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Browning of asparagus plants #873678

Asked June 18, 2024, 5:32 PM EDT

Hello, I planted a raised bed of asparagus from one year old crowns last spring (spring 2023). I planted two varieties - Millenium F1 and Purple Passion. The asparagus spears came up as expected this spring, but over the past few weeks I have noticed a significant amount of browning on the upper part of the fronds. The bed does have drip irrigation, but was only used when there was longer periods without rain. I did notice some asparagus beetle larvae this spring. I mainly pulled these off by hand and did not treat the asparagus with any pesticides. I'm not sure if this is pest damage or if something else is going on. The bottom of the plants are still green. I also noticed that the side of the bed that has the Millenium variety seems to be more severely affected. It's hard to tell from the photos but the Purple Passion are on the right side in most of the photos. I'm hoping the asparagus will recover, but I'm not sure if I should be doing anything now besides keeping the plants watered. Thank you for your help.

Baltimore County Maryland

Expert Response

This looks like severe asparagus beetle feeding- they feed on spears and ferns. The overall browning may have been exacerbated by dry soil conditions. Keep the bed well-irrigated and fertilize to spur new growth that can help rebuild food reserves in the crowns and roots.

You can refer to our page on Asparagus Beetles and University of Minnesota's page for tips on management and prevention. 

Emily

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