The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1909-05-28
CULTURE OF ASPARAGUS.

CULTURE OF ASPARAGUS.
How to Prepare the Ground and Sci
the Roots.
AS a garden vegetable asparagus
was cultivated more than 1000 years
ago among the Greeks and Romans.
1t is generally supposed to be Il native
Of Europe and Asia. Among the hard
lest Of plants. it will endure neglect.
Quite frequently stalks arc found
along the roadside and in fence cor.
ners. where they live for years with
out attention. But nevertheless as
paragus responds to kind treatment.
Practical asparagus growers Of the
state of New Jersey prefer planting in
the spring. They set the roots six to
ten inches deep and W. very lightly
Mt first, say two Of three inches. the
remainder being gradually filled in
during the summer.
Roots may be planted al late as July
l and even later. Early planting.
however, gives them a chance to make
some growth Of tops before winter
sets In. There is no danger Of getting
the soil too rich. Starved roots are one
I great cause of rust.
The next fall after setting give the
bed a heavy coat of stable manure.
and the spring following use nitrate
Of soda. After that it is advised to
Csc stable manure one year and ON
mercial fertilizer the next and nitrate
Of soda. every spring.
In preparing for asparagus it is best
to select a piece Of ground that is we'll
drained and one that has had good
manuring and clean cultivation for a
year or two previous to planting.
Plow as for other crops. but make 1t
as deep as soil and good judgment will
permit. If subsoiI is hard and conn
pact. subsoiling would be beneficial.
The asparagus plant is comparatively
a deep rooter and has been known to
he traced over three feet below the
surface. Flowing may be done Mt al
most any time. but at time of setting
plants replow with one horse. striking
back burrows between every row.
Then make a row for plants in each
dead furrow. Use no stable n
in rows at time of setting. 1t induces
mice to work there. and they will kill
a good many crowns. Chemical fer
tilizer or a good grade Of bone dust
and Il little muriate of potash. mixed
and applied in burrows after the plants
are set. arc beneticial: also Il light dress
ing or two of nitrate of soda through
the growing season is valuable.
Frequent and thorough cultivation is
one of the essentials to successful as
paragus culture. and this can more
easily and cheaply be obtained by set
ting in spring than otherwise.
Asparagus needs a large amount of
nitrogen. The droppings from the hen
house are excellent. as also the refuse
from the horse stable. Both cal be
spread on the old bed and worked into
the ground before cold weather. The
results will be in evidence next spring.
The method of a New York grower
which has been fully and thoroughly
tried is to dig trenches three feet deep
ana one duu OIle-udll Iect WIuc. EuI
in the bottom we'll rotted manure to
the depth of one foot; then fill the
trenches to within six inches of the
surface with the soil thrown OF and
we'll rotted manure in equal proper
tons, thoroughly mixed and pressed
down with the feet. Make a shallow
trench for the seed, which should be
sowed thinly. covered half an inch and
then the soil packed firmly over the
seed. When the plants appear. thin to
two feet apart in the drill. AS the
plants increase in height fill up the
trench to the level of the ground.
Before a heavy frost comes the
plants will have made a growth of at
least three feet and from six to ten
plants from each seed. Before winter
remove the tops. sprinkle the surface
Of the bed with common salt. then COW
or with coarse litter from the stable
and leave until spring. when all straw
should be raked Off and the bed thor
oughly forked In.
The first season cuttings should not
be made later than June Is.