A crescent-shaped asparagus guest from the tropics attracts gardeners with bright greenery and the splendor of the bush. Growing this plant will be possible even for a beginner in floriculture. However, with a number of rules for caring for a flower, you should still familiarize yourself. More about this later in the article.
Botanical description of a houseplant
Sickle asparagus - a plant from the Asparagus family, is a perennial, flowering, evergreen vine. The birthplace of the flower is Africa and the tropical regions of Asia. In the natural environment of this species, the thickness of the shoots can reach a diameter of 1 cm and a length of 15 m.
At home, the branches grow to 4-7 m in length. Shoots grow from a tuberous rhizome, which, as the bush grows older, becomes hard as a root crop. Young branches are flexible, light green in color, lignify and darken as they grow. Thanks to the tenacious spines located along the entire length of the branches, the liana is able to climb the support.
The function of the leaves of the plant is performed by the processes of modified shoots of a flattened species, called cladodes. According to the name asparagus, emerald leaves have a slightly curved shape resembling a sickle. The length of the sheet plates with a wavy edge is 5–8 cm, and the width is up to 2.5 cm.
Crescent-shaped asparagus blooms in summer. Inflorescences in the form of a loose brush up to 10 cm long are formed by small snow-white flowers with a pleasant aroma. Usually 6 reed petals bend back to the sepals during flowering, exposing the middle of the flower.
Fading, the plant forms the ovaries of red-brown small berries with one or more hard seeds.
Sickle asparagus contains a small amount of saponins, poisonous substances. Berries in which the concentration of these substances is dangerous for humans and especially for pets are more dangerous.
Important! The bright fruits of asparagus can attract the attention of a child or animal, however, eating these berries can cause severe poisoning.
House growing conditions
The only difficulty for home growing asparagus can be to provide cool conditions in the winter, when the plant slows down in growth and needs peace.
Placement and lighting
This resident of the tropics is not used to direct sunlight, therefore, placement on the southern windowsills and direct sunlight threatens him with burns of foliage. And on the northern windowsills, on the contrary, there is not enough lighting for normal development and a bright color of greenery. In addition, in search of light, the shoots will begin to stretch, which will spoil the decorative crown.
The eastern and western sides will become the optimal place for keeping asparagus.
Temperature mode
The temperature range varies depending on the age and time of the year:
- seedlings take root better at a temperature of + 25 ° C;
- an adult plant feels great at a spring temperature of + 15 ° C;
- comfortable in summer at + 20 ° C;
- in winter, the temperature must be lowered to + 10 ° C.
Air humidity
Liana loves a slightly increased air humidity - in the range of 65–70%. Regular spraying of the plant itself and the space around it will help maintain the necessary mode.
Did you know? In some countries in the Pacific, decisions are made at the state level to control asparagus. The plant grows so fast that it begins to fill the land allotted for agricultural crops.
Be sure to ventilate the room in which the asparagus is contained. In the cool season, during the airing period, the flowerpot is cleaned from a possible draft: temperature differences are not desirable.
Home Care
For the liana, you need to install some support with a stretched thin thread or fishing line so that the plant does not creep, but grow vertically. The rest of the plant care is standard: it is moisturizing, fertilizing, pruning and transplanting.
Watering rates
Water for irrigation should not contain chlorine or any other impurities. It needs to be filtered or defended a couple of days. Ideally, the water temperature is the same as the room temperature. Water the flowerpot as the soil dries up individually in each individual case.
The soil lump in the tank should always be slightly moist, complete drying is unacceptable. Watering is carried out by irrigation of the soil, excess water from the pan must be drained.
Top dressing
Asparagus in the period of active vegetation needs to be fed 2 times a month. Apply preparations for flowering plants, such as "Agricola", "Citovit." In the summer, the frequency of fertilizer application is reduced to 1 time per month. In the fall and during the rest period feeding is not carried out.
Important! The dosage indicated in the instructions for the drug should be halved: do not overfeed the vine.
Pruning
Cardinal pruning is not performed for this plant; only diseased or weak branches are removed. If you want to form a certain crown shape, the desired shoots can be shortened to the desired length. All manipulations must be carried out with disinfected instruments sharpened. Sections are preferably sprinkled with crushed activated carbon.
Transfer
The young bush actively grows additional root shoots as they grow, which eventually becomes closely in the pot. A root curing with age also requires replacement of a cramped container.
In addition, the liana, both during the period of growing green mass and during the flowering period, depletes the soil, so young specimens need replanting and replacing the soil annually, and adults - once every 3-4 years. The time of year for the procedure is spring.
The soil for the flower should be loose and moisture permeable.
For the mixture take the components:
- turf land - 4 parts;
- deciduous land - 2 parts;
- coarse sand - 1 part.
The pot should be 2–3 cm deeper than the previous one; the material does not matter much.
Transplant Technology:
- Having thrown the plant out of the pot, you need to clean the rhizome from the adhering earth.
- For a too long tuber, remove 1/3 of the part, treat the cut with charcoal and leave to dry for 15 minutes.
- Put a drainage layer 2-3 cm thick at the bottom of the tank.
- Pour a hill of earth onto the drainage, place a plant on it and gently fill it with soil on all sides of the pot.
- Then compact and water the plant.
How to propagate at home
Sickle asparagus can be propagated both vegetatively and by seed.
Seeds
Sowing seeds is carried out in February. It is better to germinate the material in wet sand, deepening by 1–1.5 cm. The container should be kept at a temperature of + 25 ° C, the top should be covered with a film or glass. Condensate must be removed, and the soil must be regularly moistened.
In the case of asparagus, it is better to sow more seeds, because they are difficult to germinate due to the hard shell. The first sprouts appear after about 21–28 days. At the age of 10-12 days, young plants are transplanted into a separate container.
Rhizome division
In this way, old, overgrown bushes are propagated.
Did you know? In Nepal, the species of asparagus racemosus, or racemose asparagus, was on the verge of extinction. The reason is the exceptional medicinal properties of this asparagus, which the locals called the "healer of 100 diseases."
Technology:
- remove the plant from the tank;
- divide the rhizome into several parts, so that each division has sprouts;
- divide the dividers into separate containers, pour;
- seedlings for about a month should be kept in the shade at a temperature of + 15 ° C.
Possible growing difficulties
This liana has a strong immunity against diseases of indoor flowers, but it can react sharply to changes in the microclimate and be attacked by insects.
Possible problems and their solutions:
- Withering and shedding of leaves - dry, stagnant air, too high temperature. Treatment consists in airing the room, spraying the space and the plant, moving the pot to a cooler place.
- Yellowing foliage, curling - The reason is the excess moisture in the soil. Need watering correction.
- Root rot - also caused by a flower overflow. Treatment - complete drainage of the soil coma, pruning of rotted parts of the root. When planting in a container in the ground, you need to add from 1 to 4 tablets of “Gliocladin”.
- Dark spots on claddings - caused by sunburn. The flowerpot needs to be removed from under direct sunlight.
- Spider mite - Appears in a dry atmosphere of stagnant air. In the fight against insects, the plant is sprayed with a solution of Agravertin in a ratio of 2 ml per 1 liter of water. The room must be ventilated, humidify the air.
So, sickle asparagus is a popular culture for landscaping living quarters, offices and greenhouses. However, if there are children or pets in the house, then it should be ensured that the plant is unattainable for them, especially during fruiting.
