[gunnag]

I planted 50 ginjlim asparagus crowns in my allotment 2 years ago. Last year I took a small crop and this year I have taken more. I have noticed that some of the spears, maybe 10% have died off shortly after appearing. These bad spears seem to be pale in appearance, bent over and have a kind of wilted appearance. Anyone know what could be causing this? I can only think its either the cold weather (possibly frost?) or maybe slugs (I have put slug pellets and wood chip mulch around). All info welcome.

[Goosegirl]

Ah - me too! This is my first year of growing asparagus. I planted them last year and they ferned up; then this year, I think it was the first one showing that stayed bent over and then did nothing. I thought I saw a brown mark at the bottom of the stem but that wasn't necessarily slug or snail damage. It has been a funny spring and lots of cold winds too. I have erected a piece of horizontal cleamtis netting about a foot over the spears and will put another one about 3 foot above so that the spears/ferns aren't broken by the winds as we live in an exposed situation; but the bed is protected by pallets to about 3 foot on three sides.