The ornamental asparagus, which belongs to the same plant family as the tasty kitchen asparagus, is one of the most popular houseplants because of its attractive, delicate foliage with high ornamental value. It is not very demanding and is easy to cultivate. You can find out what you need to pay attention to when caring for it in the following article.
How do I properly care for my ornamental asparagus?
To care for ornamental asparagus, the root ball should be kept evenly moist, fertilized every two weeks and repotted every two to three years. Pruning is only necessary if there is baldness. Watch out for possible louse or pest infestations and ensure there is sufficient water supply.
How to water?
You should keep the root ball of the ornamental asparagus evenly moist throughout the entire growing season (thumb test). However, waterlogging must be avoided at all costs, as this quickly leads to root rot. Therefore, pour away the liquid that accumulates in the saucer or planter after a short time.
If you forget to water, Asparagus densiflorus will drop its false leaves and become bald. If you notice that the fine leaves are being shed and that the substrate is very dry at the same time, you should preferably dive the plants:
- Fill a bucket with water.
- Submerge the entire planter until no more air bubbles appear.
Which fertilizer applications have proven effective?
Provide the plant with a commercially available liquid fertilizer every two weeks during the growing period.
How and when do you repot?
As soon as the roots fill the entire flower pot, it is time to repot the ornamental asparagus into a new container. This happens approximately every two to three years. The optimal time for this care measure is spring.
- When potting the plant, pay attention to the sharp thorns at the base of the leaves.
- Do not pull on the shoots with force, but cut the pot open if the root ball cannot be removed.
- Remove the old soil and any limescale deposits.
- Cover the bottom hole of the new vessel with a shard of clay and create a drainage layer of expanded clay.
- Pour in some substrate and place the ornamental asparagus in it.
- Fill with fresh soil, press it lightly and water.
Is pruning necessary?
Asparagus densiflorus does not necessarily need to be cut. If individual fronds become bare, simply cut them off close to the ground.
If the plant gets too big, it can tolerate radical pruning and will sprout again without any problems.
What diseases and pests are threatening?
Ornamental asparagus is occasionally attacked by scale insects or mealybugs. Since these can be quite stubborn, we recommend combating them with a special preparation from a specialist plant store.
Ornamental asparagus reacts to drought or too low humidity by drying out and yellowing the leaves. In this case, cut out the leaves and ensure adequate water supply.
Tip
During the summer months you can cultivate ornamental asparagus in a partially shaded spot on the balcony or terrace. Since the plant is not hardy, you should bring it back into the house as soon as the temperatures fall below twelve degrees.
