I planted asparagus last fall in zone 6b, still nothing…did they die?

https://www.reddit.com/r/Permaculture/comments/1fjysfc/first_time_planting_asparagus_already_growing/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=mweb3x&utm_name=mweb3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button

This was the original post. It’s now end of April and no shoots are coming up. Concerned that they may have died. Is there a way to check? If they did then I will reuse the bed for something else although quite sad as I was hoping for a nice and dedicated asparagus bed.