Sprenger asparagus is an ampoule shrub plant from the asparagus family. In the wild, found in the subtropical forests of South Africa. In our latitudes it is grown as decorative at home and in open ground.

Botanical description of the plant

Sprenger asparagus includes more than 250 subspecies that are found in subtropical climates around the world. They are perennial grasses, shrubs and vines. Belongs to creeping ampelous varieties with a well-developed root system. Previously, asparagus was attributed to the family of liliaceae due to the shape of the flowers, and later reclassified as asparagus.

Did you know? Under ideal growing conditions, asparagus shoots grow by 20 cm per day.

The height of the stems reaches 150 cm. As a result of adaptation to an arid climate, the leaves are underdeveloped, have a prickly or scaly shape, therefore, in the photosynthesis function, flattened branches located in bunches are mainly involved.

It blooms in March and April. Flowers are formed mainly in the leaf sinuses. The shape resembles small lilies collected in panicles. Flowers are painted white.

Photo gallery

After flowering, roundish bluish-green fruits are formed, containing 3 large seeds each with a dense black skin covering the germinal body.

House growing conditions

Asparagus is often used for landscaping office and residential premises. Plants have an attractive decorative appearance and are unpretentious in care. Cut branches of asparagus retain their appearance for a long time, which allows them to be used in composing bouquets.

Accommodation

When choosing a place for asparagus, keep in mind that the plant needs good diffused lighting. The best place for asparagus is the west or east window.

Important! To increase the immunity of plants, in the summer, take them out daily for several hours under bright sunlight.

Temperature mode

In summer, the comfortable temperature for asparagus is +20 ... + 25 ° С, in winter - +14 ... + 17 ° С.

Air humidity

Asparagus is hygrophilous. In the summer, do not let the soil dry out. The optimum air humidity for the flower in summer is 70–80%, in winter - 60%. Humidity is easily adjusted by spraying twice or installing a humidifier in the room.

Home Care

Asparagus requires minimal care. Pay attention to watering and spraying.

Watering

In order for asparagus to develop a lush crown, follow the rules of watering:

• use standing water that does not contain chlorine compounds;
• water temperature should be at least +20 ° С;
• watering by adding water to the pan, and not under the root;
• in the heat daily spray the branches.

If there is enough space, flowerpots with pallets can be placed in a shallow container filled with wet perlite or gravel. This technique allows you to increase the humidity around the plant.

Top dressing

Fertilize from early March to October once a month. Use mineral complex fertilizers for indoor flowers and organics, alternating them. For example, in March, add mineral compounds, in April - horn shavings.

Elements that must be present in a complex fertilizer for asparagus:

• nitrogen;
• potassium;
• magnesium;
• calcium.

Pruning

For asparagus, 2 types of pruning are performed:

1. Formative - Helps to simulate the shape of the bush and accelerate the development of new shoots.
2. Sanitary - involves the removal of bald, dried, diseased or pest branches.

When forming pruning, part of the shoots are shortened to the required length. They stop their growth, and new shoots are formed from the root system. Perform such manipulations in the spring, before the first feeding. Sanitary pruning is permissible at any time of the year. Cut the shoots at the root itself.

Transfer

Asparagus is a fast-growing ampel plant, and therefore requires frequent transplantation. Up to 3 years, plants dive annually. Adult specimens are transplanted every 2 years. Perform these procedures in the spring, in March-April.

Pots pick deep and spacious. For full development, plants require loose soil with a neutral pH - in the range of 5.5–7. You can use the store universal primer for decorative leafy plants, adding 20% ​​vermiculite or perlite to it, or mix the soil yourself, combining in equal proportions:

• sand;
• peat;
• leaf-sod soil;
• clay-soddy soil.

Video: Asparagus transplant

Disinfect the ground with Fitoverm (according to the instructions supplied with the preparation). Transplant using the transshipment method:

1. 12 hours before the transplant, water the plants abundantly. This facilitates the procedure for extracting roots from the pot.
2. Having prepared a new pot, fill it with expanded clay, then lay a layer of soil. The container should be approximately 1/3 full.
3. Tilt the pot with the plant slightly down with one hand, and dig the other into the ground and extract the contents. If there are overgrown roots, they must be removed.
4. Place the plant in a new pot and sprinkle with soil.
5. Having slightly condensed and moistened the soil, send the pots for several days to a room with dim lighting.
6. After a week, asparagus can be placed in a permanent place.

Important! When buying an adult plant in a store, do not put it immediately to the greenery already in the house. Spend the “Actellic” treatment first» (according to the instructions), transfer to another container, replacing a completely earthen lump. After a week, you can put a new «resident» to a permanent place. This will help protect your home garden from the spread of pests and diseases.

Breeding

The asparagus of the sprenger propagates in two ways:

1. Cuttings.
2. The seeds.

Cuttings

Cuttings are harvested during forming pruning. Planting material should not be shorter than 12 cm. Cut the cuttings soak for 2 hours in a solution of "Kornevin", then root in moist sand.Cover the cuttings from above with transparent caps and install in a well-lit place. Remove caps for 30–40 minutes daily. Keep the room temperature within +22 ° C. After about a month, the sprouts can be transplanted into separate containers.

Seed cultivation

Sowing seeds is carried out at the end of winter. Germination requires light, breathable soil. To obtain it, mix the universal soil mixture with sand. Soak the seeds for 24 hours in a weak solution of manganese. It is better to sow in cassettes.

Place the seeds on the surface of the soil and sprinkle with sand. There are 2 seeds per branch of the landing capacity. In the common boxes between pairs of seeds, keep a distance of 5 cm. Then wrap the containers with foil and put them in a darkened room. During the germination period, maintain the room temperature within +25 ° C. Remove film daily for 15–20 minutes. Seed germination takes 3-6 weeks.Plants dive into separate containers, reaching a height of 7 cm. When diving young sprouts, do drainage in pots - cover the bottom with a layer of expanded clay, then with a layer of coarse sand.

Possible growing difficulties

When growing asparagus, you may encounter the following difficulties:

• fungal diseases - when any type of rot appears, the damaged parts of the plant must be removed, transplanted with a complete replacement of the earthen coma and a disinfection bath for the roots;
• scab and spider mite - insects are removed first by hand, then they are treated with Fitoverm.

Did you know? Ardent Frenchmen declare their love to women, presenting a bouquet with asparagus as a gift, or depict these plants on postcards or gift wrapping. Such a gesture speaks of high feelings, sincere admiration for the charm of a woman.

Asparagus sprenger is an unpretentious houseplant that will be an excellent decoration of the interior. Even a novice will cope with its cultivation.

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