The ferny asparagus stems are storing energy and nutrients for next season’s spears. Many gardeners, including those at Peaceful Valley Farm and Garden Supply (here’s their video), recommend cutting asparagus back in the late fall and mulching with straw to protect the plants from frost. I have two asparagus plants which are just now past the three years since planting. If given good care, an asparagus planting may be productive for 15 or more years. Fertilizing – Asparagus is a heavy feeder. Soils – Asparagus tolerates a wide range of soils as long as they are well drained. If you must move asparagus, transplant the crowns in early spring when they are dormant or late fall before the first fall frost (after foliage is cut back). You can cut them back to the ground in mid-fall or early winter (just as though they were experiencing the change of season from warm season to cold season). If any female plants do appear, they will be noticeable because they produce orange-red berries. Ideally, asparagus should be cut back in the fall but it is important that you wait until all of the foliage has died back and turned brown or yellow. Keep the area free of weeds and be careful not to over water. It prefers soil high in organic matter, and full sun (eight hours/day minimum). However, the branches of this plant are still referred to as ferns. Harvesting Asparagus Questions and Answers. Cut back the 4 to 6-foot tall foliage, or the ferns as … When Do You Stop Cutting Asparagus? Asparagus plants, both male and female, produce flowers in the early summer after the shoots have turned into tall stalks and leafed-out. Allow the foliage of your asparagus plants to yellow in autumn before cutting it down to soil level for the winter. In no year should you be considering asparagus harvesting for more than 8 weeks from the first cutting or you will weaken your crop for the following year. Fresh asparagus spears can be stored a week or more. Water transplants. Asparagus plants take three years to really fill in and mature, but it's worth the wait. Once cut back you can more soil or … Harvest asparagus by snapping off the green spears at soil level. Summer. In breezy areas, plant rows parallel to the prevailing wind so that plants can support each other. Whichever year you are in you need to cut your asparagus when it reaches about 4-6inches (10-15cm)in length. By the way, you can continue to harvest this way every spring for years, as asparagus plants often live 20 years or more. Cutting Back Asparagus Plants. After harvest, let the plant’s fernlike foliage grow tall. We get so many harvesting asparagus questions to answer that we thought we'd put them all together on one page. Fertilize in spring as growth starts and again in mid-summer after the harvest period.