: dead shoots are easily replaced by new ones growing from dormant rhizome buds.

Closer to the top of the shoots, the scaly leaves become smaller, but flattened lateral branches appear, which perform the function of photosynthesis. In addition, small yellowish-green flowers can be found on the branches.

Asparagus has a peculiarity: either female or male flowers develop on the same plant. So if you want to get your own seeds, you need at least two plants: a male and a female.

Caring for asparagus (asparagus)

At the time of flowering, carry out preventive spraying with a systemic insecticide. If this is not done, flowers and future berries will become prey for beetles. Usually this does not affect the decorativeness of the branches, but it will be more difficult to propagate asparagus.

In the middle of summer (July), the second wave of growth begins in asparagus, which is especially noticeable on young plants. During this period, asparagus should be fed with organic or mineral fertilizers.

Openwork greens for arranging can be cut all season, but do not cut all the branches from one bush at once.

The seeds are harvested when the berries turn red.

After the first autumn frosts (at the end of October), the asparagus branches die. They are cut off, leaving only stumps (10 cm) and composted. Then you can pour a bed for spring bleaching of shoots. If the asparagus is served clean decorative purposes, she does not need special shelter for the winter. However, it is useful to add soil regularly, as the rhizome grows upwards and may eventually come to the surface.

Source: V.V. Chub, Yu.V. Maleeva "Modern Garden"

Often, the owners of summer cottages pay very little attention to growing asparagus. In some flower beds, a green "herringbone" decorates a flower bed, does not require special care, its branches are added to bouquets - that's all the use of a useful plant. And if the bushes are properly planted and well cared for, you can indulge in a vegetable delicacy that, in many countries, only people with high incomes can afford. Your main task is to choose the right place in the country for asparagus - that's what they call asparagus in a different way - and it will give a tasty harvest for more than a dozen years.

Planting material preparation

The easiest way to get planting material is to buy a root in a specialized center. There you will be explained the features of each variety, they will tell you what kind of soil and care it needs.

The following varieties of asparagus are popular with gardeners:

• "Early yellow" - valued for productivity and disease resistance;
• "Arzhentelskaya" - has excellent taste;
• "Royal" - received recognition from gardeners for resistance to frost and drought;
• "Gainlim" - gives a lot of sprouts.

You can independently obtain material from an adult bush. The first way: divide the rhizome into parts, take several fragments for growing and plant them in the country. The second option: cut cuttings from one-year-old shoots, dip the lower parts in a growth stimulator and stick them in the sand. Seedlings need to create suitable conditions for rooting and provide proper care at home. Cover them with the necks of plastic bottles, remove the caps on hot days and moisten the soil in a timely manner. When the plants take root well, transplant them to a permanent place.

Growing from seeds is a very laborious task; it is impossible to plant them immediately in the garden. Grains should be soaked in water and kept in a warm place at +30⁰ for 2 days. When the seeds swell, you need to grow strong seedlings and only then plant them in open ground. Most often, grains are planted in a greenhouse, for this you need to carefully prepare the place. Make furrows, put black soil at the bottom, to which superphosphate and ash are added. The top layer is garden soil with fallen leaves and manure. The planting depth should be about 2-4 cm, the distance between plants should be at least 3 cm.

Growing asparagus at home

Those who do not have a dacha sometimes wonder if it is possible to grow edible shoots from seeds on a balcony or on a windowsill. At home, you can grow only seedlings or indoor flower asparagus. To get the first harvest, the plant must be 3 years old. During this time, a very long root will develop. Of course, you can put a large tub in the room and plant 1 bush, but the harvest will be so insignificant that it makes no sense to do such work.

If you want to buy a delicacy in the store, remember that green beans and soy asparagus have nothing to do with asparagus. The first of them is also a very tasty and healthy plant of the legume family. Under the second name is a semi-finished product made from soy.

If you want to grow seedlings from seeds, plant the seeds in separate deep cups. Fill them with a mixture of equal parts garden soil, peat moss, sand and rotted manure. Seedlings require careful care. The plant does not tolerate dryness, moisten the soil daily. 2 weeks after germination, feed with complex fertilizer.

When the seedlings grow to 15 cm, start hardening off the seedlings. Take it out to fresh air or ventilate the greenhouse first 1-2 hours during the warmest time. Gradually increase your time outside. When the seedlings can stand in the air constantly without any changes for the worse, you can plant them in open ground in the country.

Site preparation

Asparagus is not in vain very expensive. It takes up a lot of space, it takes a lot of time from sowing seeds to harvest, and the number of shoots is small. For those who are trying to collect a large amount of vegetables from a small garden, it is better to abandon this crop. Still, find a small area in the garden where you can plant at least 3-4 bushes, and grow a few seedlings at home. When after 3 years you taste the juicy shoots, your attitude towards asparagus will change.

In the country, soil for asparagus should be prepared in the fall. Please note that each bush will need 0.25 m2 of empty space. The site should be sunny, protected from the wind. The plant does not tolerate stagnant moisture; with a high occurrence of groundwater, good drainage or bulk beds are required. Most of all, asparagus likes fertile sandy loam. When digging in autumn, add to 1 m2:

• Compost - 20 kg;
• Superphosphate - 70 g;
• Potassium sulfate - 40 g.

If you dug up the bed well in the fall, you can only loosen it in the spring. When harrowing, 60 g of ash and 20 g of ammonium nitrate per 1 m2 are applied. Holes should be spacious, 35 cm in diameter and depth. In June, you can plant bushes grown at home in a permanent place. In the hole, make a mound of fertile soil, shorten the root of the seedling to 4 cm and place the plant on the embankment. Bury the hole, compact and water the soil well. In the future, young bushes will need proper care, then they will grow thick and strong.

After planting, mulch the bed with sawdust or leaf compost. This procedure will keep the soil loose, prevent weeds from breaking through, and protect the roots from freezing during the winter months. In the early years, while the bushes are still small, use the space between them to grow spices and herbs from seeds.

Proper care - a good harvest

Asparagus is a fairly large bush that grows in one place for many years. It needs a lot of nutrients to develop properly, and the soil depletes over time. If you want to get good yields up to 25 years old, fertilize the plot with manure every autumn, and apply compost in the spring. In order for the shoots to grow faster and the harvest to become richer, do not spare organic matter, water the beds with slurry every 3 weeks.

The soil should not be allowed to dry out; on dry days, water the garden bed every day, especially during the growth of edible shoots. If the sprouts do not get enough moisture, they will become bitter and tough. Excessive humidity or stagnant air is also dangerous: plants can be affected by a fungal infection. After each watering, it is necessary to loosen the top layer well. If you want to make it easier to care for plants, mulch the bed with peat or compost when planting. With a layer thickness of more than 5 cm, not a single weed will appear on the bed.

You may notice that if you plant asparagus in an open area with strong winds, it grows poorly and often gets sick. This happens not from the cold, but from the fact that the roots of the plant are sensitive to any movement of the aerial part. A strong air flow shakes the stems, while small underground root shoots come off, and the whole system begins to rot. To prevent this from happening in your garden, be sure to install a strong stake and tie shoots to it. So that the scattered seeds do not germinate and do not make it difficult to care for the garden, remove the fruits that appear on the branches.

If you want to collect asparagus seeds, do not cut the shoots, let the bush develop. Please note that both male and female specimens must grow in the area to obtain germinating seeds.

The rhizome of asparagus each year grows upwards and gradually emerges from the ground. Inspect the plantings several times a season and spud them. This will allow the underground part of the plant to develop normally. At the end of summer, cut off the yellowed shoots, and before the onset of cold weather, cut off all the stems and cover the ground with peat or sawdust with a layer thickness of at least 5 cm. The rhizomes of adult plants will not die even in severe frosts, and spring frosts are dangerous for young shoots.

Diseases and pests of green bushes

Asparagus is very rarely sick, but sometimes it can be affected by fungal infections. Basically, such problems arise if the care of the plant is done incorrectly. The cause of diseases is excessive moisture in the soil or air. Bushes do not like strong winds, but they need fresh air. Do not arrange a bed in a completely enclosed space, allow a light breeze to penetrate there. For prevention, you can spray plantings with fungicides in spring and autumn.

Among insects, asparagus has 2 enemies.

• Asparagus fly. Brown midge with yellow legs and head. Its appearance can be determined by twisted and withering shoots.
• Asparagus leaf beetle. A beetle with blue wings and a red stripe. Eats all parts of the plant. Especially active in the second half of summer.

How to properly harvest and preserve the crop

The gardener can't wait to try the young sprouts. Take your time: until the plant is 3 years old, you can not cut the shoots. Wait until the bush has accumulated enough strength, then in the next years it will give you good harvests. The first time, cut no more than 5 stems, leave the rest for the development of a strong bush. From good adult specimens, a gardener can collect up to 30 sprouts per season. Never remove all shoots: if not a single branch remains, the bush may die.

Sprouts that have reached 20 cm in height, on which leaf buds have not yet bloomed, are suitable for food. As soon as the first needles begin to form, the stems will become stiff and unsuitable for food. Open the soil and break off with your hands or cut off the shoots at the very rhizome with a knife, just be careful not to disturb or injure the root system. You can harvest all summer, but the richest spring months.

1. White asparagus is the most valuable species. These shoots were dug out of the ground, not exposed to sunlight and retained the maximum concentration of nutrients.
2. Purple asparagus was not exposed to light for long and did not have time to develop chlorophyll. Slightly bitter in taste.
3. Green asparagus grew in the sun, accumulated a lot of chlorophyll and carbohydrates, but lost some of the vitamins. The taste is bitter.

Everyone's preferences are different, some gourmets consider white asparagus to be the most delicious and tender, others argue that green shoots have a richer and richer taste. If you want to taste white sprouts, protect them from light. In autumn, after cutting the stems, make an earthen mound about 20 cm high above the roots. In the spring, watch the soil surface. When you notice elevations or small cracks, carefully dig the soil down to the root. Cut off the shoots that have reached the desired height, and again restore the mound. After a few days, the next sprouts will start to make their way to the surface, dig the ground again and harvest.

If you didn’t make mounds in the fall, in the spring you can cover the ground with boxes or make a shelter from a material that does not let light through: black film, roofing material.

Fresh shoots should be immediately eaten or used for cooking, preparations for the winter. If you need to use the asparagus later, place it in a jar of water like a bouquet and refrigerate. Remember that if there are products with a pungent odor on the shelves, the shoots will absorb foreign odors. Sprouts can be frozen, but at the same time they will lose some of their taste and useful qualities.

Conclusion

Do not believe the rumors that asparagus is a very capricious plant, that growing asparagus from seeds in the open field and caring for it takes too much time. All the most difficult happens in the first year, when growing seedlings at home or in a greenhouse, and when the bushes take root and begin to develop well, they will not require much attention from you. It is necessary to cultivate the soil once and properly plant asparagus in the country, and then it will grow in one place for many years.

To make the shoots white and tender in taste, they need to be protected from light. The most convenient way is to pour a mound of earth over the plant in the fall after cutting the stems, and dig up the soil when harvesting. When cutting, do not be greedy, do not completely remove all the stems, leave something for the development of the bush. The faster you put the product into processing, the tastier and healthier the dish will turn out. Use asparagus for salads, soups, vegetable side dishes, and feel like a millionaire who has access to expensive delicacies.

Asparagus (asparagus) is one of the most delicious, healthy and expensive vegetable crops. The first sprouts of asparagus, which are white, green, pinkish green, or purple, are loaded with vitamins, minerals, and fiber. The color of the sprouts depends on the method of cultivation and the time of collection. Green asparagus grows like a regular vegetable in the garden; sprouts of white asparagus spud so that they do not get light; and purple sprouts become after " sunbathing"- it is not spudded immediately, allowing the tender shoots to soak up the sun.
Young, tender shoots can be eaten raw or quickly steamed, in water, in the oven, or grilled. Asparagus is one of the earliest vegetables of the new season: harvest of young shoots begins in April-May.

Seed preparation

Planting asparagus requires a lot of space, it cannot be done at home, except that seedlings can be grown at home. Seeds are characterized by poor and slow germination, so many summer residents prefer to sow them in a greenhouse or at home, and then plant them in open ground already. ready seedlings. In the south of Russia, you can sow them in the spring right on the garden, but you need to remember that for germination they will need an air temperature that has reached +25 degrees, and soil that has warmed up to + 15.
Seeds must first be prepared at home: soak for 2 days warm water, it is desirable to maintain the temperature at + 30 degrees, then they need to be dried. Some vegetable growers insist on the use of a growth stimulator. Only after such care are they ready for sowing.

Planting seedlings of asparagus

Before planting, the site is marked and plowed with furrows 30 cm wide and deep. They should be straight: if asparagus is planted in uneven rows, then with mechanized ridges, the rhizomes will not be located strictly along the midline. (It is not recommended to plow furrows in advance, as the soil quickly dries and crumbles, the furrow becomes uneven, and seedlings will not appear at the same time).
In the finished furrows, rotted manure is introduced (3.0-3.5 kg for each running meter). Then they cover it with a layer of soil of 4-8 cm, after which plants are planted on top, which are again covered with a layer of 5-8 cm. a jet of water.
container seedlings can be planted during the growing season from early July. After applying the main fertilizer and plowing, taking into account the row spacing, furrows are prepared with a depth of 30-32 cm. Manure is scattered to the bottom of the furrow, covered with a layer of soil of 2-3 cm, after which plants are planted on top in peat pots (or together with soil from ceramic pots ). Then the furrow is filled up to the level of the roots.
Plantation care until the first harvest
Consider the types of work on the plantation of asparagus before the first harvest (it is received only in the third year after planting).

First year of growing asparagus

Young plants almost do not form shade, so weeds grow rapidly on the plantation, especially in the first years after planting. Autumn planting asparagus is weeded after germination, in early spring, while the weeds are not yet strong (3-5 weedings must be carried out during the entire growing season).
Simultaneously with weeding, they begin to gradually fall asleep furrows so that the thickness of the soil layer poured over the plants immediately after planting seedlings at a depth of 14-18 cm does not exceed 8-10 cm. During the summer, the furrows are periodically sprinkled with soil; by autumn, the surface of the plantation should be flat. This work is done by cultivators.
To accelerate the growth of young plants, fertilizing is carried out at the end of June and July. In small areas, an effective way is to apply fertilizer solutions: 1% is prepared from nitrogen-containing mineral fertilizer, and 0.5-0.6% solution is prepared from complex fertilizers (at the rate of 5 liters per linear meter). On the large area when it is not possible to make liquid top dressing, nitrogen-containing mineral fertilizers are scattered twice on the soil surface (at the rate of 100 kg / ha) and, using a cultivator, they are embedded in the soil.
Watering is carried out in such a way that the soil is moistened to a depth of 40-50 cm. In the dry season or on sandy soils, it is recommended to water the asparagus plantation twice.
Before the asparagus enters the fruiting season, it is necessary to constantly plant new plants in place of the fallen ones (it is better to do this in the fall, when you can accurately determine the places of attacks). It is recommended to use plants grown in a container way: they take root well, they can be planted during the entire growing season.
The final type of work on the asparagus plantation is the removal of stems. The stems are cut off at the very surface of the soil, leaving no stumps. The cut stems are harvested and burned to keep pests (particularly the asparagus beetle) from breeding.
By the autumn of the first year, the height of the stems of young asparagus can reach 80-120 cm, well-developed plants form 6-8 stems.

Second year of growing asparagus

Care is basically the same as in the first year (weeding, watering, planting new plants, removing stems), but now there is no need to fill in the furrows. Continue feeding. If the plants develop satisfactorily, a nitrogen-containing mineral fertilizer is applied twice to the soil at the rate of 10 kg/1000 m³ (2×100 kg of calcium and ammonium nitrate/ha). With unsatisfactory development, the dose is increased to 20 kg/ha.
To increase the nutrient content in the soil, organic fertilizer is applied - manure. It is scattered on the bottom of a furrow 25-30 cm deep, dug between rows (at the rate of 40-50 tons of manure or 100 m³ of high-quality compost per 1 ha). After that, mineral fertilizers are applied (0.6 tons of superphosphate and 0.8 tons of 40% potassium nitrate per 1 ha). In the second year, well-developed plants already form 10-12 stems 140-160 cm high.

Third year of growing asparagus

They also carry out weeding, watering, and removing the stems. Necessary measure remains replenishment lunges. It is necessary to strive to ensure that there are no unplanted areas on the plantation by the time the harvest begins.
It happens that due to insufficient nutrient content in the soil, plants develop unevenly. To correct the situation, they carry out top dressing - they bring in manure, the amount of which is determined on the basis of chemical analysis soil. If analysis is not possible, then it is advisable to apply the same amount of manure as in the second year.

Caring for a fruitful asparagus plantation

Spring tillage includes disking (this effective method weed control) and ridge formation. Before this, the dry remains of the stems are removed, otherwise the young shoots growing through them will acquire a brown color, which reduces the commercial value of the product by 30-50%.
The height of the ridges is set in accordance with standard sizes collected shoots - 22 cm (top width - 25-30 cm, height - 25-30 cm from the rhizome). Over the years, the width of the ridges is increased to 40-50 cm, as the asparagus rhizomes grow over time.
You should not pour too high ridges, otherwise the shoots will reach a length of 30-40 cm or more. commodity value has only their upper part 22 cm long, the rest has to be discarded (such a marriage may account for 30-40% of the total harvested crop).
The ridges are formed in two steps, since it is not recommended to take the soil near the rows (asparagus roots are located almost horizontally, and when plowing a deep furrow, they can be damaged). For this, an ordinary plow is used, which rolls the soil to a row of plants on both sides. The surface of the ridges should be smooth so that you can see when the grown asparagus shoots begin to lift the soil.
After the formation of ridges until the end of the collection of shoots, plants are not cared for. Upon completion of the collection, after leveling the ridges, during the growing season, 2-3 row-spacings are weeded. (Asparagus grows in one place for 12-15 years, so weed control remains an important task all the time).
Feed regularly. In the spring, before disking the soil, nitrogen-containing fertilizers are applied (400 kg per 1 ha). At the end of the collection of asparagus shoots (mid-June), the ridges are not leveled until the rows turn green. 10-14 days after the completion of harvesting, the row-spacing is deepened and manure is applied (30-40 tons per 1 ha), after which it is covered with a layer of soil of 4-8 cm. It is advisable to fertilize a fruit-bearing asparagus plantation with manure 1 time in 3 years.
During the growing season, asparagus' water requirement is constantly increasing, so Special attention need to be watered. To obtain a larger yield after a winter poor in precipitation, 2-3 irrigations are carried out before the onset of the harvest period or during harvesting (20-25 mm of water per 1 irrigation). In arid summer period asparagus is watered abundantly in July and August (50-60 mm per 1 watering).
On large plantations, sprinkling is carried out, on heavier soils - watering with an overlap along the furrows.

Asparagus harvest

It is started in the third or fourth year after planting the crop. In the third year, only 3-8 shoots can be collected from each rhizome, while ridges must be poured over the entire plantation, and the collection time should not exceed 3-4 weeks. The implementation of these works requires a significant amount of labor for a short period of time, so the economic feasibility of harvesting in the third year for large farms should be carefully weighed.
Asparagus is harvested from the beginning of May to the middle of June, the largest collections are in the middle of May - the beginning of June. From mid-June, collections are reduced, as new shoots develop only from dormant buds, which leads to a weakening of the rhizomes, and if the cutting of the shoots is not stopped, the rhizome may die.
The average daily collection for the entire season is 6-8 kg/1000 m². (With a sufficient degree of probability, the yield value can also be determined in advance, as early as early October, by the state of the rhizomes).
Collection of etiolated asparagus. Asparagus is harvested early in the morning or in the evening. Shoots are recommended to break out manually. Knives, scrapers and shovels should not be used, as the cut shoot will dry out or rot, and rot can spread to the entire rhizome. It is better to dig up the soil with a wooden spoon: with its help, you can easily find a tender shoot without damaging it. Excavated and clearly visible shoots break out in the following way: with the index finger they reach the very rhizome, the shoot is deflected to the side and pulled towards itself.
Under favorable conditions, the shoots develop quickly, so at the beginning of the harvesting season they are collected 1 time, and subsequently - at least 2 times a day. Shoots that have reached the surface of the ridges should be collected within the next 1-2 hours - this is the only way to maintain their quality. Two or three inspections of the plantation per day are justified: shoots that in the morning could be called "first-rate" by evening or morning next day are already acquiring color and can only be sold as broken lines, the price of which is only 20-25% of the prices for grade I asparagus.
The collected shoots are placed in a basket lined with a damp cloth and covered from light (this helps to protect them from wilting, weight loss and staining). Packaging and packaging of shoots is carried out in a darkened room, and then transferred to a refrigerator for several hours.
Collection of green asparagus. Green asparagus is harvested when the shoots reach a length of 15-20 cm or are somewhat shorter, but sufficiently developed, as evidenced by the opened scaly leaves.
At a depth of 1-2 cm below the soil level, the shoots are either broken out or cut off (very carefully so as not to damage the young shoots). It is necessary to collect all the shoots, including those unsuitable for sale (sick, damaged, too thin). If this is not done, then pests of asparagus breed on the plantation.
Under optimal conditions, green asparagus grows very vigorously, so it is harvested daily. Don't be late with collection. marketable products, as shoot heads open quickly and their value drops.

Preparation for sale and storage of asparagus

Freshly picked asparagus shoots contain a lot of water (93-94%). It does not form on etiolated shoots. protective layer, which protects them from evaporation, so the harvested asparagus loses moisture and coarsens very quickly.
Collected shoots can be stored in a shaded place on the edge of the field for no more than 2 hours. Before processing, they should be stored in a cool basement or in a cold store. At low temperatures (0, 2…3°С) and high relative air humidity (90-95%), asparagus can remain fresh for 20-28 days.
Preparation of asparagus for sale consists of washing, sorting, sorting and removing unnecessary parts shoots. All these works must be performed by the manufacturer.
Packaging and preparation for transportation is the final production operation, which should ensure the safety of shoots during transportation and intermediate storage.

Asparagus is incredibly popular vegetable culture. What's the secret? Why is it so actively grown, called a miracle plant and a royal vegetable? This is what we will try to figure out.

Asparagus, or asparagus (Asparagus) is a perennial herbaceous plant up to 1.5 m high. It can grow in one place for about 20 years, forming more than 50 shoots during this time. Feels great in the wild: you can find thickets of asparagus throughout Europe, Asia, Africa and even Siberia. It is unpretentious and cold-resistant, quite easily tolerates severe (up to -30 ° C) frosts, although it can suffer from small (about -5 ° C) spring frosts.

This representative of the asparagus family is remarkable not so much for the excellent taste of the shoots as for their unique composition: they contain the necessary for the human body beta-carotene and choline, thiamine and niacin, folic and ascorbic acids, potassium and iron, magnesium and calcium, sodium, phosphorus, copper, manganese and selenium!

Asparagus - dioecious plant. On the male flowers pollen is produced. On the female - small inedible red berries, which contain a maximum of two seeds that remain viable for up to 5 years.

The asparagus bush is a tall, highly branched stalk that divides into many small stalks. Large edible shoots grow from multiple buds located on powerful rhizomes.

planting asparagus

Asparagus prefers sunny locations and weed-free, fertile soils and thrives in sandy loamy soils.

spring planting

Asparagus should be planted in early spring before her buds begin to grow. The soil during spring planting is fertilized with humus (10 kg per 1 m²). The distance between the rows is left at least 60 cm (since the bushes will grow over time), in a row - at least 30 cm, that is, try to place no more than 3-4 plants per 1 m².

The rhizomes are carefully placed in a trench about 30 cm deep and covered in such a way that they appear to be in a recess: this will make watering much easier. Immediately after planting, asparagus should be watered abundantly.

autumn planting

The area for autumn planting should be thoroughly dug up and fertilized by adding 1 m² of soil:

• 60 g of superphosphate;
• about 30 g of potassium sulfate;
• 20 g of ammonium sulfate.

When planting asparagus before winter, it is not buried, but a low mound is formed above it to protect the roots from the winter cold. The distance between plants - as in the spring planting.

In this video, the process of planting asparagus is shown in detail:

Please note: if you want to get asparagus seeds, it is advisable to plant a minimum of 2 (or more) plants.

Growing asparagus from seed

This method is due to poor germination most gardeners do not really like seeds, although if you approach the matter correctly, it will not be difficult to grow asparagus in this way:

• in early April, you need to soak the seeds for two days in warm water with the addition of a growth stimulator;
• we sow the prepared seeds in a soil mixture consisting of garden soil, sand, manure and peat (2: 1: 1: 1);
• lightly (about 1 cm) sprinkle with soil, periodically moisten it with a spray bottle, preventing drying out (if there is no time to monitor the crops, cover the container with ordinary glass: this way they definitely will not dry out, but they must be ventilated daily, wiping the glass every time);
• The optimum temperature for seed germination is about +25...+27°C.

Asparagus seeds take a long time to germinate, so be patient. It will take a maximum of a month and a half after sowing, and if you did everything right, small charming bushes will appear above the ground - asparagus seedlings.

They can be transplanted to a permanent place no earlier than mid-June. And when they grow up, they can be transplanted both in spring and autumn.

Reproduction by dividing the bush

Asparagus is most easily propagated by dividing the bush (this can be done not only in spring, but also in autumn, and even in summer), during transplantation (young plants must be transplanted annually, adults - every 10 years).

Each division must have at least one shoot.

Reproduction by cuttings

From March to June, cuttings are cut from last year's shoots of an adult plant, which are planted for rooting in moistened sand, covered with a cap on top (for example, half a plastic bottle).

Cuttings should be regularly sprayed and ventilated, removing the bottle for several hours a day. They take root in about a month and a half. Then they must be dived into pots of the appropriate size.

Forcing asparagus in winter

This universal vegetable crop is successfully cultivated not only in summer, but also in winter (in greenhouses) and in spring (in greenhouses). So let's talk about growing asparagus in the winter-spring period in more detail.

You can get asparagus in winter and early spring by forcing shoots from the rhizomes of adult 5-6-year-old plants:

• in October, the rhizomes of plants must be dug up and removed to the basement until December, the temperature in which is maintained at a level of 0 to + 2 ° C;
• around the beginning of December, asparagus rhizomes should be planted in a greenhouse, in small containers, pressing tightly against each other, trying to place at least 18-20 pieces per 1 m². From above they are covered with humus (about 20 cm), the containers are additionally covered with a black film;

• the first week in the greenhouse, the temperature is maintained at about + 10 ° C, but as soon as the roots start to grow, it is increased to + 18 ° C. It is necessary to maintain the temperature regime for about 2 months - all the time while the harvest will last.

And in the comments to the question, an interesting old way of growing asparagus is described - steam.

Asparagus Care

It consists in timely watering, fertilizing and loosening the soil.

It is necessary to water in small portions, systematically. The main thing is to prevent stagnation of water, asparagus cannot stand this. However, the slightest drying of the soil will also not benefit her. Loosening is desirable to carry out after each watering, but not less than 7-8 times per season.

The yield of asparagus directly depends on nutrition, so top dressing begins even before planting and continues throughout the life of the plant:

• during spring planting, humus is introduced into the soil (10 kg per 1 m²);
• with autumn per 1 m² - 60 g of superphosphate, about 30 g of potassium sulfate and 20 g of ammonium sulfate;
• a month after planting, the soil is shed with mullein diluted with water (in a ratio of 1: 5);
• every year after harvesting (somewhere by the end of June), the plants must be fed (30 g of superphosphate, potassium salt and urea per 1 m²) and unraveled (flatten the ridges). Through such measures, we will give asparagus the opportunity to develop stems and build up mass so that enough nutrients accumulate in the rhizomes by winter;
• at the time of flowering, it is necessary to carry out periodic preventive spraying with a systemic insecticide. This simple procedure will help repel pests;
• by July, when the asparagus begins to grow again, it again needs to be fed with mineral or organic fertilizers. For example, bird droppings diluted in water (1:10);
• fourth (last) seasonal top dressing should be carried out with a special complex fertilizer around the end of October (before the first frost). So, in order to stop the growth of asparagus, superphosphate and potassium salt (30 g per 1 m²) can be added to the soil.

In autumn, before the arrival of frosts, all stems must be removed (this applies to both young and old bushes), the lower part of the plants should be spudded and covered with peat or compost about 5 cm in height (1.5 buckets per 1 m²) - this way you will save asparagus from freezing.

Harvesting

The first food shoots appear on asparagus only in the fourth year of life. And it is necessary to break them out only when they begin to lift the crust of the soil. As a rule, harvesting begins in May, and if the spring turned out to be early, then from the first decade of April.

The first food shoots appear on asparagus only in the fourth year of life.

Carefully rake the ground where the cracks have appeared, and, having found a seedling, cut it off at the base, being careful not to damage the young shoots and rhizomes. It is necessary to cut off all the seedlings: this will only contribute to the growth of new ones. Holes formed after cutting should be covered with earth again.

In the first year of fruiting, harvesting should not be extended for more than a month, so as not to once again weaken the young rhizomes. Collection of seedlings from old plants should be completed by the end of June. The warmer it gets outside, the faster the asparagus starts to grow. But as soon as its shoots appear on the surface of the earth, they lose their taste, turning dark pink or purple. To prevent this, harvest twice a day: early in the morning and late in the evening. At a temperature of about + 15 ° C, asparagus should be harvested every 2-3 days.

If you use beautiful openwork greens of asparagus for arranging bouquets, do not cut all the branches from one bush: this can adversely affect the plant. And collect the seeds only when the berries become a rich red color.

How to properly store asparagus

Store asparagus shoots in a dark, cool place - on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator. So they will not lose their taste for about 3 months. Asparagus is perfectly preserved in an ordinary wooden box in a cool, well-ventilated cellar. So that the shoots do not fade, sprinkle them with sand.

There is not just a large, but a huge number of asparagus species (over 300), among which there are vegetable, medicinal and decorative.

In this article, we will talk about vegetable asparagus and its most common varieties. Ah, we've already discussed.

Variety "Snow head"

One of the most popular is the mid-early variety "Snow Head". Medium-sized shoots are distinguished by a pointed greenish-cream loose head. The flesh is very tender, tastes like green peas.

Mid-early variety"Snow Head"

Variety "Glory of Braunschweig"

Demanded late variety, one of the few whose juicy white shoots are good for canning.

Variety "Glory of Braunschweig"

The peculiarity of the variety is not only in the highest taste qualities of shoots resistant to greening, but also in their large number.

Variety " Arzhentelskaya "

Differs in large, low-fibered white shoots with slightly splayed head scales.

Sort "Arzhentelskaya"

Valued for a long period of formation of shoots, suitable for both canning and fresh use.

Diseases and pests of asparagus

Although asparagus is an extremely disease-resistant plant, it can be attacked by the dangerous fungus Helicobasidium purpureum, which can destroy it in a couple of days. The first sign of defeat is the shedding of branches. You can get rid of the disease with the help of the drug "Fundazol".

The most dangerous enemies of asparagus are asparagus leaf beetles: their larvae destroy the foliage, as a result of which the plants quickly die. For effective control, insecticides "Fitoverm", "Fufanon" and others are used.

In the spring, the plant is attacked by asparagus flies, the larvae of which gnaw small holes in the shoots, because of which their growth stops and, unfortunately, they are no longer suitable for food. In the fight against asparagus fly, ordinary chlorophos is excellent. Remove all damaged shoots, and treat young plants with the preparation.
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