Asparagus beetle

[beverleyParticipant]

Hi,

Can you help? I have a massive infestation of asparagus beetle on my plants.  I have been picking them off and squashing them.  However, as soon as I remove them, a new horde alights.  It is quite bad.

I am about to resort to spraying them.  I am reluctant to do this, but the infestation is so heavy that I fear I may lose future crops if I don’t act soon.

Any thoughts on how to control these pests?

Many thanks,

Beverley

[charlesModerator]

Sorry about this and the only remedy I know is picking and squashing as you have been doing
Are they young plants, not picked and hence already growing into ferns? Otherwise healthy? Is it very dry with you? 

[beverleyParticipant]

HI Charles,

Thanks for your questions.

The plants are mixed – some are healthy fat spears, and others are thin spears that go to ferny stage quite rapidly.  The beetles like them all!  I was planning to stop harvesting and let the crop go to the ferny stage, but am hesitating because of the infestation. (The asparagus bed was planted with crowns about 5 years ago).

We have had ample rain this spring, and I have also been watering the asparagus bed once a week, so it should not be too dry.

Cheers,

[charlesModerator]

Nothing there sounds bad, I should have asked if your soil is in good heart with some compost added in the last year?

[beverleyParticipant]

HI Charles,

The soil should be in good heart.  The bed was well prepared before planting 5 years ago.  Since then, I dress it every autumn after cutting down the ferns with seaweed fertiliser, rock dust, and a liberal dressing of manure. I keep the bed well weeded, and endeavour to keep it well watered.  The soil itself is, I think, London loam(?), so not too heavy and not too light.

I have been practising the no-dig approach for at least 3 years, so my allotment as a whole should be full of healthy “vibes”

[charlesModerator]

All sounds good, which makes infestations of pests all the more frustrating. I think that the mild winter is behind a lot of this year’s pest problems. I hope there is a predator out there for the beetle.

[Author]

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