Planting asparagus in our garden can be very rewarding due to the characteristics of this plant, although some things should be kept in mind. For this reason, in this article we will focus on what you need to consider when starting its cultivation.
To grow asparagus we must take into account some basic issues, especially when planting. A little care at first, because later it is a very grateful crop and from which we will get enough asparagus with the minimum care.
So for us to achieve this, the most important thing is prepare the ground well because the plant will last us in the garden for at least 10 years.
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Planting or sowing asparagus?
We have two ways to grow asparagus. The least common would be to buy seeds and prepare a seedbed. But the downside is that it would take us two more years to harvest the asparagus. In the previous video, I explain what it would be like to grow asparagus from seed.
Vegetable Seeds – Asparagus Mary Washington – Batlle
- Variety of asparagus that is used for both white and green asparagus, obtaining in the latter case a dark green and very well closed head.
- Cultivation: It is sown from February to May in rows spaced about 20 cm apart or broadcast in nurseries.
- At the end of autumn, all the vegetation on the ground is cut and in winter the legs ready to be transplanted to the 90X60 cm frame are uprooted.
ARGENTEUIL White Asparagus
- One year after sowing, the plant is ready for transplanting into the 90×60 cm frame. It can also be left in the nursery for 2 years, providing it with the same care as the first.
- It is sown from February to May, in rows about 20 cm to 4 or 6 cm apart, otherwise they must be thinned. At the end of autumn, they will be cut at the flower of the ground, without watering the nurseries during the winter.
- Harvest: at 3 years
The other option, more recommended for those who are just starting out, is to buy the rhizomes, called claws, and plant them in late winter or early spring. Although it is a slightly different culture than what we are used to.
CLIMATE FOR GROWING ASPARAGUS: WHEN TO PLANT
As for the climate, the cultivation of asparagus adapts very well to all climates, even if it is a vegetable that prefers temperatures between 18º and 25º for its perfect development. And thanks to its root reserves, it supports both strong and mild frosts, even late ones, with which it could regrow without problems.
The worst is sudden thermal changes in temperature, especially the changes that usually occur between night and day.
As I mentioned before, this is a culture that will be with us for 10 years. Therefore, the most important thing is to choose the site well. It should preferably be sunny, especially if the asparagus we are going to plant is wild. In the case of white asparagus this would be less important and would adapt to less sunny sites.
Being a crop that will last so long, we have to do a very good preparation of the land. We will make a trench in our orchard between a few 30 and 40cm Deep.
GROUND PREPARATION
To grow asparagus, good soil preparation is essential. After making the 30 cm trench, we will put a bed of humus, compost and/or manure for our asparagus, as I show you in the video. This way, they won’t lack nutrients to develop their roots.
Asparagus loves the earth very loose, dripping very well and with lots of organic matter. It is interesting to note that the earth is as low acid as possibleso we will try not to add monster in our blends.
HOW TO PLANT OR SOW ASPARAGUS
It’s time to plant our asparagus. To do this, as you can see in the video, after preparing the bed, it is important to place the claws correctly. They must be placed well extended and circular or semicircular in shape, with the crown or the future buds of our shoots always upwards. We have to be very careful about this when placing them.
The ideal jaw spacing is approximately 50 cm between the claws and if we put more than one line, we would leave a space of about 60-70cm.
Later we will cover the asparagus with 20cm of good soil.
The care that ensues, as well as what is related to the collection and obtaining of the seeds, is the same for both processes, either from the seeds or from the claws.
ASPARAGUS IRRIGATION
Growing asparagus does not require much irrigation. We will differentiate two phases, in the first phase of growth with watering once a week It is enough to maintain a little humidity, we can make abundant irrigation. When asparagus begins to grow in the spring, we can only reduce these risks when it has been a long time without rain, once every 15 days, but without needing as much water as at the beginning.
In rainy and humid climates, as is the case with mine, they do not need irrigation. Asparagus is a crop that can withstand drought, but it cannot withstand excess flooded water at all. This can cause fungal diseases or rot, which is why well-drained sandy soils are important, perhaps the most notable of asparagus care.
TO HARVEST
For the asparagus harvest We will divide three annual periods and in each of them we will act in a different way. In the first, during the first year of harvest, we only harvest the vegetable for the first 3 weeks and we will let the plant continue to develop.
The second, during the second year, we will lengthen up to 4 or even 5 weeks, letting the plant continue its development, and finally the third period and the third year, and from there as long as our harvest lasts asparagus, we harvest until the sixth week.
We will also notice the difference in each season of the harvest period, both in quality and size.
GET SEEDS
get the asparagus seeds it’s quite simple. Keep in mind that the plant has two types of stems, male and female, and it is in the latter that the fruits will come out along with the seeds. They are poisonous, so they should not be ingested, but this is where the seeds are obtained.
In the following video I explain how this process is performed:
With all of this and more that I am telling you, I hope you are encouraged to grow asparagus. The truth is that I like them and they produce a lot. Of course, remember that the first year should not be taken. Although I will tell you more about this in the video on how to plant asparagus in the garden.
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