Ⅰ. Product Details

Variety Characteristics

Green Asparagus Lettuce is an annual leafy vegetable of the Asteraceae family with a growth cycle of 60-80 days. The plant has upright growth with a fleshy stem of 30-50cm in height and 5-8cm in diameter, light green color with crisp texture. It has strong cold resistance and heat tolerance, suitable for cultivation in open fields and protected areas throughout the year.

Quality Advantages

• Stems are crisp and tender with slightly sweet taste, rich in vitamin C, vitamin E, dietary fiber, potassium and calcium, low in calories and high in water content, with functions of clearing heat and detoxifying.
• Good commercial quality: Stems are straight and uniform, with few fibers, not easy to lignify, suitable for fresh eating, stir-frying, hot pot and pickling.
• Fast growth: Short growth cycle, can be planted in multiple cropping, high production efficiency and economic benefits.

High-Yield Characteristics

Under proper cultivation management, the yield per mu can reach 3000-4000kg. The variety has strong adaptability to soil and climate, can be planted in spring, summer, autumn and winter, with stable yield and good disease resistance, suitable for large-scale cultivation.

Escenarios de aplicación

• Fresh food market: Sold as a common vegetable in supermarkets and farmers’ markets, widely used in home cooking and catering industry;
• Processing industry: Suitable for making pickled lettuce, dehydrated lettuce slices and quick-frozen vegetables;
• Urban agriculture: Suitable for balcony and roof planting, easy to manage and harvest, providing fresh vegetables for families.

Selection & Storage Suggestions

• Selection skills: Choose plants with straight stems, bright green color, crisp texture, no cracks, no insect damage and no bolting;
• Storage method: Wrap with plastic wrap and store in refrigerator crisper for 7-10 days, or store in a cool and ventilated place for 3-5 days. For long-term storage, cut into slices and freeze after blanching.

Ⅱ. Planting Methods

Planting Preparation

1. Soil Selection

Green Asparagus Lettuce prefers fertile, loose, well-drained sandy loam or loam with pH value of 6.0-7.5. The soil should be rich in organic matter, deep plow 20-25cm before planting, apply base fertilizer: 2000-3000kg of decomposed organic fertilizer, 30kg of compound fertilizer per mu. Mix evenly and make flat ridges with width of 1-1.2m.

2. Seed Treatment

• Seed selection: Choose full, disease-free seeds with high germination rate, with seed consumption of 50-100g per mu;
• Seed soaking and germination: Soak seeds in 20-25℃ warm water for 4-6 hours, then place in a wet gauze at 15-20℃ for germination, rinse with water once a day, and sow when 30-40% of seeds show white buds.

Seedling Raising & Transplanting

1. Seedling Raising Time

• Spring cultivation: Seedling raising in February to March, transplanting in March to April;
• Summer cultivation: Seedling raising in May to June, transplanting in June to July (need shade);
• Autumn cultivation: Seedling raising in July to August, transplanting in August to September;
• Winter cultivation: Seedling raising in September to October, transplanting in October to November (need greenhouse for heat preservation).

2. Seedling Raising Methods

Use seedling trays or seedbeds for seedling raising, fill with nutrient soil (peat soil: vermiculite: perlite = 3:1:1). Sow seeds evenly, cover with 0.5cm fine soil, water thoroughly, cover with shade net in summer and plastic film in winter. Keep soil moist and control temperature at 15-25℃.

3. Transplanting Requirements

Transplant when seedlings have 4-6 true leaves and a height of 10-15cm (about 20-30 days after sowing). The planting density is 25cm × 30cm, with 8000-10000 plants per mu. Water thoroughly after transplanting and cover with mulch to keep warm and retain moisture.

Field Management

1. Water Management

• Seedling recovery period: Keep soil moist to promote root development;
• Leaf growth period: Water once every 5-7 days, keep soil moist but not waterlogged;
• Stem expansion period: Ensure adequate water supply, water once every 3-5 days, avoid drought to prevent stem lignification;
• Before harvest: Reduce watering 5-7 days before harvest to improve stem quality and storage resistance.

2. Fertilizer Management

• Seedling fertilizer: Apply 10kg of urea per mu 10 days after transplanting to promote seedling growth;
• Leaf fertilizer: Apply 15kg of compound fertilizer per mu at vigorous leaf growth stage;
• Stem fertilizer: Apply 20kg of compound fertilizer + 10kg of potassium sulfate per mu at initial stem expansion stage, and spray 0.2% potassium dihydrogen phosphate solution on leaves for 1-2 times to promote stem expansion.

3. Soil Hilling & Stem Blanching

• When stems grow to 20-30cm height, hill up soil around stems to make stems white and tender, improve quality;
• Alternatively, tie leaves together to cover stems for blanching, which can make stems more tender and less bitter.

4. Disease & Pest Control

• Damping-off and root rot: Use 50% carbendazim wettable powder 800x solution for soil disinfection or root irrigation;
• Downy mildew and powdery mildew: Spray with 75% chlorothalonil wettable powder 600x solution or 25% triadimefon wettable powder 1000x solution;
• Aphids and leafminers: Control with 10% imidacloprid wettable powder 1500x solution or yellow sticky traps;
• Caterpillars: Use Bt emulsion 500x solution or 2.5% deltamethrin emulsifiable concentrate 2000x solution for spray control.

Harvesting

• Harvest time: Harvest when stems are fully expanded, 30-50cm in height, and before bolting (about 60-80 days after transplanting);
• Harvesting method: Cut stems at the base with a knife, remove old leaves and roots, and clean soil on stems;
• Post-harvest treatment: Sort stems by size, remove damaged ones, pack in plastic bags or cartons for sale, or process into various products.