My Asparagus Plants Are Four Feet Tall And Bushy

Asparagus seeds not producing

Q: In 2013 we planted UC157 asparagus. We have harvested nice eating-size asparagus since. Now the plants are four feet tall and very bushy. My late husband tended our plot and I’m not sure what he did at this point. 

A: Good news! You don’t have to do anything until the bushy asparagus ferns turn yellow. You can cut them down to the ground any time in winter. New spears will appear next spring for you to enjoy. Be sure to fertilize regularly; asparagus is a heavy feeder. A typical rate is two pounds of 10-10-10 per 100 square feet in February and a cup of 34-0-0 over the same area after harvest ends. You selected a good variety: older ones like ‘Mary Washington’ and ‘Martha Washington’ don’t produce nearly as well.

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