The asparagus, of common name Asparagus officinalis, It is a plant highly appreciated by asparagus, which are nothing other than young and tender shoots, which are consumed for their flavor and health properties. White asparagus are those that are harvested before the sun hits them, while the so-called wild asparagus are the wild type, which are green and can be found in many areas of Mediterranean vegetation.
If you want to learn everything to keep them fresh and ecological at home, do not hesitate to join us in this Green Ecologist article in which we tell you when and how to plant asparagus.
The first thing to say here is that there are two ways to plant asparagus. One is to get or buy the asparagus seeds and germinate them in a seedbed, but this method is not highly recommended, since it implies that we will have to wait two more years to start harvesting our first asparagus.
Therefore, the most used method is the other, which consists of buying the asparagus claws, which is what its rhizomes are called. The best season to plant the claws is between the end of winter and the beginning of spring.
Asparagus is a very durable plant that can grow in our garden for up to 10 years. Precisely for this reason, it is very important to prepare the soil properly before planting them, since it will take time to be able to release it again. Follow these tips and steps on how to plant asparagus:
Now that you know how to plant asparagus, we recommend that you consult the basic asparagus care to be able to be successful in its cultivation:
As we have said, asparagus need very well drained soils as well as rich in nutrients. This is a plant that supports the lack of water very well, but on the contrary, it does not tolerate excess humidity. Therefore, if you live in a rainy or humid area, you will hardly need to water them once they have sprouted, with the exception of very hot summers. In temperate and sunny climates, one watering every ten or fifteen days will usually suffice. To prevent it from accumulating too much moisture, try to water without wetting the asparagus plant, instead moistening the soil around it. Poor drainage or overwatering will cause fungus or root rot, spoiling all the work in your crop.
The ideal temperature for asparagus is between 18ºC and 25ºC, but thanks to its resistance it even supports frost, although it is always better to try to protect it well if we live in areas where there may be frosts.
We also recommend planting tomatoes near asparagus, since they are one of the vegetables that grow well together. This means that they are species that do not fully compete for nutrients in the soil and that even protect each other from possible pest attacks.
If you are interested in putting these vegetables together, we recommend this other Green Ecologist article to learn everything about How to grow organic tomatoes.
In the first year it is advisable to let the asparagus die at the end of the season, without harvesting it. There are some farmers who use alternative methods to be able to harvest from the first year, but unless you are in a big hurry, we recommend wait for the second season.
The asparagus harvest, which is carried out in the warm months, consists of leaving two stems uncut to allow the plant to carry out good photosynthesis, and cutting the tender stems at ground level for our consumption, as they grow. It is also advisable to let the plant rest for a month so that the roots recover from the effort.
Finally, we give you information about the nutritional composition and properties of asparagus, which are used much more if they are organically grown and consumed fresh, either with dressings, grilled, in the oven, and so on.
They are considered a food that helps to lose weight, as long as their consumption is accompanied by good eating habits and exercise, because they fill up with a small amount, help in digestion, eliminate retained fluids and because they have what is known as negative calories, since they spend more in the process of digestion and assimilation of their nutrients and elimination of waste than the amount of calories that each asparagus contributes.
In addition, thanks to the amount of vitamins and certain minerals they contain, asparagus are great antioxidants, which is why they help maintain good health by fighting free radicals that oxidize and age cells and, in addition, thanks to folates ( folic acid or vitamin B9) that they contain, are very suitable for pregnant women.
If you want to read more articles similar to Planting asparagus: how and when, we recommend that you enter our category of Cultivation and care of plants.