Editing Asparagus (section)

== Cultivation ==
{{See also|List of asparagus diseases}}

Since asparagus often originates in maritime habitats, it thrives in soils that are too saline for normal weeds to grow. Thus, a little salt was traditionally used to suppress weeds in beds intended for asparagus; this has the disadvantage that the soil cannot be used for anything else. Some regions and [[Hardiness zone|gardening zones]] are better-suited for growing asparagus than others, such as the west coast of North America and other more maritime, “[[Mediterranean climate|Mediterranean]]” environments. The fertility of the soil is a large factor. "Crowns" are planted in winter, and the first shoots appear in spring; the first pickings or "thinnings" are known as sprue asparagus. Sprue has thin stems.<ref>{{cite web |title=Glossary – 'S' |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/glossary/s.shtml?sprue_asparagus |access-date=8 June 2007 |publisher=[[BBC Food]]}}</ref>

A breed of "early-season asparagus" that can be harvested two months earlier than usual was announced by a UK grower in early 2011.<ref>{{cite news |date=19 March 2011 |title=New breed of early asparagus hits the shelves |newspaper=The Daily Telegraph |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/foodanddrink/8392483/New-breed-of-early-asparagus-hits-the-shelves.html |access-date=20 March 2011}}</ref> This variety does not need to lie dormant and blooms at {{convert|7|C|F}}, rather than the usual {{convert|9|C|F}}.

<!-- Already given above: The [[blanching (horticulture)|blanching]] of white asparagus is obtained by the labour-intensive [[hilling]] cultivation method, to distinguish its gastronomical qualities from those of the green plant, which is the same botanical variety. -->
Purple asparagus differs from its green and white counterparts in having high sugar and low fibre levels. Purple asparagus was originally developed in Italy, near the city of [[Albenga]] and commercialized under the variety name 'Violetto d' Albenga'.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Raymond |first1=Francine |date=21 May 2014 |title=Asparagus: this season's hottest shades to grow |work=The Telegraph |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/gardening/howtogrow/10842082/Asparagus-this-seasons-hottest-shades-to-grow.html |access-date=21 May 2017}}</ref> Purple asparagus can also turn green while being cooked due to its sensitivity to heat.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2010-07-20 |title=Asparagus |url=https://horticulture.oregonstate.edu/oregon-vegetables/asparagus-0 |access-date=2021-12-21 |website=College of Agricultural Sciences |language=en}}</ref>

<gallery widths="175px" heights="200px">
File:Illustration Asparagus officinalis0b.jpg|German botanical illustration of asparagus
File:Green Asparagus New York 11 May 2006.jpg|Green asparagus for sale in New York City
File:20120511Spargelernte7.ogv|Harvest of white asparagus in [[Hockenheim]], Germany
File:Asparagus image.jpg|Cultivated asparagus bundles
</gallery>

=== Companion planting ===

Asparagus is said to be a useful [[companion plant]] for [[tomato]]es, as the tomato plant repels the [[asparagus beetle]]. Asparagus may repel some harmful root nematodes that affect tomato plants.<ref>{{cite web |title=Plants for a Future |url=http://www.pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Asparagus+officinalis}}</ref>