Perennial asparagus can produce a spring or early summer crop of edible spears for 15 years or more. The plants generally take three years before they begin full production, but they require some simple winterization each year, beginning the first fall after planting. In mild Mediterranean climates, the root crowns only require minimal care to prepare them for the mild winters. Winterization protects the roots from the cold and also encourages the plants to go dormant so they can rest before beginning the next productive growth period in spring.
Cut back the stalks and foliage to ground level in fall, after the leaves begin to yellow and die back naturally. Remove the old leaves and stalks from the bed and dispose of them or compost them.
Stop watering the asparagus after you cut back the stems. Asparagus crowns go dormant over winter and require no watering or fertilizing during this period.
Spread 2 inches of mulch over the bed after you cut back the old stalks. Use straw, wood chips or another organic mulch to protect the asparagus crowns from colder winter temperatures.
Remove the old mulch in spring when the shoots begin to emerge. Dispose of or compost the mulch. Winter mulch can harbor rust or other fungal disease spores that can affect young asparagus shoots if it's left in the bed.
Things You Will Need
- Organic mulch
- Asparagus may not die back completely in mild climates. Cut back the spears in late fall as plant growth slows to force dormancy, even if the plant is still green.
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