Is My Asparagus Bed Dying?

wewnan Sun Aug 14, 2022 2:02 pm

I got exactly five asparagus from my 4'x8' bed this year. I'm in the 6th year of growing and I don't know what has happened. I believe I've followed all the rules in growing an asparagus patch, but I did notice last year that I didn't get as many as I thought I would and not as many ferns where coming up after the harvest season. Since I've babied them the whole time (composted manure, protected them with pine tags in winter and covered in early spring after cleaning the bed, only harvesting small/increasing percentage over the last 5 years), I'm at a lose as to what has happened. Thought I'd check with you guys before I dig out everything and put the bed into my veggie rotation. Any thoughts/suggestions on what has happened and how can I save the asparagus bed? Thanks!

**Scorpio Rising** Sun Aug 14, 2022 4:25 pm

Boy, even neglected asparagus usually does OK. Was the stuff you harvested normal? Just not much of it? If you know, was it from the same crowns? If so, you may want to mark them and replace a few others…or bail!

**sanderson** Wed Aug 24, 2022 4:49 pm

I'm so sorry the asparagus bed is struggling. Sad

OhioGardener Thu Aug 25, 2022 5:31 pm

wewnan wrote:I got exactly five asparagus from my 4'x8' bed this year. I'm in the 6th year of growing and I don't know what has happened.

It is so unusual to hear about asparagus dying that it makes me curious as to what happened. I have never grown in a raised bed, but there is an in-ground Asparagus bed that was here when we moved here 40 years ago and it is still growing strong. The only thing that bed needs is the annual cleaning and mulching with good compost for the winter.

Have you dug any of the roots to see what they look like? If they are soft and mushy, that would indicate crown rot or root rot, usually from too much water with an inability to drain. Is there a fungus on the crowns or roots? Were the plants able to develop their very deep roots, or was there something under the bed that prevented them from sending down roots? Did you stop harvesting spears after about two weeks and allow the plants to develop the ferns needed to feed the roots?

**sanderson** Sat Aug 27, 2022 4:14 am

There are 96 threads on asparagus. Folks who love it, love it. A 1 foot deep bed of MM.

https://squarefoot.forumotion.com/t790-asparagus-how-many-per-square-roots?highlight=asparagus

https://squarefoot.forumotion.com/search?search_keywords=asparagus&typerecherche=interne&show_results=topics

wewnan Sun Aug 28, 2022 3:31 pm

Thanks for the helpful suggestions. I'll dig some of the roots to see if there is anything unusual going on there. More than likely, I'll plan on putting that box into my veggie rotation.

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