Asparagus problems - expert advice needed please

Hi fellow gardeners.

I recently took delivery of 20 asparagus crowns but because it has been so cold I have not been planted them out.  I soaked the roots a couple of days ago and returned them to their delivery bags. I looked at them again today and they have all started sprouting. Some of the spears are 6 inches long! 

Should I remove these spears and plant the crowns as normal or are these crowns doomed?  If they have gone past their best then there is no point in planting them out just for them to fail? 

I live in Cornwall and it has been warmer today (no frost) so hope to plant out soon. All advice will be most welcome and thank you for your time.

kind regards
Steve

Nothing to worry about as you can't harvest anything this year anyway. The plant knows it's time to grow and nothing will stop it so just try not to snap off the growing tips.  The first year growth is sort of fern-like as the plant develops its roots and feeds itself. Year 3 is when you can start harvesting a bit. To ensure long life, make sure the crowns sit on a mound of sand for drainage. Rotting is the primary cause of death for asparagus.

Welcome to the allotment world.
What part of Cornwall are you ?  I am at St Just in Penwith and my allotment diary is called First & Last.