[captainhastings]

Hi I have taken on a second plot tonight and it  has an over raised bed of asparagus which has gone to seed. Full of a big weeds and grass. So how do I rejuvenate it all ? I guess weed the bed as best I can then maybe some manure ?
As for the raspberry just cut them all down to ground level ? and as for the currant bushes no idea
asparagus has been on my list to plant but maybe now I can avoid waiting 3 years for any produce
Any tips welcome
Thank you

[gobs]

Yes, definitely restore these beds and plants to glory at no expense.  There is such a thing as a daisy grabber, an excellent close and deep weeding tool, a good one will take you to glory with the asparagus bed. If soil is dry, water for weeding. A few quid one will set you back, they are worth it in my view.

Depending, what the soil is like, they might be happy with manure, make sure it's well rotted, especially with the ongoing pesticide problem. You do not want to ruin an established bed of a decades producing crop.

Let the foliage die down naturally, it's OK for this reason if they seed - you only harvest for a couple of months in spring, early summer - cut them down when dry and yellow, to about an inch proud of soil level.

Raspb. : no, you only cut down dead brunches - these are brittle by now -, the new ones shall produce your fruit next year. Also manure.

Currants: depends, which one. Black c, most commonly grown in the UK are pruned very differently to others and I'm not much of an expert on, someone else might advise you on this. However, all c-s also will benefit from manuring for the winter - do this for all after the ground is soaked by autumn rains - , they are pruned in the dormant winter season. Best to look in a book with pictures, otherwise one is just talking pointlessly. You need to see what you are doing.

[captainhastings]

Let the foliage die down naturally, it's OK for this reason if they seed - you only harvest for a couple of months in spring, early summer - cut them down when dry and yellow, to about an inch proud of soil level.

Thank you for some great information but can i clarify the bit above so I don't cock it up
So as they have gone to seed I leave them be then harvest until early summer then cut down when dry and yellow ?

[Sparkyrog]

you normally only harvest asparagus till mid june  they do like seaweed !

[captainhastings]

you normally only harvest asparagus till mid june  they do like seaweed !

Ok thank you I will collect some sea weed when I next go fishing

[Kristen]

For the raspberries cut down any canes that you can see the remnants of the fruit stalks on - i.e. cut down any cane that had fruit this year. 

If they are a Summer fruiting variety that will leave the young canes to provide fruit next year, whereas if they are Autumn fruiting variety you will find that all canes have carried fruit and will be cut down (as Autumn fruiting varieties make new canes that bear fruit all in one season)

[gobs]

Let the foliage die down naturally, it's OK for this reason if they seed - you only harvest for a couple of months in spring, early summer - cut them down when dry and yellow, to about an inch proud of soil level.

Thank you for some great information but can i clarify the bit above so I don't cock it up
So as they have gone to seed I leave them be then harvest until early summer then cut down when dry and yellow ?

They are dormant in the winter. They start into growth early in spring - might need your slug device -, you harvest young spears May-June time most places and then leave alone to recover. And let do whatever it likes rest of the season. Cut down dead foliage in autumn.

[captainhastings]

I cleaned around the asparagus as best I can so they are a bit tidier. The ground is quick solid in the bed though but I will try and get some more weed roots out after this rain.
Bit more worried about the raspberry canes. They were pretty over grown with the odd green cane. But all the dead canes seem to have dead roots and pull out the ground very easy so maybe they have had it unfortunately 

[gobs]

That's normal. Raspberries only produce for a year, only new green canes will bear fruit next year.

[captainhastings]

That's normal. Raspberries only produce for a year, only new green canes will bear fruit next year.

So if I pull a cane out with a dead root you think they maybe a live root also in there ? They have been well smothered with weeds. I will try and a get a picture at the weekend

[gobs]

Yes, they grow new shoots every year and the old guys die.

[allotmentann]

I wouldn't pull the dead canes as you don't want to pull up root. You need to cut them to the ground. If you pull up all the dead canes on an autumn raspberry you will remove the whole plant.

[captainhastings]

I wouldn't pull the dead canes as you don't want to pull up root. You need to cut them to the ground. If you pull up all the dead canes on an autumn raspberry you will remove the whole plant.

Ok thank you I wasnt pulling them up just when I weeded round them they pretty much feel out which leads me to beleave they are mostly dead

[gobs]

They were, I wouldn't wonder about this. The raspberry that breaks is dead, anyway. It needs a special effort to kill these sprouting bramble like things.