How to prune potted asparagus fern? Learn the correct trimming method
The asparagus fern is verdant all over; though its stems and branches are slender, they stand upright, and its leaf-like branches spread out horizontally in an almost triangular shape, with leaves reduced to membranous scales attached to the branches like down. Because its stems grow in clusters from the base, varying in height, the cloud-like foliage layers upon layers, which is why it is also called cloud bamboo. Potted asparagus fern is deeply favored by the general public for being easy to grow, beautiful and elegant, and for absorbing toxic gases.
If you want the asparagus fern to stay verdant and elegant with its graceful color and posture for a long time, you must prune it at the right time (spring or autumn).
There are two ways to propagate asparagus fern: sowing and division. For asparagus fern grown from seed for about one year, during the growing period you should mainly strengthen management of its natural growth. When you see new stems emerge and reach a certain height, that is, when the entire leaf base appears, especially when the branch tips at the upper end of the stem have all grown out, you should fix the position of the flowerpot according to your own requirements, and the new branches will then spread horizontally toward the sunny side. Asparagus fern at this stage generally will not grow new stems with climbing ability, so the plant shape generally does not need pruning, and only proper tying is needed.
After about two years of cultivation, the asparagus fern begins to grow new stems with climbing ability. At this point, depending on your specific conditions and preferences, you can use different methods to handle it. You can let it grow naturally on a hanging string, or have it climb on a flower stand or on the old stems and old branches of the asparagus fern, or casually cut some off. However, the latter two practices not only affect the growth of the asparagus fern but also harm the appearance of the whole plant, so it is best to prune it appropriately.
The method is to prune the longer climbing old stems several times in succession according to the shape of the whole plant and your own requirements, cutting off all or part of the upper portion of the old stems that bears branches and leaves. To give the new branches growing from the leaf bases of the pruned old stems a certain layered effect, when pruning you should make adjacent old stems differ in height. After pruning, in about 20 days the old stems will sprout new branches and leaves from the uppermost leaf base. As for how to determine the direction in which the newly grown branches and leaves spread, it is the same as described above.
The newly grown branches and leaves must not touch other branches, leaves or objects during growth, otherwise it will affect the normal growth of the new branches and leaves and the beauty of the plant shape. To make the whole asparagus fern grow well and look beautiful, you also need to cut off overly dense, withered and yellow branches and leaves as well as weak stems, so as to improve ventilation and light penetration, promote growth and enhance ornamental value.
Because the branches and leaves of the asparagus fern spread horizontally, they easily collect dust, which is also bad for its growth and appearance, so it needs to be sprayed with water to remove dust. Before spraying water, it is best to gently shake the stems and leaves with your hand, or blow them with an air pump, to first remove some floating dust, then slowly spray and wash with a fine-nozzle watering can; this gives better results. After spraying, gently shake off the water droplets remaining on it. Some people cover the asparagus fern with a transparent plastic bag to temporarily keep off dust; although this works, it affects ventilation and light, and is also bad for viewing.
When tying the asparagus fern, it is not suitable to insert thick bamboo or wooden sticks into the pot or use too thick string, as these do not match the slender stems and branches of the asparagus fern. You should use thin string whose color is close to that of the asparagus fern to tie the stems and branches and adjust the plant shape, so as not to affect its verdant grace. With proper management, a potted asparagus fern will surely give your room a fresh new look.