Asparagus is considered a unique and incredibly useful crop, the cultivation of this unpretentious and cold-resistant plant is produced in most countries of the world for many centuries. Now it is no longer considered an expensive delicacy for aristocratic gentlemen, firmly gaining a permanent residence permit in many national cuisines.
Asparagus description
Plants of the family of asparagus are found in all regions, but more of them grow in countries with a dry climate. It represents a grassy perennial with a height of up to one and a half meters, from which they receive from 9 to 12 juicy root shoots, ready for use from April to June. The high price of asparagus is associated with a short period of ripening, a modest yield and a short shelf life of fresh produce. When the buds are overripe, the buds become stiff and lose flavor, so delay in cleaning is not allowed.
On sale there is white, violet and green vegetable asparagus, the way of cultivation cardinally influences color of production and flavoring qualities. In order to obtain white shoots, they are constantly hummocked, protecting them from the sun. If the shelter of the shoots' soil is done gradually, giving the asparagus a chance to bask under the warm rays, then the tops acquire a violet hue. Green asparagus is grown under the open sky without any hilling.
Varieties of Asparagus
Now, asparagus for growing in the garden and the garden is used mainly male type, referring to the open-pollinated hybrids. It does not produce full-fledged fertilized seeds, ready for sowing, but has an increased yield of thick and strong sprouts. Hybrids of foreign selection Jersey Giant, Jersey Prince, Jersey Knight, Syn 53, UC 157, Syn 4-362 proved to be not bad.
At the moment, over three hundred varieties of this plant have been bred. In the trade network, seeds of medicinal asparagus, decorative or tasty vegetable forms are sold. Unlike hybrids, varieties reproduce at home, if desired, you can constantly get your own seed for your purposes. Excellent grades are famous for the asparagus for the cultivation of Slava Braunschweig, Snow Head and Argentinian Late.
Planting asparagus seeds in the open ground
This field crop has universal properties, asparagus is planted by cutting, dividing the bush and using seeds. The latter method is associated with some difficulties, often amateurs complain of poor germination. Cultivation of seed culture will be an excellent way for people who do not have uterine shrubs or live in areas where this plant is rare. Enthusiasts who are interested in asparagus, cultivation and reproduction of a wonderful plant can easily write out the selected variety by mail, acquiring its seeds around the world.
Asparagus - a place of planting
If you directly sow seeds in the garden in the spring, it will be difficult to reach a positive result for the vegetable grower. Asparagus is best grown from seeds by labor-consuming, but reliable seedling method in containers, and the seed itself is subjected to treatment with stimulant preparations in order to increase the percentage of germination. Instruction for the cultivation of this culture is simple and easy to perform at home.
Cultivation of asparagus from seeds:
- In the first days of April, we soak the seeds for 48 hours in a solution of water with stimulants of growth ("Epin", "Zircon" , other available means).
- For planting, we use containers with soil, which consists of a mixture of manure, peat and plain soil from your garden (1: 1: 1).
- Seeds cover the ground with a layer of 1 cm, laying them according to the scheme of 6x6 cm.
- Wet the soil with water from the sprayer.
- For the time of germination, we cover the containers with film or stack so that the earth does not dry out.
- The temperature in the container is maintained at about 25-27 ° C.
- We periodically subject the crops to airing.
- The germination time of seeds is up to 6 weeks! You will have to wait long until the green asparagus appears, the cultivation of this culture requires aging.
Landing time in the asparagus soil
Young seedlings of the plant are always weaker than planting material, which is derived vegetatively. It is not enough to get sturdy seedlings of asparagus from the seeds, the time when to plant weak shoots in the ground, it is necessary to choose the most correctly. Saplings are undesirable in the middle zone to be transferred to a permanent place before the second decade of June. Asparagus is a cold-resistant plant, but small shoots can suffer from frost.
Planting asparagus sprouts
In March-June, it is easy to propagate favorite vegetables by cuttings, obtaining good seedlings from last year's shoots, cut from adult uterine plants. Planting asparagus seedlings in the open ground is carried out under the hoods, which are made from available plastic bottles. In the period of rooting it is advisable to aerate and temper the shoots, removing the protective screen for a couple of hours in cloudy weather or evening time. In a month and a half, the seedlings will be ready for potting.
The scheme for planting asparagus in the open field - the basic rules
We must not forget that we are dealing with a long-term culture of asparagus, planting and leaving it in the open field for many years in a permanent place. A bed with seedlings in small cottages should be placed along a fence or wall. The multi-row method is suitable for large areas where vegetable asparagus is planted, growing it in this case in furrows up to 30 cm wide. Between the rows we leave the distance to 1 m.
Asparagus seedlings - planting dates
For the open ground, exceptionally healthy and powerful seedlings of cultivated asparagus are suitable, growing weak, sick and unsuitable seedlings rarely gives good results, they should be immediately discarded. From the greenhouse, last year's seedlings are planted in the soil in the early spring months, when the soil warms up well. If you were engaged in seedlings in winter and received normal seedlings by the summer, then transfer them to the open ground no later than mid-June, so that the shoots had time to adapt to frost.
Asparagus - growing conditions
Any field crop from which the truck farmer wants to get good harvests requires moderate watering, fertilizing, loosening of the soil and the removal of weeds in the aisles. Care for asparagus is not a hard thing, all the main activities for its cultivation can be listed in several paragraphs. The main thing is the timely conduct of agricultural work and the observance of precise dosages when applying mineral fertilizers.
Growing asparagus in the country - watering
Vegetable asparagus loves growing and leaving with moderate watering, when water is brought under the root at equal intervals in small doses. To overdo it in this matter should not be, a prolonged stagnation of moisture near the roots of the benefit of the plant will not bring. To get good harvests, there are seven good watering during the summer. It is advisable to accompany them with subsequent weeding with mandatory loosening of the soil.
Growing asparagus at home - top dressing
Without proper fertilization, modern agriculture can not be imagined. For a long-term asparagus for growing and care in the open ground, you need to develop a timetable for timely feeding. The first procedure needs to be done while planting seedlings, the following mineral components are laid in the soil throughout the growing season.
Terms of top-dressing of asparagus:
- When planting in the spring, you can make organic fertilizer (humus) at a rate of 10 kg / m².
- In the autumn months, when asparagus is planted on 1 m 2 of soil, up to 60 g of superphosphate, 30 g of potassium sulfate, 10 g of ammonium sulphate are given.
- A solution of water with a dilute mullein (1: 5) is fed young vegetables a month after planting.
- Spring top dressing of adult asparagus shrubs is to apply nitrogen-potassium-phosphorus fertilizers. Dosage - up to 30 g / m 2 of soil.
- Asparagus harvesting takes place at the end of spring or early summer, after harvesting perennial bushes should be fertilized with superphosphate, potassium salt and urea (30 g / m 2 ). These activities help plants restore strength.
- In July, asparagus continues to grow and requires nutrients, help the feeding of a dilute bird droppings (1:10).
- The last application of fertilizers is made before the onset of cold weather in October. Nitrogen to give asparagus in the fall can not, enough phosphorus and potassium components (30 g / m 2 superphosphate and potassium sulfate).
- At the end of the season, we remove the old shoots of asparagus in the autumn, in the cold regions we make the shelter of the bushes with peat. You can pour a layer of soil on top of the plants with a thickness of 5 cm to prevent their freezing.
Cultivation of asparagus - diseases and pests
A dangerous disease of asparagus is the red rot caused by the fungus Helicobasidium purpureum. In case of a large lesion of the site, patches are observed in the beds, due to the death of the above-ground organs in infected bushes. Asparagus - a plant resistant, growing plants with the application of basic rules of agricultural technology helps to fight this disease. For prevention, the bushes are treated with "Fundazol" , if the fungus has already spread over a large area, it is more advisable to lay a new site.
Often on the plant you can find incomprehensible dark bugs that eat green mass. Strong pest infestation results in loss of yield or death of young bushes. Larvae of the asparagus fly cause damage to the shoots, gnawing at them the strokes. With harmful insects (asparagus leaf beetle, asparagus flies) fight by spraying plants with insecticides "Fufanon" or "Fitoverm" .