Cutting back asparagus

[ghostbreeder]

I have an Asparagus bed that I've grown from seed. Coming up to see it's second winter I am already looking forward to my first harvest next spring, however...
My understanding is that I'm supposed to cut the ferns back when they start to yellow. I reckon this was obvious by mid October last year but the blessed things are still green and vigorous. Should I cut now or should I hold on a while longer (I don't want them to end up like the pesky asparagus fern that creeps languidly around my bathroom)

[BertieFox]

The main reason to cut back is to somehow deter the asparagus beetle which eats the foliage and in worse case scenarios will kill the plant, or severely weaken it. If you don't have any beetle then you don't really need to bother and can leave the asparagus to die down in late autumn, and only then cut off the dead shoots to keep everything tidy. That way all the 'goodness' in the plant will be taken down into the roots as the foliage dies back.
Here in France I notice that none of the commercial growers seem to bother, but all they do is turn up in late winter to pull up the soil around the plants and then cover them with black polythene (the French believe asparagus should be 'blanched' and pure white.... but to us it is either tasteless or bitter, compared to green or purple asparagus).
In your case I would leave your plants until late November and then clean off the foliage and put it on the compost heap. Cover your plants with a deep mulch of well rotted manure at least six inches deep, and then wait for the first delicious harvest next spring. Don't take too many shoots in the first year of harvesting to avoid weakening the plants. Enjoy!
p.s. We are hoping to take our first crop of purple seed grown asparagus next spring too. We harvested some (too early really) this year, but it had a fantastic taste.

[Shortie]

Oh thanks for this thread, I've inheritied some asparagus and I know nothing about the plants but was also surprised that the foliage is lovely and healthy. So, it sounds like I need to cut mine back in late November (if it remains healthy) and mulch the plants. Thanks!

[Glutton4...]

My Folks have Asparagus, and although it's at the opposite end, age-wise (about 10 years old, I think) it is still green and healthy. It doesn't usually, in my experience, yellow off until at least mid November.

[pigletwillie]

Mine too is green and quite verdent so will not be cut back until itsdied back. I thankfully have no asparagus beetle so can leave it.

As BertieFox says, do give a good deep mulch and if you feel inclined add a small sprinkle of slow release fertiliser such as blood fish and bone or the like.

[The Large One]

got me worried now
mine was about 5-6 feet high and all over the place so cut it back last week

[BarleySugar]

Last year mine threw some new shoots at the beginning of Oct, whereas it was yellowing at the same time this year. I cut mine back so I could get at the creeping buttercups that had 'crept in'. I've got some seedlings I bought from Wisley earlier this year and potted into individual pots. The ferns have died back on those too, so I suppose it just depends on the variety and location.