Is something eating my asparagus??

[Chrissie]

Hi,

Apologies if this has been dealt with before - I couldn't find anything in a quick search.

I planted some 1-year-old asparagus crowns back in early March (when they arrived from the supplier with instructions to plant immediately). I followed all the instructions about soil, position, planting on a ridge etc and have kept them watered when necessary.

The trouble is nearly two months later hardly anything is showing above ground. It looks as though they have tried to send up shoots which are being eaten, leaving just dead "sockets" visible on the crown. There's no sign of slug trails. A week after planting I covered them with a big netting cloche so it can't be bird damage. We do have a plague of rats, mice and voles on the site at the moment - could it be them?

Any clues about the possible culprits and suggestions for a solution - or even better, reassurance that this growth pattern is normal - would be VERY gratefully received.

Thanks!

[Chrissie]

[saddad]

Molluscs are the most likely culprits but could be mice...  :-\
Some B*st*rd went on my plot at the weekend and broke off two thick spear about 4" long...  >:(

[Deb P]

Molluscs are the most likely culprits but could be mice...  :-\
Some B*st*rd went on my plot at the weekend and broke off two thick spear about 4" long...  >:(

Oh dear.......sure it wasn't foxes?  ??? Not that they would be eating it of course, but I've had a lot of digging activity on my plot recently.....shame they don't do it in the right places!

[Chrissie]

Some B*st*rd went on my plot at the weekend and broke off two thick spear about 4" long...  >:(

That's awful, what a shame. Bet you were looking forward to those!

[chriszog]

Molluscs are the most likely culprits but could be mice...  :-\
Some B*st*rd went on my plot at the weekend and broke off two thick spear about 4" long...  >:(

Mmmmmmmmm they were lovely..... probably B*****d Rabbits.
TZK

[chriszog]

Chrissie
  Seriously it is probably slugs who love new asparagus shoots,
TZK

[Kea]

Mine have slug damage but they nibble the outside of the stem leaving eaten areas rather then eating it down to the ground.

[chriszog]

Some types of slug will feed under the soil, so they eat the new shoots down to the crown.

[tonybloke]

I must admit, I've never had slug damage on my asparagus bed.
might be down to the seaweed I put on it each year?

[Chrissie]

Thanks for all the replies! Looks more and more like slugs. The seaweed idea is interesting - I'll try it.

[chriszog]

I have heard this about seaweed before, do you think it is anything to do with the salt content??
TZK

[artichoke]

I don't use seaweed and have never had slug damage (though maybe the occasional curly one has been nibbled at the side). I definitely have lots of slugs, but they don't seem interested in asparagus (20 productive 7 year old plants), only lettuces and cabbages etc.

[tonybloke]

I have heard this about seaweed before, do you think it is anything to do with the salt content??
TZK

the seaweed I use is the waste product from the seaweed liquid factory ( ALL BRANDS come from the same factory! )
no it's not the salt, it is the gelatinous nature of the stuff, they can't eat it! ;)

[gwynleg]

I've got exactly the same problem - I brought reduced price crowns from JRParker and thought I might have made a mistake .....
I have had small showings from three crowns out of 10 but then they disappeared. I did have fox prints (why did it walk across a raised bed when I have lovely paths that it should go on?) so dont know if thats anything to do with it.