Asparagus Planting Methods and Timing Explained in Detail, Helping You Achieve High Yield and High Returns

Every year around April in North China, a tender, uniquely flavored, green and organic vegetable comes fresh to market, and that is asparagus. It is now grown in many regions, so do you know the planting methods and timing for asparagus?

1. Basic facts about asparagus

1. Other names and places of origin for asparagus

Asparagus is also called Nandi asparagus, shidiaobai, disun, lusun, and so on. It is the young shoot of the perennial herbaceous plant shidiaobai (Asparagus officinalis) that can be eaten as a vegetable. At present, it is grown and produced in China, Peru, Germany, France, Spain, the United States, Japan, and other countries, among which China is currently the largest producer of asparagus.

2. The appearance of asparagus

Asparagus is an upright herbaceous plant that can reach up to one meter in height. Its roots are two to three millimeters thick, its stems are relatively smooth, and its branches are rather weak. The leaf-like branches of asparagus have slightly blunt ridges and grow in clusters of several; every year in May and June it produces small yellow-green flowers, and the perianth of the female flowers is smaller than that of the male flowers; every year in September and October it produces red seeds.

3. The value of asparagus

Asparagus is rich in vitamins, trace elements, and various amino acids essential to the human body, and the selenium content of asparagus is higher than that of ordinary vegetables, giving it good effects in preventing and fighting cancer, clearing heat and reducing internal heat, promoting urination, lowering blood pressure, and so on.

2. Planting time for asparagus

Asparagus can be propagated and grown from seed, by division, or by direct sowing, and the planting time may differ depending on the propagation method and the region.

1. If growing asparagus from seed, sowing can be done from the first half of April to the first half of August each year;

2. When growing asparagus in the Yangtze River Basin and North China, sowing can be done in February and March, with planting out around May;

3. In the cold northern regions, asparagus sowing should be done as early in spring as possible, but in the south, besides spring sowing, autumn sowing can also be done.

The asparagus planting times introduced above can only serve as reference times for everyone; the specific planting still needs to be determined according to the weather and climate conditions of that year.

3. Planting methods for asparagus

Generally, division propagation of asparagus is mostly used for breeding improved varieties, while the seedling emergence rate of direct cultivation is relatively low, so here we will first introduce only growing from seed.

1. Sow according to the planting times above, but before sowing, soak the thick-skinned asparagus seeds in warm water for three to five days, changing the water at least once or twice a day. Once the seeds have absorbed enough water, remove them for germination, and after five days to one week they can be sown.

2. Before sowing, apply 30000 kg of decomposed barnyard manure per hectare to the land and plow it into the soil. In places where the soil acidity is high, slaked lime 1130 kg should also be broadcast to correct the soil acidity. Plowing should be shallow, so as to avoid the roots going too deep into the soil, which is not conducive to lifting the seedlings. To prevent underground pests from damaging the asparagus, during land preparation also broadcast 15 kg of phoxim per hectare, mix it into the soil, then build raised beds 1.5 m wide, and dig drainage ditches well for irrigation and drainage.

3. After sowing, the seedbed should be watered attentively; in dry conditions the soil needs to be watered thoroughly. Once asparagus seedling raising is finished, transplanting can be carried out. In the south, autumn planting is more suitable, and the survival rate during this harvest period will also be much higher. In addition, when transplanting, pay attention to density; after planting, cover with five to six cm of soil and press it firm and water it.

4. After asparagus seedlings are planted, if furrow irrigation is used for watering. Apply the first fertilizer about twenty days after planting. From 40-60 days after planting, apply fertilizer once every 25-30 days, with 25—50 kg of compound fertilizer per mu or 10-20 kg of urea plus 6-12.5 kg of potassium chloride. From 4 months after planting until before harvesting spears, apply fertilizer about once every 25 days.

5. Asparagus is a relatively drought-tolerant plant, but timely watering is also a necessary condition for high asparagus yields. Therefore, after planting, water promptly to help the seedlings recover, then cover with soil after the water has seeped down, and thereafter water as appropriate according to the weather. In summer and autumn, temperatures are high and water consumption is high, so ensure the soil has enough moisture to guarantee normal plant growth. In addition, before the winter freeze, water with overwintering water to help asparagus survive the winter safely.

6. During the asparagus growing period, loosen the soil and weed promptly according to the situation. After each weeding, mound soil appropriately by one to two cm, gradually increasing the height of the covering soil until it reaches about ten cm.

7. During the asparagus growing period, pay attention to attacks by pests and diseases such as brown spot, root rot, damping-off, and white grubs, mole crickets, bean seed flies, and wireworms. The most important thing is to do preventive work in advance; when disease is found, control it promptly or remove the affected plants.

The above is the asparagus planting time and methods compiled by the Tuliu.com editors for everyone; growers can use it as a reference to learn about it.