What does Sprenger asparagus look like, what family does it belong to?
According to the generally accepted classification, asparagus belongs to the Asparagus family of plants. It is an evergreen perennial and is represented by a large number of species - about 300 in total. Among the most popular varieties, well suited for indoor keeping, is Sprenger's asparagus. Other names for this flower are asparagus densiflora, or densely flowered.
Asparagus sprengeri
The plant consists of several long flexible stems that form a bush. The stems can reach 1.5 m in length. They are thin, so they bend towards the ground. Due to this feature, densiflora is often used as a hanging cascade plant.
Asparagus sprengeri has branches covered with small cladodes, the size of which does not exceed 2.5 cm. Cladodes are small narrow leaves that resemble pine needles in appearance, which gives the plant an openwork airy appearance.
During flowering, the branches are covered with abundant small flowers, in place of which red berries are then formed. One seed ripens in each.
Important! The berries contain toxic substances, so you should absolutely not taste them
Asparagus Sprenger (berries)
Common varieties
In addition to densely flowered asparagus, there are several more representatives of this species:
- Pinnate. It is characterized by a stem length of up to 1 m. The branches are covered with small needle-shaped leaves, which makes them look like spruce.
- Mayer. A large bush that can grow several meters wide. The branches are covered with a large number of cladonae, so they appear fluffy. Due to its appearance, the plant is often called foxtail.
- Crescent. A small shrub with branches that, with good care, can reach 4 m in length. Crescent asparagus has large oblong leaves that resemble a sickle.
Medicinal properties
Some types of asparagus are used in folk medicine. They affect the body in several ways:
- relieve pain;
- cleanse the blood;
- have a mild diuretic effect;
- dilate blood vessels;
- calm down.
Benefits and harms
Thanks to its beautiful cladodes, the plant is used as decoration on bouquets of flowers, when decorating wedding cars, and tents.
The stems are used on trays as a beautiful presentation of exotic dishes.
The leaves should not be allowed to get into food. The juice of Asparagus leaves causes a strong burning sensation.
Therefore, if it gets into the eyes or on the skin, it must be quickly washed off with running water. The burn is treated with sea buckthorn oil or antibacterial spray.
Description
Asparagus officinalis is a perennial plant of the Liliaceae family that has healing properties.
It has a powerful rhizome and erect stems up to one and a half meters high.
The stems are widely covered with small leaves, in the axils of which so-called cladodes are formed - an accumulation of thread-like branches.
Asparagus blooms at the end of spring. Flowering continues until the end of summer.
Asparagus flowers grow in pairs, held together in the axils of the peduncles. They have a pale greenish color.
The fruits are spherical berries that become red when ripe. Asparagus berries ripen in September.
You can look at the photo of Asparagus officinalis below:
Other common types of Asparagus on our website: Sprenger, Crescent, Pinnate, Meyer.
Healing properties of asparagus
The biological and chemical composition of all representatives of the asparagus family is rich in vitamins and mineral salts, amino acids and flavonoids, which are responsible for the functioning of enzymes. Chinese traditional medicine has long used this plant to treat many diseases. Dried roots are used as an antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, diuretic, and antiseptic. They treat stomach and lung diseases.
Research in recent years indicates that various parts of asparagus contain antitumor substances.
Dry roots are used to prepare remedies for the treatment of the nervous system, diabetes, multiple sclerosis, and migraines. They have the property of cleansing the body of various toxins.
Medicines containing asparagus should only be prescribed by a qualified doctor.
Asparagus is a beautiful ornamental plant with lush greenery. It is used for landscaping and looks good in any position - horizontal, vertical and even cascading. Looks especially impressive in hanging baskets and flowerpots. Landscape designers decorate terraces and cozy courtyards with this representative of the flora. Florists use openwork asparagus branches to decorate bouquets and flower arrangements. Decorative asparagus creates a favorable aura in the room. It is believed that it protects the house from troubles.
Methods for propagating asparagus
There are three ways to propagate asparagus: dividing the bush, propagating by apical cuttings and sprouting seeds. At home, the first two methods are usually used.
Growing from seeds
In indoor conditions, asparagus seeds can be obtained by waiting for flowering and pollinating individual flowers. Sowing should begin immediately after the fruits ripen and the seeds are collected. This usually happens in winter or early spring. Seeds can also be purchased in stores.
The sowing container is filled with light sand and peat soil. Seeds are sown on moist soil at a shallow depth, cover the container with glass or film and place in a bright place. Condensation from the film is periodically removed by opening the container slightly for ventilation. If necessary, the soil is re-moistened with a spray bottle. At a temperature of about +23, seeds begin to germinate within a month. When the seedlings grow to 10 cm, they are planted in seedling cups. Young asparagus are distributed into full-fledged individual pots at the beginning of summer, replanting them in soil made from leaf soil, turf, humus, peat, and sand. From now on, caring for them is no longer different from caring for adult plants.
Cuttings
The beginning of spring is suitable for propagating asparagus from cuttings. For these purposes, mature healthy stems about 10-15 cm in size are cut from the bush. In order for them to take root, they are planted in a container with wet sand. The seedlings are covered with film or jars and placed in the light. The room temperature should be at least +21. The plantings are periodically ventilated and watered. If all conditions are met, rooting should occur within 1-1.5 months. Grown seedlings can be distributed into separate pots. The soil for them will no longer differ from the mixture for adult asparagus.
Dividing the bush
Overgrown asparagus bushes can be divided into several parts during transplantation. Each should have enough roots and at least one growing point
The root ball is carefully cut or torn, making sure to treat the cut areas. Roots that are too long can also be trimmed a little
The divisions are distributed into separate pots filled with soil suitable for adult specimens. Due to the fact that division is considered a painful procedure for the flower, it may hurt for some time after it. Until complete recovery, such plants are not fed so that the nutrient solution does not burn the roots.
How to properly plant and grow Asparagus from seeds? / houseplant asparagus
Watch this video on YouTube
When and how does it bloom
Crescent asparagus - home care
Flowering months are May and June. The flowers are white, collected in paniculate inflorescences, and have a delicate aroma. They are located in the axils of the lateral branches. After some time, round fruits are formed, first white, then red with one seed inside. The berries can be used for seed propagation.
Note! Asparagus berries are poisonous and should not be eaten!
After flowering, fruits form on the shoots
Basic recommendations for flower care
Tropical representatives of the asparagus genus do not require painstaking care. However, some requirements of plants should be observed when growing them. This allows us to provide them with the most favorable conditions for growth and flowering.
Lighting and temperature conditions
Therefore, it must be protected from exposure to direct sunlight. The south side of the room is not suitable for growing asparagus. An excellent option is partial shade, which is typical for eastern and western windows.
The heat-loving indoor plant Asparagus retains the bright color of its foliage and stems for a long time at a temperature of +22-25°C in spring and summer, and at +15°C in winter. When the temperature is too low or high, asparagus sheds its leaves and its stems dry out.
Humidity and watering
Asparagus is a moisture-loving plant. The lack of moisture in the air can be compensated by installing an aquarium, flowerpots with water, and trays with moistened expanded clay chips indoors. Also, the flower plant needs to be sprayed with a spray bottle. The procedure should be carried out early in the morning or in the evening.
Asparagus loves moderate watering. The abundance of moisture can lead to the development of diseases of the root system - rot. For Asparagus, the bottom type of watering is used - settled, clean water at room temperature is poured into the tray of the flower pot, and after half an hour it is poured out. In spring and summer, watering is carried out daily; in autumn and winter it is reduced to twice a week.
Fertilizer and pruning
Proper care of asparagus implies timely feeding of the indoor plant with the necessary nutrients. Fertilize the plant with mineral complex compounds intended for indoor flowers. Their application can be combined with watering asparagus with weakly concentrated liquid organic mixtures.
Throughout the year, the flower requires regular fertilization:
- in spring and summer, nutrient mixtures are applied to the soil once a week;
- in autumn, the feeding intensity is reduced to twice a month;
- In winter, fertilizers are applied no more than once a month.
In order for Asparagus to form a lush green crown, old shoots are pruned every spring. Removing dried stems allows the plant to direct all its energy to the formation of young branches and future inflorescences. When pruning, you can not only remove unnecessary shoots, but also shorten the length of viable branches that have partially lost their foliage, giving the plant the desired shape.
Diseases and pests
In a comfortable environment, asparagus rarely gets sick. But it can become infected from other plants or react painfully to violations of the watering or lighting regime.
Pest/disease | Symptoms | Prevention | Treatment |
Root rot | Fungal spores dissipate only in a humid environment. The leaves are withering. The roots become soft and rotten. | Carry out proper watering, avoid stagnation of water. When planting and replanting, use Glyokladin for preventive purposes (3 tablets are carefully stuck into the root part of the plant). | Treated with the biological product Fitosporin. |
Shchitovka | It sucks the juice out of the plant, depletes it and causes it to turn yellow. | Periodically inspect plants for the presence of parasites. | Remove scale insects manually. Treat with Actellik (2 ml per 1 l). |
Spider mite | The plant turns yellow and dries out. | The pest loves dry air and heat; for prevention purposes, it is necessary to regularly irrigate the crown with warm water. | Treat with a solution of laundry soap, being careful not to get it on the ground, with garlic infusion (20 g of peel per 1 liter, leave for 5 hours). Spray with Fitoverm (5 ml per 0.6 l). |
Chervets | White lumps similar to cotton wool appear on the surface of the leaves. Sucking insects retard plant growth and cause leaves to turn yellow and dry out. | Maintain high air humidity - it inhibits the development of parasite colonies. | Clean the plant with a cotton swab dipped in soapy water, then spray with garlic infusion. After 7 days, spraying is repeated. Use Tanrek (1.5 ml per 5 liters for spraying). |
Aphid | A small insect sucks the juices out of the plant, the leaves wither, the shoots dry out. | Regularly inspect the flower garden for the presence of parasitic insects. Monitor the temperature and ventilate the room. | If the number of parasites is small, they are collected manually and destroyed. Treat with celandine infusion (150 g of dry grass, pour 1 liter of hot water, leave for 24 hours) three times with an interval of 7 days. Spray with insecticides (Fitoverm - 5 ml per 0.6 l, Intavir - 1 tablet per 10 l), cover the plant with film for several hours. After 7–10 days, re-treatment is carried out. |
Important! Asparagus does not tolerate chemical treatments well, so biological products with a more gentle effect should be used.
Diseases and pests - photo gallery
The main sign of mite infestation is the appearance of a cobweb enveloping the plant.
Aphids suck juices from plants
The settlement of scale insects on asparagus stems causes harm to the plant
One of the reasons for asparagus shedding is root rot.
A plant affected by a mealybug becomes covered with a white downy coating.
How to revive asparagus
If you keep a flower in uncomfortable conditions, problems may arise: the asparagus leaves turn yellow and crumble, and the bush becomes less decorative. This is how the plant reacts to a change in location, to too low a temperature or extreme heat, to improper watering and lighting, dry air and nearby flowers. It can be revived if the causes of the illness are eliminated.
- If the cladodes fall off, it means that watering is irregular or the conditions have changed dramatically.
- Burning or darkening of the edges of the leaves can be caused by too much sun or drying out of the soil.
- Weak elongated shoots that quickly turn yellow and die, sparse phyllocladies are a signal that the plant does not have enough light.
- Growing in too small a pot can also lead to yellowing and lethargy of the flower.
If the asparagus begins to turn sharply yellow and crumble, you can revive it. Cut off all the stems completely at the root, water it thoroughly, take it out of the pot and carefully inspect it. Dried and rotten areas are removed, leaving only light nodules. If they want to propagate a plant, the root system is divided. Plants are planted in completely renewed nutritious loose soil and watered well. New growth will soon appear.
Yellowed asparagus can be revived
In a favorable environment, the flower will grow healthy and delight you with its airy greenery for many years.
general description
Asparagus was first brought to Europe more than 2 centuries ago. The plant is native to Asian and African countries.
In its natural habitat, this crop grows in a dry climate zone. The plant is saved from drought thanks to the moisture accumulated by the rhizome tubers. Despite this, today asparagus can be found on absolutely any continent.
Externally, the culture is very similar to a fern, which is why people call it that
However, you should pay attention to the fact that asparagus belongs to the asparagus family, so it has nothing in common with ferns. Science knows about 300 species of plants, including poisonous ones.
Some species are a food product, for example, asparagus, which can be found on store shelves. There are also herbal medicinal varieties.
The root system of a perennial plant is a powerful root with tubers extending from it. The stem of asparagus is quite flexible and branched. It contains a large number of small leafy shoots. Externally, lush cladodes resemble spruce branches. However, to the touch the shoots are quite soft, delicate, and thin. Asparagus has unusual leaves that are brown and have tiny scales that are barely noticeable.
The indoor asparagus flower, a photo of which can be found in the article, blooms with the arrival of spring. However, the culture must reach six years of age.
The small flowers are white in color and have a slightly perceptible scent. They can bloom either as whole inflorescences or individually. Depending on the species, asparagus blooms with pink, beige or greenish flowers with thin petals.
At the end of the flowering period, small red berries are formed, which give the crop a special uniqueness.
Each fruit contains a seed, which is covered with a black shell. Some berries may contain several of them at once.
This easy-to-care specimen will feel great not only indoors, but also outdoors in the open air. However, not all varieties can withstand outdoor temperatures. After winter frosts, young shoots appear in place of fallen stems.
Asparagus
Common varieties are:
- Sickle-shaped (Asparagus falcatus). Crescent asparagus is a perennial bright green vine. The main difference between falcatus is the elongated leaves located on a strong and long shoot. Crescent asparagus grows up to 15 m in length
- Sprenger (Asparagus sprengeri). Another name is Sprenger's densely flowered. Outwardly, it is a fluffy bush that resembles a Christmas tree. The stems look like feathers. However, the stem of the densely flowered asparagus has tender leaves. This plant variety can grow up to 1 m in height.
- Asparagus (Asparagus asparagoides). A climbing perennial crop with stems that grow up to 3 m in length. They are covered with bunches of cladodes up to 3 cm
- Racemosus (Asparagus racemosus). Racemose asparagus can reach two meters in length. The inflorescences have fragrant flowers
- Cirrus (Asparagus plumosus). Also known as bristlecone asparagus (Asparagus setaceus). Ornamental plant with lacy shoots. Strongly branching subshrub with soft central branches that have a slight bend and delicate phylloclades
- Meyer (Asparagus meyeri). A variety with a luxurious crown and many spindle-like side shoots. The crop grows in height up to 50 cm, and in width grows up to 6 m
- Medeoloides (Asparagus medeoloides). Branched tall plant. Due to its size, this variety is practically not grown indoors.
- Eucharis. A bulbous plant that attracts with its delicate white flowers. it is distinguished by a subtle delicate aroma during flowering
Catharanthus - a tropical guest: features of care, planting, reproduction and its health benefits (50 Photos & Videos) + Reviews
Feeding and pruning the plant
In indoor conditions, Sprenger asparagus should be pruned in early March (around the time of replanting). You need to remove old branches that have lost their foliage, as well as those that interfere with the flower’s further growth. Be sure to trim at the root, leaving nothing unnecessary. Young, lush and attractive branches will grow to replace the old ones.
Throughout the year, do not forget to remove all dried, yellowed leaves and flowers.
As for feeding Vivaldi, it is advisable to give the fertilizer to the plant throughout the year. In spring and summer you can fertilize every week, in winter once a month, and in autumn - once every 2-3 weeks.
Photo instructions for growing asparagus from seeds at home. Personal experience…
Let's start directly planting and germinating asparagus seeds at home. The landing took place on March 3, 2021. I enjoyed the first shoots within a month.
Step 1. Having opened the bag, I discovered that the seeds were quite large. Great!!! It will be easier to plant. Also, the dense shell on the grains did not escape my attention. So that's why you need to soak it!!! While in water, the shell will soften somewhat and it will be easier for the seed embryo to break through it.
Step 2. Direct soaking. I took a regular plastic cup. I placed the seed there and poured settled water at room temperature. You cannot fill the grains with water completely, but only up to half. This ensures a regular supply of air to the seed embryo and prevents it from suffocating. The seeds were mixed periodically. The soaking lasted for a day.
Step 3. Planting in the ground. We pour soil for decorative foliage plants into a pre-prepared greenhouse from a plastic bottle. Even young asparagus has a fairly developed root system, and therefore there should be a lot of soil in the greenhouse, which contributes to the full development of seedlings. We moisten the soil and spread the asparagus seeds. Cover the greenhouse.
My observations, mistakes and success
So, I put the greenhouse with asparagus seeds on the shelf. It is located on the kitchen window. At that time, it was the only place where the average daily temperature was within +21 degrees. I was sure that for successful seed germination it was enough just to ventilate the greenhouse twice a day and maintain a constant level of soil moisture.
However, problems started after 1 week. The seeds began to become moldy. And this is not surprising. After all, there were more than favorable conditions for its development in the greenhouse: high temperature and humidity, the presence of sunlight. But the main thing is asparagus seeds uncovered with soil.
On various forums they advised:
1. Spill the soil with manganese solution. It will kill the mold. My thoughts on this: the manganese solution may harm future seedlings.
2. Growing asparagus from seeds should take place in the dark. My thoughts: it was possible, of course, to make a greenhouse out of a dark plastic bottle, for example, a dark brown kvass bottle. But the greenhouse already existed and it was transparent. I didn’t want to make a new one and transfer the seeds there. I didn’t have a dark place in my apartment with a constantly high temperature (+21...+23 degrees), so I decided to simply cover the seeds with soil.
So, I covered the seeds with a 1 cm layer of soil, moistened the latter with water from a spray bottle, covered the greenhouse with a lid and returned it to its original place, hoping for the best. After 2 days I dug up one grain, although this is not allowed, and I was pleasantly surprised. There was no mold, and the seeds were already quite swollen.
The first asparagus emerged 18 days after planting, which really made me happy. I open the greenhouse in the morning for another ventilation, and there a small, then confident, asparagus sprout can be seen above the ground. 1 month after planting the seeds, I already had three asparagus, but initially there were 11 seeds. I did not risk digging up the remaining grains in the soil. This could damage both existing seedlings and sprouts that have not yet made their way from underground to the sun. I just continued to take care of the plants.
Soon I got a phytolamp. I placed the greenhouse on a shelf with artificial lighting. Taking this factor into account, my asparagus grew under artificial lighting for 12 hours, at a temperature of +23 degrees, with regular watering. I didn't add any fertilizer. I didn’t remove the greenhouse until my very first asparagus rested against its arch and began to bend a little. At that time, out of 11 seeds, 7 asparagus sprouted.
Signs and superstitions
Superstitious people believe that the sudden death of asparagus entails the death of someone in the household. In addition, there is a belief that the flower brings discord into the house.
Some gardeners believe that the plant, on the contrary, brings calm and orderliness to the home. Having a flower in the room neutralizes the negative energy brought in by people. It has been noted that if asparagus is present in the office, concentration and performance increase.
Asparagus sprengeri is an ornamental foliage indoor plant. It is beautiful in appearance, easy to maintain, and can clean the air of foreign impurities. By properly caring for the plant, the gardener will be able to admire the spectacular planting for a long time.
Signs of asparagus development disorder
Each plant has signals that indicate trouble. The general condition of the plant is used for this purpose. An experienced gardener will be able to notice the signal in time and quickly take action:
- needles fall off and turn yellow, which means the water balance is disturbed;
- the needles darken and turn brown from the bright color and dry soil;
- light spots appeared - they were not protected from sunlight;
- the greenery has turned pale - add light, maybe artificial;
- the bush has drooped, look for the cause in the roots;
- The berries were covered with a gray coating, and gray rot had settled.
Knowing the disease, it is easy to eliminate it. Therefore, you need to constantly monitor your pets, and they themselves will ask for help. You cannot miss the moment when insect pests settle on asparagus. Everyone is terrible, but the most dangerous is the spider mite, which is difficult to remove with home remedies, and asparagus does not like their delicate needles being exposed to chemicals.
Possible problems when growing a flower
If not properly cared for, Asparagus dense-flowered sprengera may lose its decorative properties. Possible problems are as follows:
- The leaves turn yellow and fall off. This usually happens in winter due to dry air. The situation can be corrected by increasing the humidity around the plant.
- The leaves are turning pale. Chlorophyll disappears from leaf blades due to lack of light. The flower is moved to a well-lit room.
- The tips of the leaves dry out. This problem can happen due to direct sunlight on the asparagus, as well as due to a lack of moisture in the pot. The plant is shaded on a hot afternoon and watering is increased.
- The lower leaves fall off. A possible reason is excess moisture in the soil. The flower needs to be transplanted into loose soil, and excess water should be poured out of the pan.
- Pests. The bush can be affected by spider mites, aphids, scale insects, and thrips. To get rid of pests, asparagus is sprayed with insecticides.
Note! Before irrigating the flower with chemicals, the soil must be covered with a film.
Due to lack of light, asparagus leaves may turn pale.
Description of the appearance of asparagus and its origin
Asparagus is a delicate and elegant plant, well known since the Soviet times. At that time, many establishments that were heavily visited by people were decorated with it, and asparagus was also popular in indoor floriculture. But with the arrival of the Dutch variety on our flower market, the plant began to be gradually forgotten. But the flower deserves to be once again interested in not only experienced flower growers, but also beginners.
Asparagus - a classic of home gardening
Asparagus has a powerful underground root consisting of many tubers.
Root part of asparagus
The stems are flexible and have branches. Asparagus does not have leaves as such. Instead, numerous branches or cladodes collected in bunches are located on the branches. They are very needle-like and seem prickly in appearance, but in fact they are very soft and delicate.
Asparagus stems are flexible and have many branches.
The flowers are small - solitary or collected in inflorescences. They are painted white, less often pink or beige.
The fruits look like red berries. Inside the fruit there are one or more seeds covered with a thick black skin.
The berries are poisonous, so if you have children or animals in the house, you should take precautions!
After pollination of asparagus flowers, fruits ripen - berries.
Asparagus belongs to the Asparagus family, which unites not only decorative, but also medicinal and edible species. The plant is distributed almost throughout the world - on the African continent, Asia, America and Europe. But mostly it prefers places with a dry climate.
Growing asparagus at home is not difficult. The plant is undemanding in terms of maintenance conditions. Unless watering and lighting should be approached with special responsibility. And one more nuance should be taken into account - some types of asparagus can grow greatly and you need to allocate more space for them.
Asparagus is often used as a component of landscape design. The plant is a wonderful element of decoration and landscaping of cozy courtyards and terraces. Florists decorate bouquets and flower arrangements with asparagus sprigs. The plant looks very impressive in hanging baskets or flower pots.
Asparagus is very easy to care for; in addition, the plant is a wonderful decorative element.
Types and varieties
The asparagus family is very numerous and includes more than 300 plants that are different from each other. But in home floriculture this list can be called small. African members of the family feel great in the room. And on the street, Asian and European species take root better.
Kinds | Description |
Asparagus pinnate | A perennial plant of compact size. The stems are erect or climbing and can reach a meter in length. Numerous stem branches are decorated with the thinnest hard needles of shoots, giving this species an openwork appearance. It blooms with white flowers, collected in inflorescences or solitary. The berry is colored blue-black. |
Asparagus crescent | The species is a liana, in nature reaching 15 m in length. When kept indoors, the dimensions are more modest - 4 m. The cladodes are narrow and elongated, sickle-shaped. Their length is 10 cm. The spiny stems are at first herbaceous, then woody. It blooms with white fragrant flowers collected in brushes. |
Meyer's asparagus | Very decorative look. The stems resemble an elongated spindle in shape. They are very densely strewn with needle-like hard branches, which is why they appear fluffy. It blooms in summer with white flowers with a pleasant aroma. The fruit is a red berry. |
Asparagus the finest | Very similar to pinnate asparagus. But it has longer cladodes. |
Asparagus Sprenger | A very popular bushy plant in home floriculture with hanging and strongly branching shoots. Light green needles are located along the entire length of the stems. It blooms with white or pink fragrant flowers. Often grown as an ampelous plant. |
Asparagus asparagus | Not very similar to other species of the family. It is a herbaceous liana. The stems reach 3 m in length. The modified shoots have a lanceolate shape, 2 cm wide, 4 cm long. Flowering occurs in the summer months. White flowers with a pleasant aroma turn into red berries after pollination. The view is very decorative. |
Conditions for growing at home
Asparagus is often used for landscaping office and residential premises. The plants have an attractive decorative appearance and are easy to care for. Cut asparagus branches retain their appearance for a long time, which allows them to be used in bouquets.
Accommodation
When choosing a place for asparagus, keep in mind that the plant needs good diffused lighting. The best place for asparagus is a western or eastern window.
Temperature
In summer, the comfortable temperature for asparagus is +20. +25 °C, in winter - +14. +17 °C.
Air humidity
Asparagus is moisture-loving. In summer, do not allow the soil to dry out. The optimal air humidity for a flower in summer is 70–80%, in winter – 60%. Humidity can be easily adjusted by spraying twice a day or installing a humidifier in the room.
Asparagus sprenger: home care for the most popular asparagus
Sprenger's asparagus is one of the favorite plants of many gardeners and designers.
A lush asparagus bush decorates apartments and offices, and its fluffy branches are a must-have addition to bouquet arrangements.
Flower growers will be pleased that Sprenger asparagus is very hardy and is able to adapt to any conditions.
Luxurious Sprenger asparagus
Sprenger's asparagus or in Latin Asparagus densiflorus Sprengeri belongs to the asparagus family and is the most popular species of the asparagus genus. In indoor culture, it is grown as an ampel plant in hanging pots or baskets.
The main decoration of asparagus is its cascading shoots with soft leaves called “needles” (cladodes), which give the plant an elegant and delicate airiness.
In summer, asparagus blooms with small white and pink flowers with a very pleasant aroma. After flowering, small red berries appear on the bush.
Choosing a location and lighting
Asparagus prefers bright and diffused light. However, the windowsill is not a very suitable place for the plant. Asparagus grows in width very quickly, and soon it will be crowded on the window.
You can place the bush on a hill next to a window or hang it in a basket closer to the light. The plant grows well at room temperature, but not below 10 °C.
Watering and humidity
Asparagus should be watered generously, keeping the soil moist but not over-wetting it. If the plant is kept in a cool room, watering should be done after the soil is completely dry.
Transfer
Asparagus prefers loose and nutritious soil. A ready-made universal soil for decorative foliage plants with the addition of vermiculite or perlite is suitable.
You can prepare the mixture yourself from the following components:
- 1 part leaf soil;
- 1 part of turf land;
- 1 part peat soil;
- 0.5 parts coarse sand.
Read about ways to use succinic acid in floriculture in our material.
Our article will tell you how to propagate echmea at home.
Young asparagus are replanted annually, and adults only after the root system fills the entire container. During transplantation, it is recommended to remove a third of the roots and nodules of the plant.
Feeding and pruning
Asparagus needs to be fed twice a month with mineral fertilizer for indoor plants. Asparagus will not refuse an organic supplement in the form of horn shavings once a month.
The plant needs pruning, with which you can achieve greater bushiness of asparagus and get rid of diseased and bald shoots
It is important to know that cut branches stop growing
Reproduction
Asparagus reproduces:
- Seeds. At the beginning of spring, you need to soak the seeds for a day in a solution of potassium permanganate and sow them in a peat-sand mixture, lightly sprinkled with soil. The container with the seeds should be placed in a “greenhouse”, not forgetting to water and ventilate moderately. Within 3 - 6 weeks, the first asparagus shoots appear. After the seedlings reach 8 cm in height, you can plant them in separate containers.
- By cuttings. In the spring, you can take cuttings and root them in damp sand.
- By dividing a bush or rhizome. During transplantation, it is necessary to separate a part of the plant with three adult shoots and the root system and plant it in a separate pot.
Planting and transplanting
Young asparagus are replanted annually, because they grow rapidly and the overgrown roots become cramped in the pots. More mature plants are replanted less frequently, every 2–3 years.
The best time to transplant is spring. The plant tolerates the procedure quite easily and grows quickly. In the fall, only transshipment is carried out.
Important! Until the asparagus roots fill the entire container, the greens will not grow. Therefore, when replanting, select a pot that is only 2–3 cm larger than the previous one.
If the asparagus is not replanted, the roots and tubers, growing, will come to the surface, the flower will begin to experience an acute deficiency of nutrients and moisture, which will negatively affect its appearance. In addition, by carefully examining the plant during transplantation, you can detect diseases in time and take urgent action.
- Before transplanting, pour a ball of earth and take the flower out of the pot.
- Inspect the root system, remove old and dried branches, trim too long or rotten roots, which promotes the growth of young shoots. Carefully separate the nodules.
- Prepare nutritious loose soil.
- Choose a slightly larger pot
- Place drainage on the bottom and sprinkle with earth.
- The roots of the renewed asparagus are placed in a container and covered with new soil, no higher than the previous level.
- After planting, lightly moisten the soil and observe the flower for the first time.
When transplanting, carefully inspect the root system
After transplantation, the asparagus experiences stress and will need some time to get used to the new conditions. If the flower begins to dry out, it should be placed for 5–7 days in a dimly lit place, without watering or fertilizing. Then gradually move on to the correct content.
Transplant rules - video
The newly purchased plant also needs to be replanted in new soil. Be sure to wash the crown with warm water to wash off the substance that is used to treat the plant for greater preservation. Otherwise, very soon the asparagus may crumble and lose its decorative effect.