Asparagus is widespread in many countries around the world (virtually everywhere). This is one of the oldest vegetable crops in the world: cultivated for more than 2 thousand years. As early as 200 years BC, Catton described her agricultural engineering, do not differ from the existing one. Asparagus is supposedly home to the eastern Mediterranean, although a number of foreign authors did not exclude the possibility of origin of the plants from the river valleys, vast steppes of southern Russia and Poland.

Initially, the asparagus was cultivated as a medicinal plant. In ancient Greece it was one of the attributes of the cult of the goddess of love Aphrodite. Asparagus branches crowned Suite, decorated bed. It is believed that as a vegetable asparagus were first bred in ancient Rome. Description of the asparagus can be found in the writings of the famous Roman scholars (Pliny, etc.). The ancient Romans singled out an encouraging effect of asparagus on the human body, its nervous system, turning dull and gloomy people in the gay and cheerful. On the healing properties of asparagus in that distant time were whole tracts. Translated from the Latin asparagus denotes medication. The Romans are so prized is a plant that was worn on the neck as an amulet.

Asparagus is not only delicious but also very valuable dietary and healthy vegetable. It contains essential amino acid asparagine, which bears the name of asparagus since it was first isolated from it. Green shoots of the plant contain carotene, vitamins BI, B2, C, PP, and a number of substances, which include sulfur. Due to the low calorie asparagus very quickly and with minimum expenditure of energy absorbed by the body.

First of all you have to know that first crops you will receive after three or four years after seeding. When there is the early spring it is the time for harvesting, harvesting asparagus can be started in early April. When the length of seedlings 12-20 cm in height.

Method of harvesting asparagus

Carefully raking the ground, in places the appearance of cracks, it should expose the seedling and cut it at the base. Try not to damage the rhizomes and shoots. Seedlings can break out manually. Wells were formed after that, you need to re-cover with soil and compacted.

In warm weather, shoots grow very quickly. Appearing on the soil surface, they immediately painted in purple or pink, and their heads fall apart. This reduces the quality of the product, because it is valued by the head. Therefore, remove the asparagus you need every day, morning and afternoon. Need to cut all the seedlings, as this contributes to their enhanced education.

Collecting old seedling plants to end June 20. Cleaning should not be delayed because the green mass does not have time to be produced in sufficient volume. After cleaning delicate sprouts cut is not necessary, they should germinate freely. After finishing cleaning combs the earth weeps and leveled soil surface.

Seedlings were collected before the use of stored beams upright in a cool, dark place. That they are not faded or stained to light, they sprinkled wet sand.

For long term storage of fresh asparagus should be kept in the dark on ice or refrigerated at 1 ° C. Then they do not lose taste for 3-4 months.