[catherineirvine]

Hello,

We planted some asparagus last year and followed the instructions to trim them down for this year where we should get a crop.

As expected they have shot away with the recent rain and sun. Does anyone know how best to protect them? Is there any common pests that will come after the asparagus?

Thanks

Happy Gardening

Cath

[DD.]

Mine are totally unprotected, get an occasional slug nibble, but that's all.

[Trillium]

My climate is worse here (heavy snows) and we never protect asparagus; they're too tough. Not sure if the UK gets asparagus beetles, but we do. They look similar to ladybugs but are longer.

[woodburner]

"trim them down" ??  :? I have always understood that you leave plants for at least a  year or two to build up, and not to cut the foliage either. (Although a little won't hurt, it is counter productive.)  :?

[mdueal]

Bit of a hijack question - we planted asparagus bed this year - should we see any growth? There are weeds coming up in the bed and I have been leaving it as I can't see where the asparagus is as nothing is showing through yet.

[Hampshire Hog]

mdueal-asparagus doesn't like weeds :shock:

Try to hand weed the bed removing all the obvious weeds. The asparagus will appear first as pretty thin spears coming up but can take a few months depending on the weather and how deep the soil is in the bed. Once you see/identify the first spears then remove the rest of the weeds and keep bed as weed free as possible.

Good luck....it's worth it in the end!

Cheers HH

[pushrod]

"trim them down" ??  :? I have always understood that you leave plants for at least a  year or two to build up, and not to cut the foliage either. (Although a little won't hurt, it is counter productive.)  :?

You don't harvest any stalks in the first year but cut them all back at the end of the summer to stop the females dropping seed/berries.

[gobs]

Bit of a hijack question - we planted asparagus bed this year - should we see any growth? There are weeds coming up in the bed and I have been leaving it as I can't see where the asparagus is as nothing is showing through yet.

Yes, they should grow in the first year. One showing, hand weed carefully around the crowns as new shoot buds form on the fleshy roots.