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Asparagus

Asparagus

Asparagus is a hardy perennial vegetable native to the seacoasts of Europe and eastern Asia, Early settlers brought asparagus to North America.

The underground portion of the plant consists of a network of rhizomes, fleshy storage roots, and fibrous roots. The fleshy roots (as well as the spears) are initiated from the rhizomes. Together, the fleshy roots and rhizome make up the crown, which is the perennial portion of the asparagus plant. Fleshy roots serve not only as storage organs for the carbohydrates received from the fern, but also as the site of fibrous root development. Fibrous roots, which live for one or two seasons, function in the absorption of water and nutrients from the soil.

Asparagus spears are edible shoots that develop on rhizomes when the soil temperature is warm and the water supply is favorable. The spears, if not harvested, develop into ferns 4-6 feet tall. Carbohydrates and other compounds necessary for plant growth and development are produced in the ferns throughout the growing season. These substances are trans located to the fleshy roots, where they are stored and used to produce spears the following spring.
Introduction
Mr. John Doe

Head Director

Description

Growing asparagus is a long term commitment that requires patience. Choose a spot at the back of the garden, along a fence or in an area of the yard that can have a permanent patch of this vegetable. It takes two to three years for asparagus to mature enough to be harvested. Once it is established and if there are both male and female plants. asparagus will come back every year and spread into a good large patch that will provide delicious shoots in the spring and an attractive foliage through the summer. It can be a beautiful backdrop for other plants and the ferns are popular in traditional flower arrangements. If you care for your asparagus well, it will outlive you and your house. In areas with perfect growing conditions, heritage asparagus can be found naturalized. It grows wild around the foundations of old fallen down homesteads and can be found all down the road, along country fences. As birds eat the berries, asparagus also appears at the edges of deciduous woodlands.
Optimal Time/Temperature for Germination:
When the soil temperature is below approximately 50° F or the water supply is limiting, crowns become dormant. In the Northeast, cool soil temperatures induce winter dormancy, whereas in tropical or subtropical growing areas, irrigation may be withheld to induce dormancy or special methods are employed to produce the crop without a dormant period. The dormant period preserves the carbohydrates or energy, giving rise to spear production the following season. In areas with extremely low temperatures in winter, asparagus can benefit from a top dressing of straw in the fall to protect it from freezing.
Optimal Soil Conditions:
Select a spot that has at least 6- to 8-hours of full sunlight during the growing season, relatively level and free of stones. The growing area should be tilled or managed to eliminate as many weeds as possible a year ahead of planting the asparagus. It is especially important to eliminate perennial weeds and hardy grasses such as twitch or couch grass because is very difficult to weed once the bed is established. The prior year of preparation should Include cultivation and (or) cover crops and the addition of lime, if needed. Check the PH of the soil. Asparagus grows well at a soil pH between 6.0 and 7.5. Manure, if free of weed seed, particularly that of perennial weeds, can be incorporated into soil during preparation. The potassium requirement is somewhat greater than the phosphorus requirement, but both are essential for high yields. Good soil-water drainage is very important because asparagus does not tolerate wet roots. The crop can survive short periods of flooding, but not prolonged waterlogged soil. Sandy loams and loams are best for asparagus. The more sandy the soil, the more likely the plants will suffer from drought stress unless irrigation is available. Asparagus can do well in rather heavy soils, but these soils often have poor drainage and form crusts that can cause damage to emerging spears. The reserve water-holding capacity of the heavier soils can be an advantage if internal soil drainage is good. Do not plant on clay soils because freezing heaves and damages the crowns. If your soil has a high salt content the asparagus will tolerate it.
Seed Planting Depth, Spacing and Procedure:
The three methods of establishing asparagus fields are with crowns (roots), transplants, or direct seeding. Crowns (Roots) : Crowns can be acquired from other gardeners or purchased from garden centers. To grow crowns, select a level, fertile, well-drained, weed-free field that has no previous history of asparagus production. Soil borne asparagus pathogens persist in the soil for many years and attack the roots of new plants. Untangle the crowns and discard the very small or badly injured ones. Sort into groups of the same relative size and plant each size group together so that competition among plants will be similar. If planting is delayed, store crowns at 40° F and 85%-90% humidity. Do not let free water accumulate on them, but it is important not to let them dry out. If refrigeration is not available, store the crowns in a cool place out of the sun. If you are concerned about acquiring a disease from the source of the crowns, dip them in a 3 percent solution of food safe hydrogen peroxide before planting. Plant crowns 24-36 inches apart. Leave plenty of space between rows for a path and to allow the plant to spread out. Plant crowns in a furrow or hole with the buds up and 6 inches below the soil level of the field. Dig a 12 inch deep hole or a long furrow. Build up an 6 inch mound in the middle made up of organic compost and rich organic fertilizer with soil on top. Lay roots out on mound and cover with rich organic soil. Water well after planting. To create stronger root systems, cover crowns with 1 1/2-2 inches of soil at the time of setting. After that furrows can be gradually filled in as the fern grows, without completely covering the growing spears, until the land is level or slightly ridged over the plant row by fall. Planting from Seed – Few growers direct-seed asparagus. This method requires considerable expertise. The seed bed in the bottoms of the furrows must be more thoroughly prepared than for crowns or transplants. Irrigation may be needed for seed germination and plant emergence if dry weather persists. Weeds may become a problem before the slow-growing asparagus can be adequately cultivated. Seed may be contaminated with fungal spores and should be surface sterilized before planting by soaking in a 3-percent solution of food safe hydrogen peroxide (also known as oxygen bleach) for 1 hour, Plant seeds about 1 inch deep. Seed is slow to germinate and seedling emergence may require many days, depending upon soil moisture and temperature. At a soil temperature of 68° F, emergence occurs in about 15 days, but at 59° F about 24 days are required. Germination can be hastened by a pre-soak period. Seedlings can be started indoors or in containers, and then planted outside but this process is so time consuming that the seedling aren’t ready to be planted out until late in the season when dry weather often becomes a challenge.
Best Companion Plants and Plants that Hinder:
Parsley adds vigor. Tomatoes will protect from the asparagus beetle. Asparagus is a natural nematodocide. (deters nematodes) so it benefits tomatoes. Basil, cilantro, dill, cilantro, marigolds, nasturtiums, oregano, peppers, sage, and thyme are also good.

Growing Instructions

Crop Maintenance

As long as ferns retain any green color, they are still transporting valuable nutrients to the roots. Consequently, delaying the cutting back of the fern until late winter or early spring allows maximum transport of reserve to the storage roots. An additional advantage to allowing the fern to stand through the winter is that it can provide some protection against soil erosion and catch a snow cover, which can provide protection against crown or root damage from freezing injury.
Moisture Requirements & Solutions:
Soaker hoses can be helpful to provide the asparagus patch with consistent, moderate water, especially during the first 2 years. Irrigation can also improve the vigor of an asparagus planting. Although it is a deep-rooted crop, asparagus is responsive to irrigation and should be irrigated routinely throughout the summer to maintain fern vigor until early fall. Because it is a perennial and can be maintained in essentially a no-till situation, asparagus may be a good candidate for a trickle irrigation system, especially in the early years of establishment before roots have had time to penetrate soil to a large extent. The perennial root system of asparagus becomes quite extensive and, after a few years, can penetrate the soil to a depth of 4 feet or more. Consequently, there is usually less demand for supplemental irrigation in older asparagus plantings with well-developed root systems than in newly established beds. Guidelines for Watering Mature Plantings The water requirements and irrigation practices of an established asparagus planting can be divided into three periods: April-May. The water requirement is low because harvest of the spears prevents water loss that would otherwise occur through development of the fern. Rainfall usually provides enough water at this time of year to prevent the need for supplemental irrigation. June. The water requirement rapidly increases after the spears are allowed to develop into ferns. The increase in water requirement is often accompanied by a decrease in rainfall. In a mature bed, roots may be rather extensive and deep, making irrigation unnecessary until the end of June. However, it has been observed that following a cutting season that has been rather dry, spear emergence and subsequent fern development may be delayed. This delayed emergence following harvest may be prevented by beginning irrigation immediately after the last cutting, particularly in a dry year. July—August. In an established planting, the most critical time for irrigation is generally July and August when ferns become large. A good water supply at this time allows for maximum fern growth and, consequently, maximum transport of carbohydrates to storage roots. The amount of water applied should be sufficient to wet the soil to a depth of about 2 feet. Irrigation may be detrimental after the end of August. Although asparagus is fairly cold hardy and can continue to grow well into the fall, excessive fern growth late in the season may deplete the root system of carbohydrates, which would be better used in the next spring’s spear production. Withholding irrigation in the fall helps asparagus go into the dormant period necessary for successful production in the Northeast.
Weeding Needs & Solutions:
During the early stages of planting, the asparagus bed should be as weed free as possible, particularly free of perennial weeds which can overwhelm seedlings, reduce yields, and make it difficult to harvest spears in mature beds. Soil can be prepared the year before to eliminate weed seeds in the soil before planting the asparagus. Asparagus has been known to survive in the wild. It is therefore an excellent choice in a permaculture plan. Cultivation during the fern stage the second year and thereafter is not feasible or is very difficult because asparagus plants grow rapidly to a height of 5 feet or more. If cultivation is attempted after harvest, keep the shovels well away from the base of the plants to avoid cutting off new spears, which can be either above or below ground.
Feeding Needs/Optimal Natural Fertilizers:
Once the planting has been established, it needs only moderate annual applications of fertilizer. Asparagus removes very small amounts of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium from the soil, even with high yields. In the spring before spear emergence or after harvest a general recommendation is to apply nitrogen (N), phosphate (P2O5) and potash (K20), each at the rate of 50 pounds per acre, and lightly incorporate them into the soil. Soils high in available phosphorus and potassium may require P2O5 and K20 applications every other year, but apply nitrogen every year. If no-till is practiced, broadcast the organic fertilizer, particularly the nitrogen on the soil surface, preferably before rain or irrigation. Over application of the so-called hot manures (pig, chicken, sheep) may supply too much nitrogen and result in excessive top growth and plant lodging. (Lodging is the bending over of the stems near ground level of crops, which makes them very difficult to harvest, and can dramatically reduce yield.)
Pests, Diseases & Solutions:
Asparagus is susceptible to fungal development in the root and crown, known as crown rot, especially in large scale farming situations. It is recommended to treat crowns and seeds with oxygen bleach (diluted food-safe hydrogen peroxide) before planting as a preventative measure. In the home garden it is advantageous to have several asparagus patches in separate corners of the garden to leave you with back up if one patch fails. Providing plants a healthy growing environment by preparing soil well before planting will encourage vigorous plants that are less susceptible to disease. Asparagus rust can be a potentially devastating disease if left untreated. Symptoms of the disease first appear as small orange patches on spears and on fern branches. High humidity and warm temperatures influence repeated spore production and germination. Windblown spores are spread to adjoining plants, and with sufficient moisture new infections are initiated. Individual fern needles are shed, and the entire field may turn brown. The entire life cycle of the rust fungus occurs on asparagus, with the summer orange spores giving way to black overwintering spores. Plant resistant varieties if possible. Jadam fungal sprays would be worth exploring as a solution. The asparagus beetle and 12 spotted asparagus beetle are a problem in the Northeast. The adult beetles, which overwinter under plant refuse and debris along field borders, begin to move to asparagus as the spears first emerge in the spring. The beetles feed on the spears and lay eggs singly in vertical rows, usually near the tip of the spear. The eggs hatch in approximately 1 week, and the numerous fleshy, gray larvae move to foliage where they feed. The larval stage lasts 2-3 weeks, after which the larvae leave the plant, burrow into the soil, and pupate. Solutions include, hand picking the beetles, finding ways to interrupt the insects life cycle with non poisonous sprays such as Jadam herbal solutions and Introducing or encouraging natural predators that will eat the beetles. It is worth trying a spray with a tea made from tomato greens. Installing numerous bird houses along fence lines will encourage birds to live near the fields and eat the beetles and larvae. Production practices that promote plant vigor and thorough harvesting of all spears during harvest season may help reduce the beetle populations. Asparagus Aphids, leaf hoppers and asparagus miners can also be reduced dramatically with Jadam herbal sprays. Introducing ladybugs helps control aphids. It is especially important to avoid chemical sprays on asparagus because bees visit flowering asparagus to pollinate and can be poisoned by insecticides.
When to Harvest/Number of days to maturity:
Two years are required to establish an asparagus field, but once into production plantings endure from 10 to 20 years. The patch will self sow which results in a permanent cycle of growth under ideal conditions, Asparagus is harvested in the spring when new shoots come up. This happens very quickly so there is a short period of time when the asparagus shoots can be harvested and then they begin to jump ahead and turn into ferns. The shoots that are allowed to go to fern over the summer months carry out photosynthesis and produce carbohydrates. Thus, the larger the fern and the longer it is maintained in a healthy vigorous condition, the greater is the production of reserve carbohydrate or energy for the next harvest season. First harvest begins the third year after field planting. As a rule of thumb, harvest for 2 weeks the first year, 4 weeks the second year, and 6 weeks the third and following years. These are only general recommendations, and harvest may continue as long as spear size and regrowth are maintained. Once there is a notable increase in numbers of small-diameter spears harvest should stop. It is a common mistake for new growers to harvest too long. Over harvesting can cause a permanent reduction in vigor and health of the plants and reduce yields the following years.
How to Harvest:
Shoots are cut when they are 8-10 inches tall and ½ inch or more in diameter. Cut fresh shoots at or just below soil level, leaving the roots and crown to produce more shoots. Be careful not to damage other shorter shoots while harvesting. Asparagus is harvested by cutting or snapping by hand. The growth of asparagus is erratic because spears grow very rapidly on warm days and very slowly on cool days. In warm weather productive plantings must be harvested at least once each day. Rather than harvest twice a day, some growers harvest only once, but take all spears that are 4-5 inches or more in height. In warm weather buds begin to open at a shorter spear length than in cool weather. Closed tips are associated with high edible quality.
Optimal Storage temperature and conditions:
Asparagus is best eaten fresh. It can store in the fridge for more than a week if the temperature is cool enough. A traditional method of storing asparagus has been to place the butt end of the spears in a shallow pan of water or on a dampened water absorbent material. Quality quickly declines in asparagus if not cooled immediately after harvest. Both sugars and vitamin C decrease rapidly, resulting in a loss of flavor and nutritional value. In addition, if the storage temperature is above 36° F, fibers develop in the spears, resulting in a tough, stringy texture, and the tip buds begin to open.
Optimal Preserving Procedures:
Asparagus makes excellent pickles and it can be frozen.
Seed Saving:
Asparagus plants are dioecious, meaning that male and female flowers are produced on separate plants. The flowers are small, bell shaped, and whitish green. Male flowers are more conspicuous than female flowers. Following pollination of female flowers by bees, a berry, which has one to eight seeds and turns red at maturity, develops. The seeds, which are threshed from the berry when dry, are single, large, black, and generally round with one flattened side. Female plants are somewhat less productive and shorter lived than male plants because of the energy allocated to seed production. Thus, in a given planting of dioecious hybrids or plants from open-pollinated sources, the ratio of male to female plants initially is 50:50. As the age of a planting increases, the ratio of male to female plants increases. Growers who grow their own crowns generally prefer to dig them in the spring before sprouting occurs, sometime after the middle of April to early May.

Harvest and Storage

Notes

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