How to Winterize Asparagus Plants
INSIDE : Want healthier asparagus? Discover exactly how to winterize asparagus plants. Learn to cut back the fronds, mulch the crowns, and stop watering for a better growing season with healthy roots and stronger crowns!
This post has been updated since it’s original publish date of November 2022.
Growing fresh vegetables in your outdoor space is incredibly rewarding and asparagus is a perennial plant that can keep producing for 20 years or more if you treat it right! Because these plants have such long lives, taking care of them year-round is so important. One of the most critical steps for long life is getting them ready for winter.
Learning how to winterize your asparagus plants properly protects the delicate roots from cold damage and encourages the crowns to go dormant. This essential “rest period” ensures they are stronger, healthier, and ready to give you a bountiful, delicious harvest when spring arrives.
Shortly, I will be sharing a post all about growing Asparagus in a container. You can clearly see from this post that I started potted asparagus this summer. They are doing wonderfully, but I want to get a full growing season in before I write that post.
Asparagus Vegetable Plants
Growing asparagus isn’t difficult, but there are certainly some important things to know before beginning. Asparagus plants can grow up to 20+ years if given the right care and nutrients, so having a dedicated space or container for your plant is essential. You can read more about growing asparagus in containers in my upcoming post here.
Asparagus Winter Care
Since asparagus plants have ample longevity, once established taking care of them year round is very important.
Winterizing your asparagus plants protects the roots from the cold and also encourages them to go dormant, so they can rest before beginning the next productive growth period in Spring.
Cutting back Asparagus Fronds in the Fall
There are a couple important things to remember as the weather starts to cool for your asparagus plants. They are perennial plants meaning they come back each year, so protecting them from the cold temperatures that could damage them is key.
As the weather cools, you will start to see the leaves of asparagus begin to yellow and die back naturally. This usually happens after the first or second hard frost. If you live in a warmer climate, the asparagus may not die back completely. Cut the spear in the late fall anyway.
Pull any weeds and cut the the fronds down to a few inches (2-3″) above the surface. Depending on how big and mature your asparagus plants are, you can use either hand pruners, a string trimmer or even a lawn mower for this task.
Mulching the Asparagus Bed with Compost
Now that the fronds have been trimmed down, mulch the asparagus bed with compost, chopped leaves, wood chips, aged manure, pine needles, or straw before freezing weather or snow arrives. The cut fern stubs help hold the mulch over the crowns, providing a good insulating layer against the winter cold.
Having healthy crowns are the key to growing asparagus. Mulching also helps fertilize your plant for the next growing season.
Each year the bed does get a little more raised, but it aids with better drainage.
Stop Watering Asparagus
It feels counterintuitive to stop watering a plant that grow perennially, but you do not need to water in the winter.
Stop watering the asparagus after you have cut back the stems and mulched overtop. The crowns will go dormant over winter and will require no watering or fertilizing during this period.
Remove mulch before Spring
Remove the mulch in early spring before the spears emerge and get ready to enjoy a refreshed happy, healthy Asparagus plant!
How to winterize Asparagus in raised beds
When winterizing asparagus grown in raised beds, you will follow the same important steps as you would for an in-ground garden to ensure the longevity of your crop.
The process begins after the fronds naturally die back and turns yellow, which typically occurs after the first hard frost. At this point, remove any surrounding weeds and then cut the fronds down to about 2 to 3 inches above the soil surface.
Next, apply a generous layer of insulating mulch over the entire bed; materials like compost, chopped leaves, straw, or wood chips work well to protect the crowns from freezing temperatures.
Once the mulch is in place, you must stop watering completely, as the dormant crowns require a dry winter rest.
Finally, ensure you remove the winter mulch in early spring before the new asparagus spears start to emerge, allowing the crowns to wake up and begin the next healthy growing season.
Growing vegetables
Growing vegetables is one of the most rewarding things you can do with your outdoor spaces. I talk all about creating a Simple Raised Vegetable Garden, the best Small Garden Compost Bins and even How to Grow Zucchini in pots here.
If you like gardens, you might like checking out some of these posts too.
How to Winterize Asparagus
Learn the tips to growing healthy Asparagus plants by taking care of your plant in the winter.
Materials
- Hand Pruners
- Compost
Instructions
- As the weather cools, Asparagus leaves will begin to yellow and die back naturally. This usually happens after the first or second hard frost. If you live in a warmer climate, the asparagus may not die back completely.
- Pull any nearby weeds and cut the the fronds down to a few inches (2-3") above the surface. Depending on how big and mature your asparagus plants are, you can use either hand pruners, a string trimmer or even a lawn mower for this task.
- Mulch the asparagus bed before freezing weather or snow arrives. The cut fern stubs help hold the mulch over the crowns, providing a good insulating layer against the winter cold.
- Stop watering the asparagus after you have cut back the stems and mulched overtop. The crowns will go dormant over winter and require no watering or fertilizing during this period.
- Remove mulch in the early spring before the spears emerge and get ready to enjoy a refreshed happy, healthy Asparagus plant!
Notes
You can mulch using various materials like compost, chopped leaves, wood chips, aged manure, pine needles, or straw.
Looking for more vegetable garden content? Check out some of these fun posts!
I am growing in a greenhouse in 3 ft. deep box’s on the north coast of ca.
The asparagus plants are two yr. old and have three ft. fronds and spears.
I have not harvested any spears yet. The plants have never died back or yellowed.
Should I cut them all down? Mulch and harvest new spears ?
THANKS