Your string is awesome. :) I started Guelph Millennium from seed in 2004 (if memory serves) and have a bed of two dozen here myself. Wonderful, wonderful asparagus variety. Our patch is completely neglected a still produces thumb-thick spears for a good six weeks and ferns taller than my six-foot hubby. The last three or four years, we've been having the same issue with something eating the sides of the top of the shoots, causing them to curl. What's different in our case is that the nibble seems to be happening *before* the spear breaks the soil level. Because of that, my suspects are either asparagus beetle larvae or cutworms. I've been over to my local greenhouse here in town and to Early's in the city and both places have recommended Sevin. I'm not comfortable using something that indescriminate, though, so I'm still in wait-and-see mode. Last year was the worst year yet (over half the spears had damage), which is why I was looking into control measures. This year, though, there were only a handful here and there. I wonder if the seemingly never-ending winter thinned out some of the pests. Roughly what percentage of your spears are being damaged? Are you able to wait it out and see if this is something long-term or short-term or is the damage too much? A mistake I learned I'd been making was using the ferns themselves as winter mulch (seemed simplest just to tuck them over where they lay). Apparently that provides ideal habitat for asparagus beetles to overwinter. I'll be doing away with them this fall and using straw instead. Hopefully that will improve the situation next year. We'll see.

How marigolds are pest unfriendly Marigolds’ greatest claim to pest control fame is their effect, documented in numerous studies, on nematodes, which are a kind of worm that in some cases is destructive to plants. Featured Video A Sikh man dresses as a superhero to challenge what it means to be American (3:41) Most Read Life Stories Food & Wine declares Washington state's best barbecue spot They don’t own homes. They don’t have kids. Why millennials are plant addicts U.S. News & World Report ranks Alaska Airlines’ Mileage Plan as the nation’s best airline rewards program In a rapidly growing state, La Conner's pace of change is just right VIEW Cult-favorite bakery Milk Bar is coming to Seattle — for a day Like other members of the daisy family, marigolds also do their share in feeding nectar to beneficial insects, such as syrphid flies, who prey on aphids and other insects that attack garden plants. Members of the daisy family do not yield nearly as much nectar as flowers of the parsley family — dill, for instance — but daisy family flowers keep the nectar flowing longer. Other beneficial effects of marigolds are less dramatic or useful. They have been shown to have some slight effect in repelling cabbage worms from cabbage and their kin. And some marigolds, especially a variety called Stinking Roger, repel flies, except that the flies are the kind that bother cows and other domestic animals, not plants. Read and listen to claims made for marigolds, and you also could press it into service as a fungus killer, an insect killer, even a selective weed killer. Weigh pros and cons Hold on a second, however, before you blanket your garden in marigolds. Some of these claims have been blown out of proportion. Those marigolds that helped repel cabbage worms: They also stole water and nutrients from nearby cabbages. So which is better? Stunted cabbages, or those with some leaves lacy from caterpillar feeding? Marigolds, especially the Gem varieties, also are a favorite food of slimy slugs and Japanese beetles. As such, they have been used to stop Japanese beetle damage — by attracting the beetles away from other garden plants. Of course, such schemes commonly backfire by attracting more pests to the area than would have been there otherwise. And now, for some marigold reality If you really want their pest-controlling benefits, blanket your garden with oodles of marigolds. British studies showed that African marigolds killed weeds such as ground ivy and bindweed, but the marigolds were planted densely and early in the season, then allowed to grow 5 feet tall. Might not any tall, dense growth do the same? Similarly, marigolds suppress nematodes only when the marigolds are grown as a cover crop, that is, planted thickly and allowed to grow for many weeks. To sum up, marigolds seem to have little actual benefit in suppressing disease and above ground insect pests, except perhaps to woo certain insects away from other plants. Be wary of such claims as, “I planted marigolds in my bean patch and did not have any beetles to speak of, while my neighbor’s bean plants were devoured by Mexican bean beetles.” Was this gardener growing the same bean variety as the neighbor? Were soil conditions the same? Did he or she perhaps forget about the insecticide also applied? It happens. Below ground, marigolds do have some benefit — on nematodes, at least. However, you have to plant masses of marigolds to get this benefit and anyway, not every garden has nematode problems. So why are those marigolds in my vegetable beds? ‘Cause they look pretty. LEE REICH

Floating row covers can provide early protection and there are baits that contain "Nosema locustae" that can help.

All grasshoppers seem to be a scourge at times, this has been discussed elesewhere occasionally. Unless you are into spraying Carbaryl (spelling?) only seems to work on small ones and then its maybe not something you would want to use. Many people agreed that if you are not squeamish the best thing is just to go out early, water if you can, brush plants, cause the hoppers to hop, grab and toss into a bucket of boiling water or step on them. They are slower moving early in the morning. Also read something recently (but cannot find the link) about a white flour paste spray that will glug up insects making it easier to find and remove them and it will hose off. Sprays made with chilli and garlic may work (use a search engine you will find lots of recipes).