Asparagus is a very healthy and tasty early ripening plant. Already in mid-April, you can feast on its first fruits. Since the crop is usually small and the shelf life is short, the crop is considered relatively expensive. Asparagus grows in almost all European countries, since it has not only beneficial nutritional properties, but also is a remedy for many diseases. If desired, it can be grown on the site on its own, taking into account all the recommendations for care and maintenance.
Description of asparagus
Asparagus is available in nearly a hundred different species and hybrid varieties, including herbaceous plants, shrubs and dwarf shrubs. Only the tender upper part of the plant is used for food and is considered a special delicacy. The surface of the shoot is covered with tightly pressed leaves, similar to small scales, which gather at the base into one bundle. Their height can reach 50 centimeters.
When choosing a variety of asparagus for cultivation in a summer cottage, it is recommended to pay attention to frost resistance, yield and resistance to pests and diseases. For example, the male species of this crop have thicker stems, produce large yields, but do not produce seeds. In the female varieties, the stems are softer and thinner, and the yields are much more plentiful.
Growing asparagus shoots requires loose and fertile soil, possibly with a high percentage of sand. The plant develops well when spring warmth (more than 10 degrees), at summer temperatures - up to 30 degrees Celsius, but small night frosts in spring can destroy the culture. The plant gives the first useful and nutritious shoots in late June - early July.
Using asparagus
Asparagus is a versatile plant, it can be used not only for nutrition, but also for decorative purposes. Thin green twigs with berries - orange - red beads decorate flower arrangements and festive bouquets. And young asparagus shoots, which are just sprouting from the ground, the most valuable in composition and taste, can be baked on the grill or in the oven, steamed and eaten raw.
The appearance of young shoots differs in color depending on the cultivar. Fruits, which contain a large amount of fiber, vitamins and minerals, come in purple, green and white shades.
Conditions for planting and growing asparagus
Those who have been growing asparagus for more than one year already harvest high yields with ease, but for inexperienced gardeners, the process of caring for a plant may seem difficult. In fact, you just need to learn all the intricacies of the growing process and the basic rules of care, and even a beginner will succeed.
It is very important to choose and properly prepare a land plot for culture. The size of the plot should be large, carefully dug up and fertilized for asparagus.For each square meter of soil during autumn planting, a top dressing is applied, consisting of superphosphate (50 grams), potassium sulfate (30 grams) and ammonium sulfate (15 grams). When planting in spring, only humus is introduced into the soil in the amount of 10 kilograms per square meter. It is recommended to use with caution any other top dressing that can cause burns to the root of the plants.
For spring planting of asparagus roots, shallow trenches are used, which will be convenient for watering. And planting in the autumn is distinguished by high mounds near each seedling, which will further protect the plants and their root system from the winter cold.
The active development of young plants and the first harvest will begin only next year. It is recommended to leave the first shoots uncut. Caring for the plant in the first and subsequent years consists in the timely loosening of the soil, weeding the beds from weeds, irrigation in the correct amounts of water and the introduction of fertilizers necessary for each period of development.
Asparagus care rules
Watering
In order for the root part to develop fully, and future fruits to be of high quality, it is necessary to properly water the plant throughout the entire growing period. The volume of irrigation water is moderate, and the irrigation is regular. An excess or lack of moisture in the soil should not be allowed.
Loosening and weeding of the soil
It is necessary to loosen the asparagus beds after each watering, after the irrigation water is completely absorbed. Weeds are weeded as soon as they appear on the site, but must be timely.
Fertilization
The first feeding of asparagus is recommended only three weeks after planting with a liquid mullein infusion. To prepare it, you need one part mullein and five parts water. After another three weeks - the second feeding, consisting of the infusion of chicken droppings. Its composition: one part of droppings and ten parts of water. The third and last top dressing is in the autumn in the form of complex fertilizers.
Breeding methods for asparagus
The seed method of reproduction is considered ineffective due to the very low germination of seeds, therefore it is used in rare cases. With a great desire, perseverance and strict adherence to all instructions and recommendations, you can still get a rich harvest in this way.
Before planting, asparagus seeds must be kept in a disinfecting solution of potassium permanganate for several hours, after which they should be planted in moistened small sawdust. These conditions are ideal for young seedlings and their fragile emerging roots. 15-20 days after the emergence of sprouts, the plants can be transplanted into peat pots to a depth of 1.5-2 centimeters. The composition of the soil mixture in containers: manure, peat and sand (one part each) and earth (two parts). Seedlings are planted on open beds in the middle of summer.
