During April and early May I enjoyed asparagus from an apparently healthy
bed that I planted eight years ago. On May 15, I stopped cutting and left
for a YangXi River Cruise in China. When I returned on June 1, I found my
asparagus had grown to a height of six feet and was totally defoliated.
The stalks were green, but the fern-like limbs were brown. I observed quite
a substantial infestation of a dark colored insect about 1 cm long.
Has my asparagus been struck by a blight or is this the work of the insects
observed? I intend to cut the bed back to the ground, fertilize and see what
happens. Any insights on what happened and what should be done? I live in
Southwest Virginia. The weather while I was gone was apparently pretty wet.
The rest of the gardent did great.