Growing Flowers, Fruits & Veggies

Hello!  I am hoping someone can help me out with my asparagus.  DH and I planted our asparagus this summer.  I was told by the nursery to let them grow all summer and "fern out".  The plants have been growing great and now we are in fall (we are in NY state) and I'm not sure what to do next.  Right now they are tall with "ferns" (some up to 5 feet).  Do I leave the plants alone?  Do the "ferns" yellow out and then get cut back?  I'm not getting any help searching the internet so I thought I'd ask here.  Thanks in advance!

There are a couple schools of thought on fall asparagus care.

This is what we did last year per our county extension agent --

Just before your first expected frost, mound the plants with shredded leaves, compost, hay or straw to protect the crowns. Do NOT cut them back at this time.

In the early part of spring, remove the dead foliage by cutting them just above soil level. Apply an all-purpose granular fertilizer, preferably 10-10-10, around the crowns to help promote new growth.

Assuming the plants are at least three years old, you should then get excellent growth and a good harvest next summer.

The second school of thought is --

After the first frost in winter or when the foliage browns off, cut off the old tops about 7.5 cm from the soil surface. Apply a generous dressing of compost and well-rotted manure to feed the bed for its spring flush of growth. Then top with a thick hay mulch.