Why Are My Asparagus Spears So Thin?

Bunch of asparagus

Why Are My Asparagus Spears So Thin?

How can I get my asparagus to grow thicker stems?

Thin asparagus spears can be caused by several things, including the age of your plants, poor soil fertility, lack of moisture or harvesting too heavily. Cutting back the fern-like foliage (leaves) too early can also affect the thickness of next season's spears.

Give Young Asparagus Time to Establish

If your asparagus plants are still young, thin spears are quite normal. Asparagus is a perennial vegetable that can produce for many yers but needs time to develop strong root systems and build up energy reserves in their underground crowns. Avoid harvesting in the first year and only harvest lightly over the next couple of seasons while the plants establish.

Asparagus plants can produce for many years, so the original planting position and soil preparation can have a lasting effect on their growth. They need plenty of sunlight and fertile, free-draining soil with good organic matter. If your asparagus is growing in heavy, poorly drained soil or a shady spot, this could be contributing to the thin spears.

Encouraging Thicker Asparagus Spears

For established asparagus plants, here are a few things that will help:

Improve the soil
Apply Daltons Garden Time™ Compost around your plants to replenish organic matter and help improve soil structure. Avoid digging deeply around the crowns, as this can damage the roots. Also feed with Daltons Ready to Grow Blood and Bone. Avoid digging deeply around the crowns, as this can damage the roots.

Keep up the watering
Asparagus needs consistent moisture, particularly during dry spring and summer weather. A layer of Daltons Premium Mulch and Feed will help retain moisture and keep weeds down.

Don't over-harvest
Established asparagus plants can generally be harvested for around 6-8 weeks in spring. If the spears start becoming noticeably thinner, it's time to stop picking and let the plants recover.

Don't cut back the foliage too early
Once harvesting finishes, allow the remaining spears to develop into tall, fern-like foliage. These ferns use sunlight to produce energy that's stored in the crowns for next spring's crop.

Cutting the ferns back too early can result in thinner spears the following season, which may well be the cause of your problem. Leave the foliage until it naturally yellows and dies back in late autumn or early winter before cutting it back.

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