[Dapper Francis]

Hi, I've been reading this friendly forum for about a year but this is the first time i've been on myself.
Can anyone help, my one year old asparagus bed looks tragic, the new shoots just don't appear at all lush, a little pale and lacking vigour. 
On top of this something is eating a couple of the shoots, nibbling at the side, i'm guessing not a mammal as they wouldn't eat such small amounts?  Slugs?  Any ideas
I planted the crowns last spring and they made about 5-10 stems per crown last summer.
Any help gratefully received
Thanks

[Yorkie]

Welcome to the site 

I'm not an asparagus expert, but a couple of initial questions before others arrive.

1. Did you harvest any spears last year, or leave them on the plant?
2. Did you feed the asparagus at all?
3. What sort of soil have you got - is it waterlogged at all?

Slugs are the most likely culprit for the nibbling.

More info on asparagus here on the main website.

[JayG]

I would have asked exactly the same questions as Yorkie just has, and also agree that slugs sometimes nibble at them, which only leaves the observation I made the other day that one "curving" spear was home to a couple of young woodlice, which is a first for me! 

[Dapper Francis]

Hi, thanks both of you for your replies.
I didn't harvest last year, i was a good boy.  Though I was secretly hoping to steal a couple of 'tester' spears this spring had the growth been good enough.  In general my soil is free draining, not at all water logged, but the last three weeks...
As for feeding, the soil had some organic matter added before planting and other than that just the odd sprinkling of blood fish and bone.

I have never known slugs be so refined in their consumption, little nibbles half way up a spear?  Maybe the taste of asparagus brings out the 'fine diner' in them.
Thanks again

[Salmo]

Asparagus is just like that this year, slow to come and not the lush, quick growing shoots that we expect. All to do with the weather. They are perking up now it is a little warmer.

The damage may be slugs but it could be asparagus beetle. The beetles will have pupated in the soil last Autumn and feed on asparagus shoots when they hatch in the Spring. They are tiny with black and white markings. Later in the year they lay their eggs in the fronds and they and their grubs feed on the foliage.

[Dapper Francis]

Hi,
Thanks, i am going for a play in the soil to have a look for these beetles, and woodlice which sounds odd, and not quite so threatening.
I'm perking up in the warmer weather too
Thanks again

[Lardman]

Mine has gone nuts over the last 2 days.  

I'll grab some pictures in a bit of the earlier damaged spears so you can compare.

edit.

Slug damaged spear.

[Dapper Francis]

Hi
Lardman thanks so much for the pic, that looks pretty much the same as i have here, so I guess i need to ramp up the slug patrol. 
You're in a similar area so if yours have just started to take off i will keep my fingers crossed that mine will do the same.
Does anyone feed their asparagus at this point in the season?
 Thanks.

[savbo]

a sprinkling of blood fish and bone or pelleted chicken manure would do no harm. Even a quick liquid feed might give them a boost.

I gave mine some seaweed as a mulch last autumn and I think they like it. Unbelievable quantities of little bits of plastic in with it though!

sav

[Dapper Francis]

Thanks Savbo,  I will get the blood fish and bone out.
Did your seaweed come from a long way?  I was reading a news article this week about the vast quantity of plastic being found in the pacific!
Dapper F

[Lardman]

Not to hi-jack the thread but can anyone tell me how thick the stems should be ?

I've had complaints they are not dainty enough and to cut them sooner - but they're coming up nearly an inch thick to start with !?

[Dapper Francis]

I don't know why they come through different thicknesses, but I do know that thickness has nothing to do with tenderness and taste.  This is all about the age of the spear. 
So don't let complainers imply the thicker ones are inferior!

[RichardA]

mine are coming up thick but tall, very tender and very tasty and in good quantity. Friend is very experienced chef and is very pleased when he is given any so I assume we are doing OK
R

[leeks r us]

The stems normally thicken over years, but the stems do on average get thicker  over years to a point they start to become tough, i normally work on 12 years for mine gives a chance for the new planted crowns to develop