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Q. Last year my asparagus plants were stunted and the foliage formed tight balls instead of the regular ferns. What was the problem, and how can I prevent it from happening again?
A. Balled asparagus foliage is a sign of the asparagus aphid. The pest overwinters as small, black eggs on dead asparagus stalks and foliage. In spring, when new stalks begin to emerge from the ground, the eggs hatch and the young begin feeding exclusively on the stalks and young volunteer asparagus seedings. During feeding the aphid injects a substance that causes the asparagus foliage to grow into balls, and heavy infestations can reduce production. The aphids feed until fall, when they mate and lay eggs.
To control the aphids, remove asparagus foliage after it dies in the fall. This reduces the number of overwintering eggs. Weeding your patch of the small volunteers, which young aphids feed on first in spring, will also reduce the damage. For heavy infestations, spray insecticidal soap when the spears begin to send out branches and the fernlike leaves. Repeat the spraying a few times during the growing season, whenever you notice damage to the leaves.
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Q. I have a 10-year-old asparagus bed which is not producing as it once did. It is becoming thin and in some places the patch is very weedy. Also, the soil seems to be compacted from years of walking on it to harvest the spears. Should cultivate the bed to loosen the soil? What can I do to bring my patch back to full production?
- B.T., Middletown, MD
A. Although asparagus patches are long-lived, after 10 years it might time to start a new patch, especially since the soil is compacted and the bed is becoming weedy. If you have the space, you may want to start a new patch in a different area to help minimize problems with overwintering pests. Site the bed carefully, keeping in mind that it will be there for many years. Consider what the size of nearby trees and shrubs will be in 10 years and make sure they won't shade the sun-loving asparagus plants. Also, before planting, add lots of organic matter such as compost to the soil.
To manage weeds, try placing a thick layer of newspapers in the paths between the rows, then mulching over that with a layer of straw or other organic mulch. Renew the mulch every year.
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Q. Someone once told me that I can use salt in my asparagus bed to keep down weeds. Is this true, and if so how much salt should I use?
- S.W., Landenberg, PA
A. Although in the past salt was used to manage weeds, this method is no longer recommended. Asparagus is more salt-tolerant than most weeds, so adding salt to beds would kill weeds without killing the asparagus. However, it is now known that added salt tends to seal the soil surface, inhibiting water penetration, and may also damage soil structure (the way soil particles are clumped into aggregates). Salt can also leach laterally through the soil, possibly damaging nearby plants.
Keep your bed weeded the old fashioned way, by pulling as needed and then keeping the bed well mulched. An organic mulch applied annually will also feed the soil.
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Q. This past spring our asparagus crop was ruined by asparagus beetles. What can I do?
A. "In the fall, remove old asparagus ferns and garden debris where adult beetles overwinter to lessen the infestation in the spring. The beetles emerge from hibernation about the time asparagus shoots begin to grow. They lay small, dark brown eggs on the spears. The eggs hatch in one week and the tiny, dark sluglike larvae feed for two weeks until they drop to the ground and pupate. For a small planting, you can also try the following cultural controls.
Asparagus beetle larvae are very poor climbers. If you spray the emerging spears every five days with a water spray and knock the larvae off the spears, they won't climb back up. Also, by picking the asparagus patch clean every three to five days and weeding out any volunteer plants, you can remove beetle eggs before they hatch, reducing the damage. If you still have a large adult population come summer, spray insecticidal soap weekly to reduce the number of overwintering adults."
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