What's ailing my asparagus?

[Beerd]

Any ideas?

[Ateam]

Frost or cold weather when they were just sprouting.

[GhostHawk]

Anyone spraying weed killer in the area? I'm just an ol farm boy but that looks like 2,4-D to me.

[mattw]

Yup, looks like 2,4-D to me as well. It will drift a good ways and still do damage, but the residual smell is a dead give away.

[Beerd]

I don't know of any herbicide being used nearby and other plants were not affected, that's iris & daffodil in the background +/-1' away.
..

[mattw]

I have found asparagus and grapes are extremely sensitive to over spray. I lost some one off blush grapes years ago after 2,4-D was applied to a field by air that was almost 1 mile away. It could be frost, but given the nature of the plants around it, I would doubt it. I currently have around 15 established clumps in 3 locations just incase something like this happens.

[Tripplebeards]

Looks like the big one is picking on the little one. Maybe you should have a talk and tell them to get along?

[Hannibal]

I had the same thing happen in my asparagus bed. Seemed to be confined to the same one or two plants and it would happen year after year.I never figured out why.

[DougGuy]

It looks iron poor. I give mine the treatment in an iron skillet with a little evoo and rosemary/garlic and a dash of salt and boy they sure are delicious!!

[farmerjim]

2-4,D does not harm asparagus. It is listed in my herbicide handbook for use on broadleaf weeds in asparagus. I have used it on mine with no damage. The list of herbicides that can be used in asparagus without damage is long. I have seen mine like that after a late frost, or Roundup drift.

[Hickory]

I had the same thing happen in my asparagus bed. Seemed to be confined to the same one or two plants and it would happen year after year.I never figured out why.

Same here. I have two spears come up in the same area every year and they are miss shaped. Took them to the county extension agent and he was as curious as I was, so for a slight fee, he sent them off for evaluation.
As it turned out, there was a genetic defect in the plant.

[Tripplebeards]

On the serious side we have had a lot of rain here and I had one or two do the same. I believe it was more due to the cold mornings causing the wilting look. My current growth hasn’t done it but my first ones to pop out a few looked like yours.

[Froogal]

We have 2 asparagus patches. One is in a fence row right next to a corn/soybean field. We occasionally find a sprout that is curled over like in the picture, but very few. Both patches have been feeding us quite well this year. Twice a year I apply a very generous amount of 12-12-12 yard and garden fertilizer, and lots of salt to control the grass and weeds.

[Pete44mag]

Looks like they might need some via***.

[1911sw45]

Take some to your county extension office to have them give you a diagnosis. Might take a week or so to get the results back. Our don't charge for the service.

[Geezer in NH]

they need garlic and butter! Cold year here and they do that. Ain't no roundup used for miles where we are.