Only asparagus? Asparagus beetles but you'd see them. Otherwise the possibilities are numerous - mice, rats, rabbits (my main problem), squirrels, groundhogs, gophers, even feral cats will eat them and they all love the tips especially. Dave PS: oh and deer too but mine eat parts of the stalks too.

My sympathies...that's a lotta work. I had to go to Colorado Springs a few years ago (from PA), and a week's neglect can produce a pretty nasty welcome home. To answer your question, I would move your "controls" back from the 'gus bed....at least 6 inches MORE on both sides. You need all the growth you can muster this season, and you never know where the next spear will try to appear. Best wishes! Hal in PA

Janet definitely knows what she's talking about :) I planted & grew asaparagus quite a few years ago. The patch always did very well while under my care for many years. I used to sprinkle salt on the patch every year - heard that it helped keep the weeds down & the asparagus liked it. It sure didn't seem to hurt it!!! Anyway, after divorcing, the ex did not take care of it too well and mowed it down all the time, so the patch basically no longer exists. There's still some spindley stuff that comes up, but nothing worth cutting. Boy was that some good eating, though :~) Funny thing, but everytime I would cut it, my Beagle would walk along with me & eat the scraps (the tough ends I would snip off as I cut). Who would think that a dog would like raw asparagus!!! But then Beagles like many veggies - she also liked green beans, cucumbers & sweet corn straight from the garden. She picked her own sweet corn - she'd walk down the row & smell each ear until she found the one she wanted. Then she'd take it into the yard and holding it with her front paws, she'd shuck it with her teeth. Then she'd start eating & she could clean that cob off better than any person - wouldn't leave one single kernel :) Back to the subject, I'd say your asparagus just needs a little TLC. Tammy

In my view, your asparagus bed will get crowded in something that small, so be careful. Soon that bed will be all asparagus (not a bad thing!) and wanting more room. Asparagus likes deeper soil than 12", so you may want to dig down maybe 10-20cm before your weed fabric gets laid down, plenty of manure, you don't need vermiculite. The bottom line is asparagus grows all over, extensively, and boxes restrict its growth. Dan