How to Grow Sea Asparagus? Planting Methods and Key Technical Points

Sea asparagus has the reputation of “sea ginseng” and “plant seafood”, and is also called sea bean, etc. It is a new type of health vegetable introduced from abroad, domesticated and improved, and grown with irrigation using pure natural seawater. So, how do you grow sea asparagus?

1. Soil

Sea asparagus is suitable for growing in soil with a salinity of 15%-30%, and does not have high requirements for soil texture; sandy soil, clay soil and sandy loam are all acceptable. Before planting, the compacted saline-alkali land must first be plowed to make the soil loose and breathable. According to different soil conditions, two types are used: sunny-bed planting and shady-bed planting. For plots that have been improved, have good drainage and fertile soil, the shady-bed planting method is used, with a bed width of 1-15m and a ridge width of Q5--1m, which makes harvesting and installation of irrigation facilities convenient; for saline-alkali land that has not been improved, because the soil is compacted and prone to water accumulation, the sunny-bed planting method is used.

2. Sowing

Generally sown in spring, the suitable temperature for seed germination is about 15℃. Select plump, dry seeds free of pests and diseases, and sun-dry them for 1-2 days before use. Before sowing, mix with sand at a ratio of 1:5. Broadcasting or drilling can be used, with a seeding rate of about 2kg per mu. After sowing, cover with about 5cm of soil.

3. Field Management

1. Irrigation

Seawater or underground brine is used as the irrigation water source, and the salinity of the seawater is kept at 25%-30%. If the salinity is too high, fresh water should be added to dilute it. Because saline-alkali land becomes compacted when short of water, and sea asparagus has a relatively large water requirement during growth, micro-sprinkler tape is generally used for irrigation in production to save costs. During the period from sowing to one week before emergence, spray-irrigate once each in the morning and afternoon, ensuring the soil is moist. After the seedlings emerge, the number of irrigations can be appropriately reduced, and throughout the growing period the number of irrigations can be adjusted according to soil moisture. Because the vigorous growth period of sea asparagus is in summer, when there is relatively more rain, timely drainage is needed.

2. Fertilization

Sea asparagus has a relatively low fertilizer requirement, and generally about 200kg of organic fertilizer is applied per mu. Fertilization follows the principle of mainly basal fertilizer supplemented by topdressing. To reduce waste, when applying basal fertilizer, use the method of furrow application, with a furrow depth of about 20cm; spread the fertilizer into the opened furrows, apply evenly, and after fertilizing, rake the soil level. When sea asparagus has grown for 45 days, it can reach 15cm, and organic fertilizer can be topdressed once. Using the broadcasting method, about 30kg of organic fertilizer is topdressed per mu. After topdressing, spray-irrigate in time so the fertilizer seeps into the soil to prevent excessive density and leggy growth of branches and leaves, sea asparagus needs to be thinned; in addition, to make full use of land resources, sea asparagus needs to be replanted to fill gaps.

3. Loosening Soil and Weeding

For severely compacted saline-alkali land, hoe frequently to ensure the soil is loose; in addition, for land with loose soil and fertile texture, weed frequently to prevent weeds from competing with sea asparagus for nutrients.

4. Harvesting

After sea asparagus has grown for 70 days, the plant height can reach 30cm. At this time, the growth of sea asparagus can be promoted by picking fresh vegetables. When picking, snap off the tender tips of the fleshy stems of sea asparagus from the nodes, with a picking length of 6-10cm. After snapping off the tender tips, sea asparagus will continuously produce new branches from the nodes, and growers can harvest continuously from August to October.

Sea asparagus is emerald in color, coral-like in shape, crisp and tender in texture, with a unique and delicious seafood flavor and rich nutritional value. It has broad planting prospects, and farmers who are interested can give it a try.