Planting asparagus: 9 tips for growing asparagus

Asparagus is one of the oldest cultivated plants, the cultivation of which took place around 5,000 years ago. To this day, asparagus spears are very popular in spring. This applies equally to white and green vegetables.

Characteristics

• scientific name: Asparagus officinalis
• other names: vegetable asparagus or common asparagus
• Origin: Southern and Central Europe, Near East and North Africa
• natural habitat: warm and temperate regions, preferably on river banks
• Flowering period: from June to July
• widespread landraces: 'Ruhm von Braunschweig' and 'Huchels performance selection'

sow seeds

Asparagus seeds can be sown from March in planters that you have filled with nutrient-poor potting soil. The individual seeds are placed in rows eight to ten centimeters apart and covered with soil one centimeter thick. From mid-May, the young plants can move into individual pots, in which they are cared for until the next season. Since this method increases the maintenance effort, many hobby gardeners switch to buying early young plants.

choose location

In order not to endanger the health of the plants, you should not create the bed in the foreground of hedges or directly next to bushes. When it comes to moisture levels, Asparagus officinalis values ​​balance. The soil should be neither too dry nor too moist. Soils that tend to waterlogging are just as unsuitable for growing the asparagus plant as shady areas or stony subsoil. In order for tender asparagus spears to develop, the basics have to be right. The asparagus requires these conditions:

• sunny locations with warm conditions
• airy place in the open space
• fresh substrates with a loose structure
• loamy soil that has sandy characteristics

Dig an asparagus trench

Autumn is the ideal time of year for this step, because the subsequent soil improvement measures can take full effect by spring. Planting cords prove to be a helpful means of marking when creating larger beds. Smaller ditches can be outlined with a spade. So that the ditch walls are more stable and do not collapse after digging, you should water the substrate lightly before the work. How deep you have to dig the planting trenches depends on the desired color of the poles. White asparagus is later planted at a depth of 25 centimeters, while green asparagus grows 15 centimeters deep. Orient yourself to these values:

• Trench needs a width of 20 to 30 cm
• Compost application depths: 30 cm for green asparagus, 40 cm for white asparagus
• Depths for green manure: 15 centimeters for green asparagus, 25 cm for white asparagus
• pay attention to a row spacing of one meter
• Excavate earth and store excavated material next to the pits

improve soil

In order for the asparagus plant to find sufficient nutrients in the garden soil, it is advisable to incorporate organic materials such as well-ripened manure or compost in autumn. The biological substances go directly into the planting pits, so that the bottom of the ditch is raised. If you've sown nitrogen-fixing crops in your garden, you don't need to bring in any additional nutrients. It is sufficient if you dig up and loosen the sole well in the spring. How to proceed with soil improvement:

• Distribute organic matter ten centimeters high in the trenches
• Cover with a layer of soil five centimeters thick
• as an alternative to compost, mix in 200 grams of phosphorus and potassium per meter

insert rhizomes

Plant out between March and April before the root rhizomes sprout. The seedlings consist of a bud complex with an elongated to oval shape. The shoots that form the asparagus spears later grow from this structure. When planting, it is important that the specimens are placed in the planting ditches in the same orientation. If the plants are already in bloom, handle the root balls with care. In this way you ensure an optimal starting point for unrestricted growth:

• three to four plants per meter
• spread fleshy root network like a spider on the bottom of the pit
• Lay out the buds of all individuals in the same direction
• spread soil over the roots by hand to keep them in place
• Backfill the trench to about 10 cm below ground level

promote plant health

Proper care is of great importance so that each individual asparagus plant takes root and grows healthily. After planting, watering is recommended, depending on the initial conditions. The soil is often sufficiently moist at this time of year so that you do not have to water it additionally. The emergence of weeds is the main problem for asparagus because root weeds like grasses stunt growth while seed weeds like goosefoot degrade light conditions. How to maintain in the first year:

• Work a handful of organic vegetable fertilizer into the surface of the earth for two linear meters
• regularly pluck out unwanted weeds
• Mulch the bed with completely rotted compost or fall leaves
• Irrigate the area during dry phases so that the substrate remains evenly moist

Cut off winter weed

From the beginning of September, the plant draws its energy from the above-ground parts of the plant and stores it in the root rhizomes so that they can sprout with renewed vigor the following spring. In October the yellowing continues until the herb finally appears completely brown. Between mid-November and early December, the foliage has died back, which you can also see from the hollow plant stems. Topping off plants too early will reduce crop yields. Cut this just above the soil surface.

prepare for the following season

Careful tillage of the top layer of soil is recommended to promote new growth. A careful approach ensures that you do not damage the asparagus tips. The focus remains on weeding to keep morning glory, couch grass and thistle from affecting the crops.

This is the correct way to do it:

• Loosen the surface lightly with a rake
• Spread out a fleece in April to protect against late frosts
• give starting fertilizer for vegetables in March
• then renew the mulch layer

create a dam

If you want to harvest white asparagus, you can slightly modify the previous step. After superficial tillage, dig up the soil to the right and left of the rows of plants and pile up the soil to form a ridge over the plants. This should be about 20 centimeters high so that the asparagus shoots are about 30 centimeters thick covered by the substrate. By doing this, you will promote optimal bar length.

Straighten the crown of the ridge and spread a black asparagus foil over the rows. It ensures that the soil warms up optimally and the first harvest can begin soon. The soil warms up faster when growing in a raised bed than in the garden, so you can do without foil in this cultivation.

Learn more about types of vegetables