Asparagus ferned at beginning of season

3 year old planting and this was to be the first season to harvest. Mowed the asparagus in beginning of spring and went out of town and came back and they all have ferned. Do I now have to wait until next season because they have ferned??? Or can i cut them back and start over because it is early??

This message was edited May 13, 2011 10:48 AM

Cutting them back won't help, those are done. Besides, they need the ferns to gather strength for next year. You may find new spears coming up still, mine continue for some time, even after some have ferned out, so you may still have some to harvest.

Ok, thanks for the help. I will be on the lookout for new sprouts !! thanks again

Our stand of asparagus is now 4 yrs old. We never mow it. We leave the poorer shoots to fern and leave the ferns until they've completely browned out before cutting them off near ground level-- or even leave the dried ferns throughout the winter (if you're not picky about looks). Late Fall, we mulch the bed with composted horse manure. Remove it in early Spring. Our bed is late to show signs of life. This years, we'd even thought we'd lost it. But when it started, it came on strong. It produces too much for 2 people and I think freezing it only results in a much too mushy vege. This year we came up with a Cream of Spring Asparagus Soup that's fantastic. You can find the recipe at http://www.everlandfarm.com - see IN THE KITCHEN.

everlandfarm - I don't mow ours down, either. When the sprouts begin to show in the spring, I cut down all the browned ferns and scratch-in some organic fertilizer.

I freeze our asparagus and it doesn't turn "mushy". I blanch the stalks separately from the tips, then put them in freezer bags and immediately place them in the freezer. My freezer has a shelf which is meant for pizzas, but I use it to quickly freeze blanched veggies from our garden.

I purchased mine from HH Gregg, but here's a photo from another source:

http://www.ajmadison.com/cgi-bin/ajmadison/GLFH21F8H.html

I think the fronds are pretty in the winter, especially with snow. They remind me that the garden is only sleeping :)

This message was edited May 23, 2011 4:04 PM

catmad - what a nice sentiment. I'll try to remember that when the garden is covered with snow next winter.

I have a running battle with my SO, who insists that everything is dead during the winter months. "I" know it's not, that the little green buds and shoots are in there somewhere, safe and warm, resting up for their big reveal :)
I love spring.
Just wondering where it went.....:(