Hi Tui, we have a great crop of asparagus each year from our small plot of around 15 crowns. The problem is that the fronds, after we stop picking, grow tall and smother other potential beds from producing other crops. As you will see in the photos attached. I realise that they have a special place in nurturing the crowns for next year. We seldom have frosts in Mapua that might spell an end to the fronds and signal that they are ready for cutting down. In the meantime is there any way we can trim them down to about a metre in height and straighten the sides rather like a hedge before we cut in later winter even though the fronds have not died down. Thank you

Hi Paddy, that is an impressive crop of asparagus. You can reduce the foliage a little, maybe by one third or to a metre in height, but understand that it is the food source for your crowns next season. Alternatively, you could bend the fern fronds over, without removing the foliage, and tie them in bunches out of the way, this will allow them to die down naturally and then they can be removed. The Tui Team.