Asparagus is known to be one of the most nutritious and easily grown plants available to the potential gardeners. Not only are they less demanding, but also can be used at a variety of different places.
Whether you want to cook up some warm soup or need an ornamental for your home, asparagus always comes to the rescue. However, you can only make use of this plant if they are grown properly. To grow them properly, one needs to be aware of all the specifications of the plant.
One of the most important considerations while growing asparagus comes from the depth and length of its root system. Many people are uncertain about the same and end up making wrong decisions about the soil bedding.
If you are also looking for an answer for how deep do asparagus roots grow, then here is a quick one. On an average you can expect the length of your asparagus root system to go about 10 feet deep. But that’s not it. There are a lot of exceptions to this 10-feet rule and a lot depends on how you take care of your plant.
The following article will help you pave the right way to plant and grow your asparagus while also giving you the most accurate information about how deep do asparagus grow.
How Deep Do Asparagus Roots Grow?
As the spring season arrives, asparagus becomes the first plant to bloom. Most people choose to grow asparagus from harvest and it is a brilliant idea.
However, having a general knowledge about the depth of asparagus plant roots often makes the job a little easier.
Before diving into the details, let us gather some basics about the roots of asparagus. The root system of the plant follows a contractile pattern. In general terms, this means that the roots of asparagus have the ability to slowly pull the soil crowns at a point that they are comfortable with. This is a gradual process, but this is what makes the plant an independent foliage.
Most people follow the practice of ripping up an 8-inch grown asparagus plant and refilling it with new stalks. It requires placing the crowns at least 4 inches deep in the soil. But, why go through so much trouble, when we can easily achieve our goal?
The first thing that you need to know is to plant your asparagus stalks at least two feet apart. This is because the root system of your individual asparagus can intertwine with each other, making the growth of each of them difficult.
Many people don’t realize that this simple step can help sustain the growth of their plant for as long as 20 years. During this time, the crown of your asparagus develops a huge root system and planting them two or more feets apart can help attain this level of optimum root growth.
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In the process of identifying the ideal root system of your asparagus plant, it is also important to pay heed to yet another very important aspect of general plant growth, that is, weeds. When asparagus are at their earliest stage, the growth of weeds around them has a big hand in determining the root depth and length.
While it is true that weeds should not be present anywhere near your asparagus plant, it is also true that if you want a healthy root system of your plant, weed removal should be done at the earliest stage.
Getting rid of weeds at the later stage is difficult because the chance of root death increases. While at the earliest stages, digging out all the weeds is not that difficult and requires no additional skill.
Another important aspect to take care of is the growth of your asparagus plant stalk. Many people, unknowingly, or intentionally, end up cutting the stalks of the asparagus plant before the root system is established accurately. This can harm the plant in the latter stages, even causing death of the plant.
If, however, you deem cutting the stalks of asparagus as extremely important and unavoidable, you can safely harvest them by marking a very small diameter before the summer months hit. This is as harmless as it can actually get.
As mentioned earlier, the roots of asparagus plant can grow as deep as 10 feet. In some cases, the length can increase more than this and it is perfectly normal if it does. This information is precisely important for those who are looking to grow their stalks in raised beds.
Raised beds demand more room if the roots grow large enough, and that is why one should take care to leave about 12 feet of growing space for roots in raised beds.
The growth process of asparagus starts with planting the crowns of the plant. In order to make sure that the roots have enough space to flourish, the crown-growing trench should be kept 12-18 inches wide apart and at least 7 inches deep. You can adjust the parameters according to your root growth.
Next, is how you have prepared your soil. It shouldn’t be tough since it will be compacted, not leaving enough space for the roots to develop. Therefore, loosen your soil or use mulch till at least 14 inches of depth. The recommended range is 12-15 inches, and again, can vary according to your plant growth.
Growing Asparagus: Plant Care Tips
To know how an asparagus plant can be grown properly is a virtue that is quite easy to learn. If you are looking for the most effective ways to grow asparagus and how to take care of them, your search ends here. Given below are some quickest and efficacious asparagus plant care tips to get the most out of those plant stalks:
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Soil
As mentioned earlier, we cannot anticipate the growth of asparagus roots well ahead of time, but what we do know is that the roots grow up to 10 feet on an average.
In order to provide room for your asparagus roots to grow, the soil shouldn’t be too compacted or tight. One should always prefer going for soil that is left loose, moist, and has good drainage properties. Going for a soil rich in nutrients and showing a slightly acidic pH level is also recommended while growing asparagus.
Light
Long hours of bright and direct sun exposure to the asparagus plant can ruin its progress. Always prepare a region of enough shade and less light to plant your asparagus fern. It thrives in a shady and humid environment and prefers to stay away from sun for most part of the day.
Water
Asparagus loves to live in a humid environment. This is what makes it difficult for the gardeners to keep these plants always happy and hydrated. They need plenty of moisture and water to thrive.
To make up for its overwhelming hydration needs, one needs to make sure that they mist the stems of the asparagus fern at least two times each day. Take special care of this if you are growing your plant indoors in the dry season.
You can tell that the plant needs more water if its leaves become droopy and change their colour to brown. It is also important to keep the soil moist regularly, especially when it feels dry on the surface to touch.
Also Read: How Often to Water Broccoli?
Fertilizer
Fertilizing asparagus is important as it helps to feed the plant those nutrients that are not made available otherwise by natural sources.
The best fertilizer type that you can use for asparagus fern is a water-soluble one that has been diluted with a liquid to at least half of its present concentration. If used without dilution, it can come out as a bit strong to the plant, thus ruining its growth.
One should fertilize the asparagus monthly in winters and weekly in summers, especially if you are growing the fern plants in containers.
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Temperature and Humidity
The ideal temperature range to grow asparagus is from 55 degrees to 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Try not to go beyond this range at either anchor end or your plant will not be able to tolerate it.
During summers, consider shifting your plant under a bigger plant or a shady porch. You can also grow them indoors near a window, taking special care to not expose them to direct sunlight. Too much sunlight can harm the plant and can cause the yellowing of leaves, followed by root rot and eventually plant death.
Conclusion
As mentioned earlier, the depth of your asparagus plant root system can dramatically vary according to the type of asparagus you grow and the conditions in which you grow them. The catch is that you can predict the growth of your asparagus plant by taking constant care of it, using the aforementioned plant care tips.
Asparagus doesn’t pose heavy demands and expects the bare minimum to thrive, so taking a perfect care of your plant is actually not as overwhelming as it seems. If you have any more doubts about the growth of this perennial plant or the frequent problems it causes, you can look up more of our articles.