How to Protect Asparagus Plants from Winter

Where heavy snow covers asparagus beds in the winter let stalks turn brown and fall across the planting bed to form their own mulch to protect plant crowns. Then add 6-inches of straw, pine needles, or well-rotted or chopped leaves to the top of fallen stalks to give crowns extra protection from freezing temperatures.

Do you winterize asparagus plants?
Should asparagus be cut down in the fall?
Should asparagus be watered in winter?
Do asparagus plants spread?
Are coffee grounds good for asparagus?
What is best fertilizer for asparagus?
Should I put mulch on my asparagus?
Do I need to protect asparagus from frost?
How do you store asparagus crowns over the winter?
What can you do with asparagus for the first year?

Do you winterize asparagus plants?

Overwintering Asparagus Plants

In the fall, the leaves of asparagus begin to yellow and die back naturally. At this juncture, cut the brown fronds from the plant at the base. ... The idea when winterizing asparagus beds is to protect the crowns from cold injury. Spread 4-6 inches (10-15 cm.)

Should asparagus be cut down in the fall?

Answer: The asparagus foliage can be cut back to the ground after it has been destroyed by cold temperatures in fall. ... Asparagus foliage allowed to remain in the garden over winter should be removed in late March or early April before spears begin to emerge.

Should asparagus be watered in winter?

Asparagus crowns go dormant over winter and require no watering or fertilizing during this period.

Do asparagus plants spread?

Remember, asparagus roots will spread over time but diminish in production. Divide them every three years or so for a non-stop harvest year after year.

Are coffee grounds good for asparagus?

Asparagus prefers a soil pH between 6.5 and 7, which is mildly acidic. Coffee grounds can run 5 or less on the pH scale by themselves. ... The grounds also add some nitrogen, which is a regular nutrition need of asparagus.

What is best fertilizer for asparagus?

Asparagus can be fertilized in early spring before the spears emerge. An application of 1 to 1.5 pounds of an all-purpose garden fertilizer, such as 10-10-10, per 100 square feet should be adequate. Asparagus can also be fertilized after the last harvest in June. Using a nitrogen fertilizer, apply .

Should I put mulch on my asparagus?

Mulching Asparagus

Asparagus plants benefit from regular mulches of loose organic matter. Organic mulches warm the soil in the bed, encouraging growth, and they supply plant nutrients, suppress weeds, conserve soil moisture and help protect asparagus spears from becoming contaminated with dirt.

Do I need to protect asparagus from frost?

In many years, asparagus can get frosted with no problem at all. But if the temperature is predicted to drop into the high 20° Fs, some simple frost protection can bring you through with most of the crop intact.

How do you store asparagus crowns over the winter?

After the fronds turn brown, remove them by cutting them off at the base. You then have the choice of leaving the bed bare for the winter and hoping for good snow cover to protect the crowns, or mulching the bed with 4″ – 6″ of straw, shavings, or sawdust.

What can you do with asparagus for the first year?

Harvesting Tips

To keep your asparagus bed productive, don't be greedy. The first year after planting, you can harvest a few spears from each plant. Pick for about two weeks and then stop so the fronds can unfold and begin feeding the root system. Harvest for three weeks the next year, and four to six weeks after that.