Spring Care of Asparagus Beds

Asparagus is a well-loved vegetable and is one of the first signs of spring. This vegetable is a perennial and, as such, has some special care needs compared to most of the other vegetables that we grow in the garden. Asparagus can be productive for well over 15 years if adequately cared for. In the spring, cleaning out all the leaves, debris, and other plant material that might be left over from last year is essential. Weed control can be one of the most significant issues with an asparagus patch, and spring is a vital time to prevent weed issues. If the spears haven’t started to sprout, you can spray the area with a glyphosate product to kill any weeds and then go back over the area with trifluralin weed-preventer granules. Several products on the market would work. No matter what product you use, check the label to ensure that asparagus is listed as one of the plants the product is safe around. Whatever you do, don’t use salt to keep weeds down. That will damage the asparagus just as much as the weeds in the long term.

Asparagus typically can start being harvested in early to mid-April, depending on the year. They can be harvested for approximately six to eight weeks or until the spear size decreases. You should stop harvesting the asparagus and leave the remaining spears to grow for the rest of the summer. Like rhubarb, asparagus needs those spears and leaves to store food reserves for the next growing season so that the asparagus can be productive for years. After you have stopped harvesting for the season, be sure to fertilize the asparagus bed using a balanced fertilizer such as a 10-10-10, 12-12-12, or something similar at the rate suggested on the bag.

 

Have questions? Contact our office where our Horticulture Extension Agent will assist you with questions.

Phone: (316) 321-9660

Email: callae@ksu.edu