In which month should winter be planted?

As a plant that prefers warm and humid environment, Asparagus has certain requirements for growing conditions. It grows best in a warm and humid environment and cannot tolerate severe cold, so strong direct sunlight should be avoided, especially in the seedling stage, otherwise it will cause the stems to turn yellow. It is suitable to be intercropped with trees or other medicinal materials to provide moderate shade. So in which month should asparagus be planted?

1. Site selection and land preparation

According to the biological characteristics of Asparagus, choose deep, fertile, well-drained sandy loam or land rich in humus as the cultivation site. Deeply plow the land about 30 centimeters, remove debris such as branches , and apply 2500-3500 kg of rotted manure, 100 kg of cake fertilizer and 50 kg of superphosphate per mu. After land preparation, make raised ridges 150 cm wide and 20 cm high.

2. Breeding method

There are two main methods of propagation of Asparagus: seed propagation and division propagation, among which division propagation has a higher survival rate.

Seed propagation:

Harvesting and sowing: Harvesting is carried out in September and October every year when the fruit turns from green to red. After fermentation, select large and plump seeds for sowing. The sowing period is divided into spring and autumn. The germination rate of autumn sowing is high, but it occupies the land for a long time and is more labor-intensive to manage. Spring sowing is in late March, occupies the land for a short time and is more convenient to manage.

Sowing method: dig horizontal furrows in the ridge with a distance of 20-24 cm, a depth of 5-7 cm, a sowing width of 6 cm, and a seed spacing of 2-3 cm. The seed rate per mu is 10-12 kg. After sowing, cover with compost or wood ash, then cover with fine soil level with the surface of the bed, and cover with straw to maintain moisture. At a temperature of 17-20℃ and suitable humidity, seedlings will emerge 18-20 days after sowing. Remove the covering straw after germination. Build a shade shed when the seedlings emerge from the soil, or plant crops such as corn between the beds to provide shade and keep the soil moist.

Seedling raising and transplanting: weed and apply fertilizer when the seedlings are about 3 cm tall. In autumn, fertilization is combined with soil loosening, mainly with human and animal manure, with 1000-1500 kg applied per mu each time. The seedlings can be transplanted after one year, usually in October or late spring before budding, when the seedlings are 10-12 cm tall and are transplanted with soil. When digging up the seedlings, plant them according to their size, with holes dug at a row spacing of 50 cm and a plant spacing of 24 cm. When planting, spread the tubers evenly on all sides and cover them with fine soil and press them tightly. Corn or broad beans can be intercropped between the reserved rows every year.

Propagation by division:

In conjunction with harvesting, divide the healthy mother plants into several plants, each with 1 to 2 buds or 2-3 small root tubers as seedlings, and plant them with a row spacing of 40 cm × 40 cm. When planting, if there is farmyard manure, it can be applied between the plants, or phosphorus fertilizer can be applied.

3. Field management

Intertillage weeding: Weed frequently. Manual weeding is used in the first half of the year. In the second half of the year, you can use the herbicide Atamix for safe weeding. Generally, the grass will turn yellow and die 6 days after spraying.

Top dressing: Combined with tillage and weeding after planting, apply human and animal manure once in March-April and June-July. You can also use 15 kg of urea (or compound fertilizer ) per mu diluted with water and apply it once every month. Apply soil and miscellaneous fertilizer once in September and October and cultivate the soil. Thereafter, apply 2000-2500 kg of manure per mu before budding (i.e. before the Spring Festival) every year, and the other two times are the same as the first year.

4. Pest and disease control

The main pest and disease is red spider mites, which usually damage the leaves in May and June.

Prevention and treatment methods:

When cleaning the garden in winter, bury or burn dead branches and leaves. Spray 0.2-0.3 degrees Baume lime sulfur mixture or 500-1000 times diluted 25% chlordimeform solution once a week for 2-3 times.

5. Harvesting and processing

Asparagus is used as medicine with its tuberous roots. It can be harvested 2 to 3 years after planting, and the yield will be higher after 4 to 5 years. The harvesting time is from September to the following spring before budding. Dig out the tubers, remove the fibrous roots, wash them and boil them in boiling water for 10 to 15 minutes (if the skin is easy to peel off), take them out, peel them, dry them until 80% dry, fumigate them with sulfur for 10 hours, and then dry them in the sun.

The above is an introduction to the key points of growing asparagus. Farmers who want to grow asparagus must first master the growth conditions and planting techniques of asparagus.