by johnah on November 12, 2020
Potted Asparagus Plants – Can You Grow Asparagus In Containers?
Asparagopsis species are perennial plants which can live up to 50 years or even longer if they have good care. They require full sun and soil with organic matter like compost, manure, peat moss, sand or perlite. These plants need plenty of water but not too much because they will dry out quickly and die back. If they get too wet, it could cause them to rot.
The best way to grow asparagus is in containers. This type of container has a lid so that the plant doesn’t drown when watering or overwatering.
Container gardening allows you to control the amount of light and moisture your plants receive.
Growing asparagus in containers requires some special considerations. First, you must choose a container size that fits all of your plants comfortably.
Second, make sure that the container has drainage holes since these will allow air and water to circulate around the roots without flooding them. Third, use potting media that is non-toxic to the plant and does not contain chemicals such as chlorine bleach or ammonia.
Finally, remember to never allow the container to completely dry out and don’t fertilize your asparagus.
You can grow asparagus from seeds or start them from roots (crowns). In colder areas, it’s easier to start them from seed indoors and then plant them in the spring when the soil is warmer.
Keep them in a sunny area and water them when the soil is dry about 1 inch below the surface.
Can You Grow Asparagus in a Container?
Yes, while asparagus can be grown in containers, whether you can grow it successfully in a container is another question. As mentioned above, asparagus is a fussy plant that requires a lot of sun, rich soil and consistent watering. It’s unlikely to thrive in a container unless these conditions are met.
Container gardening is becoming an increasingly popular way to garden. There are several benefits to container gardening, including the ability to move the garden in the winter, the ability to control the soil and light conditions and the convenience of a ready-made garden that you can place just about anywhere.
Of course, with container gardening there are also some downsides. Containers dry out faster than in-ground gardens, so you must pay more attention to keeping them watered.
They are also prone to becoming compacted over time, which prevents air from getting to the plant’s roots. For this reason, a loose, porous material like coarse river sand is your best bet for the container’s soil.
While container gardens often must be watered more frequently than in-ground gardens, they also have the advantage of requiring less water than mulched gardens. Mulched gardens are those that have a layer of organic matter laid over the soil’s surface.
While this looks nice and prevents weeding, it impedes water from penetrating into the soil where the plant’s roots can reach it. This means that you must water a mulched garden more often to ensure the plant’s survival.
You can grow asparagus in a container if you choose the right type of container, the right potting media and pay close attention to watering. The best type of container is a terracotta pot without a drainage hole since the porous terra cotta will allow air to circulate in the pot and help prevent the roots from rotting.
Instead of a drainage hole, simply place gravel in the bottom to allow excess water to flow through.
Fill the pot with a mix of half sand and half topsoil, adding fertilizer to the soil according to the package directions. While the asparagus will grow fine in this type of potting mix, if you want a higher-end presentation you can also add some decorative elements like small pebbles or river rocks for a touch of pizzazz.
When planting the asparagus crowns or seeds, leave about 2 feet of space between each one. Water the plants well after planting, and then keep the pot in a sunny location and keep on fertilizing it every few weeks.
Before the growing season is over, harvest the ferns at least once for an early taste of this delicious vegetable. The following year, your asparagus plants should yield a full harvest by late spring or early summer.
As long as you harden the plants off before planting and place them in a sunny location, you should be able to grow an ample harvest of asparagus from your container garden. If you live in an apartment or similar living space where outdoor gardening isn’t an option, this is a great alternative way to enjoy your favorite spring vegetable.
Sources & references used in this article:
BAP spray and plastic container responses on Asparagus officinalis L. crown growth by A Pagani, J Molinari, A Di Benedetto – Journal of Life Science, 2013 – academia.edu
Container for fresh products such as asparagus by RH Stollberg, WJ Johnson, RO Welch – US Patent 4,184,625, 1980 – Google Patents
Containerized transplant production of asparagus: Effects of nitrogen supply and container cell size on plant quality and stand establishment by S Nicola, L Basoccu – XXV International Horticultural Congress, Part 1 …, 1998 – actahort.org
Effect of biochar amendments on mycorrhizal associations and Fusarium crown and root rot of asparagus in replant soils by WH Elmer, JJ Pignatello – Plant Disease, 2011 – Am Phytopath Society
Tote container for perishable produce particularly asparagus by RJ Morris, DT Sarych, MS Stoll, LR Miller… – US Patent …, 1991 – Google Patents
Asparagus box by RA Hall – US Patent 4,127,228, 1978 – Google Patents
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