Grow asparagus from seeds
Can You Grow Asparagus From Seeds
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Asparagus
By: Amy Grant
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If you are an asparagus lover, chances are good that you would like to include them in your garden. Many gardeners buy established bare root stock when growing asparagus but can you grow asparagus from seeds? If so, how do you grow asparagus from seed and what other information on asparagus seed propagation might be helpful?
Can You Grow Asparagus from Seeds?
Asparagus is often grown from bare root stock crowns. The reason for this is that growing asparagus requires patience. Crowns take three growing seasons before they are ready to be harvested! Even so, this is significantly faster than if you try growing asparagus from seeds. That said, yes, asparagus seed propagation is very possible and a little cheaper than buying crowns.
Asparagus seeds, or berries, turn bright red in autumn. Once the tops fall over, the tops can be collected and hung upside-down in a warm, dry area for about a week or so to ripen. To catch the seeds once completely dried, keep a bowl beneath them or gently tie a brown paper bag around the tops when hanging. These seeds can then be used for planting asparagus. Likewise, you can purchase them from reputable suppliers.
How Do You Grow Asparagus from Seed?
Asparagus (Asparagus officinalis) is a hardy perennial suited to USDA zones 2 to 8 and is native to western Europe. This perennial can remain viable for 10 to 20 years, so choose your garden site carefully. Asparagus needs a soil pH of between 7.0 and 7.2 in fertile, well-draining soil.
So how do you go about planting asparagus seeds? There’s no trick to growing asparagus from seeds, just be patient. It’s recommended that you start asparagus seeds indoors or in a greenhouse in mid-February to May under bright lighting. Soil temperatures for seed germination should be between 70 and 85 degrees F. (21-29 C.). Soak the seeds for a couple of hours, then plant each seed ½ inch (1 cm.) deep in sterile soil, in individual 2 inch (5 cm.
) pots. They should sprout anywhere between two and eight weeks from planting asparagus seeds.
Seedlings are ready to transplant when they are 10 to 12 weeks old and all danger of frost in your area has passed. Space the transplants 18 inches (46 cm.) apart in rows set 3 to 6 inches (8-15 cm.) apart. If you want thinner spears, space the transplants 8 to 10 inches (20-25 cm.) apart, with the plant set 4 inches (10 cm.) deep. If you like thicker spears, plant them 12 to 14 inches (30-36 cm.) apart and set 6 to 8 inches (15-20 cm.) deep. Consider planting your new asparagus babies near your tomatoes. Asparagus repels nematodes that attack tomato plants while tomatoes repel asparagus beetles. A very symbiotic relationship, indeed.
As the plant grows, cover the crown with soil and keep it moist with 1 inch (2.5 cm.) of water per week. Fertilize in the spring with 1 to 2 cups (250-473 ml.) of complete organic fertilizer per 10 foot (3 m.) of row and dig in gently. Remember, don’t harvest the plant until its third year; allow the plant to set ferns and redirect its energy back into the plant.
Cut the ferns down to 2 inches (5 cm.) tall in the late fall.
In the plant’s third year, you can begin regularly harvesting the spears. The season usually lasts around 8 to 12 weeks. Cut the asparagus spears 1 to 2 inches (2.5-5 cm.) below the ground, and at least 2 inches (5 cm.) above the crown using a sharp knife or asparagus harvesting tool.
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Asparagus : From Seeds To Harvest
Learning Downloads: How to Grow Asparagus Seeds
Gardeners are often daunted by growing asparagus from seed, a task accompanied by lengthy waiting periods and specific instructions. Yet, growing asparagus from seed is very possible and rewarding.
Not only delicious, hardy and a unique addition to any garden, asparagus is a perennials vegetable, returning year after year.
To grow asparagus from seed, a gardener must provide adequate space, nurturing excessive patience. The first harvest typically occurs three seasons after the original planting.
To plant:
Asparagus seeds are often cheaper than pre-established roots, and producing a robust crop from seed is quite possible under the right conditions. To start, soak the seeds for a few hours. Gardeners are encouraged to begin their asparagus seeds in a greenhouse or somewhere indoors, planting the seeds a half-inch deep in soil temperatures of 70-85 degrees between the months of February and May. Each seed should occupy its own small pot. Sprouting will occur between two and eight weeks of planting.
To grow:
Transplant asparagus seedlings once they reach 10-12 weeks old, and frost dangers have passed. Plant seedlings approximately 18 inches apart in rows spaced 3 and 6 feet apart.
As the asparagus plant grows, cover its crown with soil and keep the soil moist. Fertilize in the spring, with a few cups of fertilizer spread throughout the rows.
Allow the asparagus to grow ferns, and during its first three years, cut the ferns down to a few inches above the soil in the fall. Mulch is encouraged, as asparagus beds can become a feeding site for perennial weeds.
Note: If you grow tomatoes, plant the asparagus nearby. Tomato plants repel asparagus-feeding insects and asparagus plants deter Nematodes, a wormlike organism that feeds on plants and causes damage to a garden.
To harvest:
In the third year of growth, you can reap what you sowed and harvest the spears. Only harvest finger-sized spears. Asparagus season lasts two to three months. Cut the asparagus with a sharp tool, do not snap the spear as it encourages insects and disease. Harvest delivers up to one pound of asparagus per linear foot. Cut back the foliage in the fall. Male plants are more productive. Plants that seed in the fall are females, so remove these for a more robust crop.
What asparagus craves:
For the best harvest, plant asparagus in full sun, although the plant can tolerate some shade.
Soil should be fertile and well drained. Asparagus grows best in a soil pH of 6.5 to 6.8, but it can tolerate slightly more alkaline soils, such as up to a pH of 7.5. Water your asparagus bed regularly to keep it moist.
Where to buy asparagus seeds and roots:
You can find various types of asparagus seeds and pre-established roots at Urban Farmer.
Learning Download: How to Grow Asparagus Roots
Asparagus is a unique vegetable to grow in your garden, a perennial that returns year after year once it has been established and can produce asparagus for up to 20 years. However, the process for growing asparagus is lengthy and the time entailed in growing asparagus roots can scare gardeners away.
Asparagus is a member fo the fern family, and the parts that are eaten are the shoots before the plant becomes a fern.
Asparagus takes up to three years to grow from seed until it is ready for harvest, but the wait is well worth it – the result being a hardy vegetable that returns agains and again as long as it is cared for.
Gardeners can purchase pre-grown asparagus roots which shortens the wait time by a year, but it is also quite possible to grow your own from seed. If purchased from seed, plant the asparagus four weeks before the last frost.
Getting started:
If the roots are purchased as one-year-old roots, make sure the asparagus bed is supplemented with plenty of soil and test the soil pH, as asparagus thrives best in soil with a pH of 7.0. Asparagus roots require a thick layer of soil to protect them from the elements. Dig a trench in the asparagus bed that measures 1 foot deep and 18 inches wide. If planting more than one trench worth of asparagus, leave 4 feet between trenches.
Planting the roots:
Once the trench is established, break up the soil up to 10 inches deep. Add 1/2 pound of 10-10-10 fertilizer to each 10-foot stretch of trench. Add 4 inches of compost in the bottom of the trench to feed the roots. Firm up the soil in the bottom of the trench by firmly pressing it or walking on it, as this gives the roots a solid base to grow on.
Fan out the roots along the trench and space them 2 feet apart. Plant the roots, also called crowns, in the spring as soon as the soil can be worked. Cover them gently with 2 inches of soil.
Caring for the roots:
As summer arrives, continuously pull in more soil to add to the trench until it is level. Leave only a few inches of the asparagus shoots above ground at a time. Once the trench is full, mulch the asparagus beds, as this will help retain moisture and deter weeds. Every few months, apply a dressing of 10-10-10 fertilizer to the asparagus beds, using one handful for each plant. While the plants are young, they require plenty watering and should be watered regularly throughout their growing period.
Cut the plants to the ground each year, and this can be done in the spring or the fall. Removing dead foliage in the fall prevents pest problems, but some gardeners opt to leave the dead foliage as winter mulch and cut the plants down in the spring instead. Do not harvest the roots for the first two years if they have been purchased as one-year-old roots, and when you do harvest, keep the harvest to a minimum.
Learning Download: Common pests and diseases: Asparagus
When growing vegetables, it is always exciting to care for the plant throughout its growing phases and then harvest it for delicious recipes later on, but one thing to watch out for is pests and diseases.
Different plants are susceptible to different types of pests and diseases, and it is important to make yourself aware so you can keep a watchful eye and also take any preventative methods to keep your plants safe throughout their lifespan.
Asparagus can fall victim to several different pests and diseases.
Pests:
Humans aren’t the only living being that enjoy asparagus, and the plant can fall victim to a number of different pests. These include cutworms, the European asparagus aphid, the garden symphylan, thrips, the asparagus beetle, the Japanese beetle and more.
Cutworms typically eat the tip of the new, delicate asparagus spears, and if they eat more so on one side, it will cause the tip of the spear to curl.
The European asparagus aphid injects a toxin into the plant while it feeds, which can cause a shortened life of the plant. The garden symphylan eats holes in the roots, crowns and the spears below the soil line. Thrips remove moisture from the plant, which can cause death in smaller asparagus plants. The asparagus beetle doesn’t cause a whole lot of damage, but it does feed on shoots which can cause scarring and defoliation. The Japanese beetle is a pest that affects a lot of plants, and it feeds in the ferns of the plant.
To help prevent pests, make sure you are controlling weeds and cleaning up any leftover crop residues. Remove the old asparagus ferns at the end of the season and burn them. Treat with pesticides if the issues get out of control.
Diseases:
Some diseases that specifically affect asparagus plants include crown or spear rot, which is a soil-borne fungus. This looks like there are water-soaked lesions on the shoots, and infected crowns will have a yellow-orange color.
Crown and spear rot is caused by over-harvesting, growing in soils that are waterlogged or growing in acidic soil. Apply a garden disease control to treat.
Fusarium wilt is another disease that commonly affects the asparagus plant. This causes the plants to decline in their growth, which can cause the plant to lesson its production, You can diagnose this issue if you notice yellow fern characteristics or discoloration around the stalks. To naturally control this disease, which is a fungus, minimize stress to the asparagus plants and don’t harvest the asparagus when the production declines.
Another common disease affecting asparagus plants is rust, which is an infection which will begin in the spring. It will appear on new spears as yellow or orange pustules. This disease will overwinter, and the disease causes reduced plant vigor and also reduced yields. In order to prevent this disease, use proper irrigation and cut down the ferns at the end of the season and burn them.
How to grow asparagus in a vegetable garden from seeds
Young shoots of asparagus are a healthy and tasty product that you can grow in your garden.
The vegetable can be canned, combined with fish, meat and vegetables. It is good for the festive table, looks unusual, and tastes delicate. How to grow asparagus from seeds in the garden?
How to Grow Asparagus from Seeds
The easiest way to get enough asparagus is to plant seeds. They are tight, so they require some preparation before sowing. Plants grown from seeds are more resistant to adverse conditions and will more easily survive planting in a permanent place. nine0005
Sowing seeds
The best time to sow seeds outdoors is spring or autumn, but spring is preferred . At home, asparagus can be sown in cups or seedlings from the end of winter, because with a lack of lighting, tender seedlings stretch out and weaken.
Dry asparagus seeds germinate for a long time and unfriendly, the first shoots may appear only after a month. To speed up germination, the seeds are pre-soaked for 3-5 days in warm water (about +30 degrees), changing the liquid daily.
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Before germination, the seeds are disinfected in the fungicide Skor, Maxim, Fitosporin or in a thick solution of potassium permanganate.
Then the seed is ready for sprouting:
- In gauze or on paper towels. Pre-soaked asparagus seeds are laid out on paper towels or gauze, laid in several layers in a shallow container. With the advent of sprouts, the plants are ready for transplanting into the soil mixture.
- In the sand. Disinfected, washed river sand is poured into a flat container and moistened. Instead of sand, you can use vermiculite, coconut substrate or agroperlite. Seeds are laid out on the surface at a distance of 1-3 cm from each other and slightly pressed. The planting container is covered with a film and placed in a warm place. The greenhouse is regularly aired, if necessary, sand is sprayed from the spray gun. nine0028
If the seeds have been soaked and planted in the ground, then shoots can be expected in 2 weeks, and germinated planting material will sprout in a week .
Picking
If the seeds were planted in separate cups, then they may not need picking: it is enough to add fresh soil to the cotyledon leaves. When sowing seeds in a total container , picking is carried out when they reach a height of 10-15 cm .
Pick order:
- Plants are watered abundantly one day before picking. It is easier to extract seedlings from moist soil than from dry soil.
- Using a small scoop or spoon, the seedlings are dug up, carefully removed from the container along with a clod of earth, trying not to damage the root system.
- The seedling is placed in cups and covered with fresh earth to the cotyledon leaves.
- Plants are watered abundantly.
Some asparagus seedlings may wilt due to transplanting, but the next day the turgor will be restored. nine0005
Planting in open ground
When stable heat is established in spring or autumn, 1.
5 months before the onset of cold weather, asparagus is planted in a permanent place. The distance between plants should be at least half a meter for uniform growth of bushes , and between rows - from 1 meter.
Planting area should be well lit and protected from the wind. There should be no stagnant moisture, asparagus does not tolerate the proximity of groundwater.
The size of the planting hole for each asparagus is 30x30x30 cm. A mixture of nutrient soil and humus is poured into the pit, a plant is placed on a mound and sprinkled with earth from all sides, slightly compacting. The bush should be deepened by 5-15 cm. Be sure to water the asparagus abundantly after transplanting.
Caring for asparagus
Asparagus is an unpretentious plant that can "forgive" gardeners many mistakes. However, with proper care, the culture will give the best harvest of tasty, tender shoots.
Watering
After planting in a permanent place, the bush requires special care: it is necessary to monitor the soil moisture , do not let it dry out.
Drying out of the soil can lead to the death of the seedling.
After 2-4 weeks, the asparagus root system will recover, the frequency of watering can be reduced. Plant prefers slightly moist soil , during the season watering is carried out on dry days 1-2 times a week. Under each bush pour 5-7 liters of water.
Sufficient moisture is especially important in spring, when young shoots appear. Due to dry soil, the sprouts will be fibrous, coarse, bitter in taste. nine0005
Top dressing
Top dressing of asparagus is the key to getting a bountiful harvest and rapid growth of the bush.
They are carried out three times a year:
- in the spring, after the snow melts, the asparagus is fertilized with humus - 1 bucket per plant;
- in the summer, complex top dressings containing micro- and macroelements are applied under the bush;
- In autumn, asparagus is fed again and covered with humus, so that the plant can more easily endure wintering.
The crop does not need frequent fertilizing: the plant will tolerate a lack of nutrition more easily than its excess. nine0005
Weeding and loosening
Asparagus prefers loose, light soils. Therefore, loosening is carried out after each watering, so that a dense soil crust does not form on the surface of the bed.
Asparagus is weeded several times a season. If the plant tolerates the neighborhood with annual weeds easily, then weed rhizome perennials can cause problems . They intertwine with the roots of asparagus, depriving it of nutrition. It is difficult to extract the rhizomes of weeds, because the roots of the cultivated plant will suffer. nine0005
Protection against diseases and pests
Despite their unpretentiousness, asparagus is susceptible to diseases and pests due to improper care or an incorrectly chosen permanent place.
Against fungal diseases in the early stages of the lesion, fungicide preparations are suitable: Fundazol, Skor, Fitosporin.
If the plant is severely affected by Fusarium, rust or other disease , the bush should be dug up and destroyed.
The main pests of asparagus are asparagus fly and ratchet . Insects feed on the shoots of the plant, laying eggs inside the shoots. You can recognize infected branches by their deformation, drying out. When the first signs of damage appear, asparagus should be treated with effective insecticides - Aktellik, Aktara, Fitoverm, etc. However, you should be patient: the vegetable will give the first harvest only 2-3 years after planting. However, fresh shoots will certainly appeal to both adults and children. nine0005
growing from seeds, planting and care, types and varieties, photo
Author: Elena N. https://floristics.info/ru/index.php?option=com_contact&view=contact&id=19 Category: garden plants reprinted: Last amendments:
Content
- Listen Article
- Planting and Care for Asparages
- SPARGA Plant - Description
- GROWING OF SROMS
- Sowing of asparagus seeds
- Piking of Asparages
- Growing Asparages at home
- Planting Asparash in open soil
- When to plant an asparagus in open ground
- 9002 How to grow asparagus
- Caring for asparagus
- Watering asparagus
- Feeding asparagus
- Diseases and pests of asparagus
- Diseases of asparagus
Asparagus is one of the most useful, tasty and expensive crops.
Listen to article
Planting and caring for asparagus
- Planting: sowing seeds for seedlings - in mid-April, planting seedlings in the garden - in early June.
- Lighting: bright sunlight.
- Soil: rich, fertile, sandy loam.
- Watering: the first week and a half after planting - frequent and plentiful, during the dry season - daily, the rest of the time - as needed: the soil on the site should be slightly moist all the time. nine0028
- Top dressing: a week and a half after planting, a solution of slurry is introduced into the soil, three weeks after that - a solution of bird droppings (1:10), before the onset of frost - a complete mineral fertilizer.
- Reproduction: seed.
- Pests: asparagus flies, aphids, asparagus leaf beetles, scale insects, asparagus chirps, greenhouse thrips.
- Diseases: root and gray rot, rust, phomosis, cercosporosis. nine0028
Read more about growing asparagus below.
Asparagus plant - description
Asparagus vegetable perennial plant. Her rhizome is powerful, developed, the stems are branched. Numerous needle-like twigs are collected in bunches on the branches, growing from the axils of small, underdeveloped spiny or scaly leaves, at the base of which hard spurs are formed. Small flowers of asparagus, single or collected in racemose or thyroid inflorescences, are also mostly found in the axils of the leaves. The fruit of asparagus is a berry with one or more seeds, dressed in a thick dark peel. nine0005
Young shoots of asparagus that have just emerged from the ground are eaten. If leaf buds have already begun to bloom on the shoot, it becomes hard and no longer suitable for food. Asparagus at its peak produces 9 to 12 shoots per season - that's just two full servings of a side dish.
It is this modest yield that explains the high price of this vegetable. In our gardens, where from year to year we grow such familiar and healthy vegetable crops as carrots, beets, peas, beans, cucumbers, tomatoes, zucchini, squash and pumpkins, asparagus is still a rare guest. nine0005 For those who have decided to grow this healthy and tasty vegetable on their plot, we suggest using the information collected in our article on how to grow asparagus from seeds, how to plant asparagus in open ground, what are the conditions for growing asparagus and whether it is possible to grow asparagus at home.
Growing Asparagus from Seeds
Sowing Asparagus Seeds
As asparagus seeds take a very long time to germinate outdoors, we suggest that you grow them into seedlings first. nine0005
Before planting asparagus, seeds are kept in warm water for 3-4 days, changing the water twice a day. Then the swollen seeds are laid out on a damp cloth and wait until sprouts hatch from them.
In mid-April, hatched seeds with sprouts 1-3 mm long are planted in boxes at a distance of 6 cm from each other or in pots with a capacity of 100-200 ml with a soil mixture of the following composition: sand 2 parts, garden soil, peat, rotted manure - one at a time parts. Close up the seeds to a depth of 1.5-2 mm and place the containers in a well-lit place. nine0005 The room temperature must be kept within 25 ºC. The soil needs daily moisture. If these conditions are met, after 7-10 days you will already be able to see the first shoots. The emerging sprouts are lightly sprinkled with peat. Two weeks later, the seedlings are fed with a complex mineral fertilizer in a low concentration.
Asparagus picking
Seedling picking is required only if you grow it in a common box. When it reaches a height of 15 cm, transplant the seedlings into a large container, keeping a distance of 10 cm between them and slightly shortening the asparagus root during transplantation. Seedlings are fed only a few days after picking.
After another week, hardening procedures begin to be carried out, and as soon as the asparagus can be in the fresh air for a whole day, it is planted in open ground. nine0005 - Tomatoes: growing from seeds in the garden
Growing asparagus at home
Only seedlings of asparagus can be grown at home, which are then transplanted into open ground. It is very inconvenient to keep an edible plant with such a long and powerful root in the house. Asparagus can be grown in an apartment as an ornamental plant, and vegetables have a place in the garden.
Outdoor planting of asparagus
When to plant asparagus outdoors
Asparagus is planted outdoors in early June. Where does asparagus grow best? In a well-lit, windless area, preferably close to a wall or fence. Since asparagus does not tolerate waterlogged soil, do not plant it in places where groundwater is high. Take responsibility for choosing a site for asparagus, because this crop can grow in one place for 20-25 years.
Soil for asparagus
The optimal soil composition for asparagus is rich, fertile sandy loam soil. The plot for asparagus begins to be prepared in the fall: it is cleared of weeds and dug up to a depth of 40-50 cm with the addition of 15-20 kg of compost, 70 g of superphosphate and 40 g of potassium sulfate per 1 m². After the snow melts, the plot is harrowed with the simultaneous application of 20 g of ammonium nitrate and 60 g of wood ash for each m². nine0005
How to plant asparagus outdoors
Before planting, holes are made in the field 30 cm deep and 40 cm wide at a distance of a meter from each other. The bottom in the furrow is loosened to a depth of 15-20 cm. Then a hill of loose soil is poured onto the bottom of such a height that it reaches the edge of the hole. A seedling is installed on the mound, after shortening its root to 3-4 cm, the hole is covered with soil, compacted and watered. After the water is absorbed, the hole is mulched with dry earth.
How to grow asparagus
Caring for asparagus
Asparagus is not a picky plant. Caring for it consists of procedures familiar to any gardener: watering, loosening the soil around the plants and in the aisles, weeding, fertilizing. Loosening is carried out to a depth of 6-8 cm, trying not to damage the roots of the plant. And in the aisles for the first two years, it is desirable to grow green crops.
Watering asparagus
The first one and a half to two weeks after planting, asparagus is watered frequently and abundantly, then the amount of water is reduced, and watering begins less often. In dry weather, daily watering of the site may be necessary - the soil should be slightly damp all the time, otherwise the shoots will become fibrous and bitterness will appear in their taste. nine0005
Fertilizing asparagus
To speed up the growth of shoots, after the first weeding, apply a solution of slurry to the soil in the area - 1 part slurry to 6 parts water.
After three weeks, asparagus is fed with a solution of bird droppings - 1 part droppings to 10 parts water. The last dressing is applied before the start of frost, and it consists of a complex mineral fertilizer. If you fertilized the site before planting asparagus, fertilizing begins only in the second year of growth.
- Processing of tomatoes and cucumbers from diseases and pests is only a biological preparation! nine0028
Diseases and pests of asparagus
Diseases of asparagus
Asparagus is quite resistant to diseases, but sometimes there are problems with it. Asparagus is most often affected:
Rust is a fungal disease that develops on asparagus in four stages. As a result, the affected specimens lag behind in development and almost do not shoot, and at the end of summer they turn yellow prematurely and stop growing before they form the root system and lay buds at the base of the stems, which will definitely reduce the next year's crop.
Usually the disease affects asparagus growing in areas with impervious soil and close groundwater. Contribute to the development of the disease and frequent rains; nine0005
Rhizoctonia is a disease commonly found on root crops, especially carrots. Asparagus is affected by rhizoctonia infrequently, but there have been such cases;
Root rot, or Fusarium is a most harmful disease affecting many plants. It occurs on asparagus under the same conditions as rust - when the soil moisture is too high.
Pests of asparagus
Asparagus in the garden is not attacked by pests, but it has two enemies in the insect world:
Asparagus leaf beetle, imported from Western Europe together with asparagus. This is a dark blue beetle with a red border on the back, feeding on berries, flowers and asparagus tops. It appears in spring, but the maximum number of beetles can be observed from mid-summer;
Asparagus fly is a small brown insect with yellow limbs, head and antennae that feeds on asparagus shoots and makes passages in them.
As a result, the shoots are bent, wither and die.
- How to grow young potatoes in the fall - we get a second harvest in 40-60 days!
Treatment of asparagus
Spring and autumn prophylactic spraying of plants with Bordeaux mixture or other fungicides - Fitosporin, Topaz, Topsin M. will help protect asparagus from diseases. -some other remedy from this series, which can be purchased in stores. Treat the asparagus as soon as you notice the appearance of pests. However, this is not enough: it is necessary to regularly inspect the beds and, if egg-laying is found, remove and burn them. Keep weeds out of the area and destroy the dead parts of the asparagus. nine0005
Collection and storage of asparagus
Shoots can be cut only from the third year of growing asparagus - it will take two years to let the root system get stronger. Edible shoots are cut in May, before their heads open, carefully raking the ground from them in the place where a crack has formed in the soil, and leaving 1-2 cm high stumps in place.
Do this in the morning or evening, every other day or every day. It is not recommended to remove more than 5 shoots from one plant in the first year of cutting, as this can weaken the bush. As the asparagus bushes mature, it will be possible to remove up to 30 shoots from each annually. nine0005
Store asparagus wrapped in a damp cloth in the refrigerator for two weeks to four months, depending on the variety and storage conditions. Do not keep foods with a strong smell in the refrigerator at this time, otherwise the asparagus will quickly absorb them. The shoots are laid vertically, because when stored in a horizontal position, they are deformed.
Types and varieties of asparagus
There are three varieties of asparagus:
- green asparagus is the most common variety cultivated for medicinal purposes as far back as Ancient Rome; nine0028
- white asparagus, or bleached, or etiolated, or chlorophyll-free, appeared at the beginning of the 19th century.
At that time, Moscow was considered the center for forcing and growing white asparagus;
- purple or red asparagus - the rarest variety with an unusual, slightly bitter taste. When cooked, this asparagus turns green.
Varieties of asparagus also differ in terms of ripening. We offer you a choice of several varieties that you could plant in your garden, if only to see how the asparagus grows:
- Early yellow is a productive and disease-resistant early ripe variety of Russian selection with tender shoots with a dense yellow head and white flesh;
- Gainlim - an early foreign variety, characterized by a large number of tall shoots of excellent quality;
- Mary Washington is a mid-early American variety, perfectly adapted to our conditions, with thick large shoots of different shades of red and purple flowers. In bright light, the color of the heads may turn green; nine0028
- Arzhentelskaya is a foreign mid-early variety, modified by domestic breeders, with white-pink shoots that acquire a greenish-purple hue in color.
The pulp is yellowish-white, juicy and tender;
- Tsarskaya - winter-hardy, drought-resistant, almost not affected by diseases and pests, mid-season variety with needle-like green shoots;
- Slava Braunschweig is a late variety characterized by a large number of shoots with juicy white pulp, intended mainly for canning. nine0028
Properties of asparagus - harm and benefit
Useful properties of asparagus
Asparagus in the country is not only a delicacy product, but also a source of vitamins K, A, C, E, PP, group B, as well as folic acid, dietary fiber, copper , sodium, iron, phosphorus, magnesium, selenium, potassium, manganese and other elements.
Why is asparagus useful? This is an ideal, low-calorie product for fasting days. The substances contained in asparagus form connective tissue, strengthen bones, take part in the hematopoietic process, and help the kidneys, liver and heart.
Due to the content of folic acid in asparagus, it becomes an indispensable product for pregnant women. nine0005
Patients who have had a heart attack are advised to eat an asparagus diet, since asparagine, which is part of the product, dilates blood vessels, stimulates the heart muscle and lowers blood pressure. The benefits of asparagus are also in the coumarins contained in it, which stimulate cardiac activity, purify the blood and prevent the formation of blood clots in the vessels.
The beneficial properties of asparagus stimulate processes that free the body from toxins and toxins - phosphates, chlorides and urea. They have a tonic effect on the bladder, kidneys and the entire excretory system. nine0005
Asparagus is an excellent cosmetic product: its juice cleanses, nourishes and softens the skin, and also removes calluses and small warts.
Asparagus - contraindications
As indisputable are the healing properties of asparagus, just as contradictory and dubious is the evidence of its harm.
It is claimed that with prolonged use of asparagus, oxalic acid salts accumulate in the body, and this, allegedly, can, if there is a genetic predisposition to this, provoke urolithiasis. nine0005
Other experts believe that asparagus, being a diuretic, prevents urolithiasis. In addition, saponin found in asparagus can irritate the gastric and intestinal mucosa in patients with exacerbation of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. Asparagus is not recommended for articular rheumatism, cystitis, prostatitis and individual intolerance to the product.
Literature
- Read related topics on Wikipedia
- Peculiarities and other plants of the Asparagus family nine0028
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