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| Growing Ferns; How to encourage their growth? | |
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| Topic Started: Aug 8 2014, 05:33 AM (539 Views) | |
| Olive Oil | Aug 8 2014, 05:33 AM Post #1 |
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Gold Star Member
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I've never had good luck growing them (northern shady exposure) with only l or 2 out of 5 purchased coming up. However, this year one of them has really come to life and even has a few babies! The one is huge and beautiful. Is there a way to encourage ferns to grow? I'm keeping them damp. I'd really like them to really spread.. I know they spread underground but can pieces be put in water and rooted? |
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| campy | Aug 8 2014, 09:51 AM Post #2 |
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Handyman Extraordinaire
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My understanding is that ferns are a simple form of plant and reproduce by spores when the plant matures. My father-in-law just used to dig them up in the wild roots and all and transplant them. If the plant matures you will find small ferns all over the place even in your lawn. If you have a wild shady area nearby take a look. Or if someone you know has a cottage have them look. |
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| Trotsky | Aug 8 2014, 02:13 PM Post #3 |
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Big City Boy
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I thought I posted this morning but I guess not: Ferns like it moist and dim. If you've got that, ferns will thrive. If you try sunny and dry you don't stand a chance. |
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| Kahu | Aug 8 2014, 03:10 PM Post #4 |
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Posted Image Plant Care - FERNS Most (but not all) ferns are shade lovers so in general avoid planting in windy conditions and in full sunlit areas (see chart for best plant location spots). Greatest losses we find are due to inadequate watering (or planting in harsh windy and over sunny locations with consequent drying out - they are not cacti!!) In Summer and during any dry period water roots and trunk at least 3 times per week, other times twice per week in the absence of good rainfall, a good deep water is required rather than light sprinkle. Fallacy - you drench ferns from the top and they will always grow! Not always as you can induce crown rot with too much water poured over the top, a light top watering is recommended. Soil conditions - ferns are pretty hardy and generally quite shallow rooting but best soil type is free draining and compost enriched. Some ferns will handle clay soils ok though. Good idea is to put a mulch around the roots to keep soil cool and retain moisture - think of what the forest floor looks like! Fertilising - once per year a light side dressing with a slow release fertiliser (e.g Osmocote 8-9 month release) is a good idea. DO NOT use fertilisers that will burn roots - e.g Nitrofoska Blue. Planting depth - work on depth of pot or bag you buy the fern in. Pests - generally ferns are quite pest resistant but some ground ferns e.g Hen and chicken fern (Asplenium bulbiferum) can attract aphids and some others (e,g Polystichum vestitum) can get thrip - if sighted spray (use at lowest of recommended rate) with insecticide. Snails like most aspleniums so snail bait now and then will help especially for ferns in Spring with new fronds. Source Link |
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| angora | Aug 9 2014, 01:52 AM Post #5 |
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WWS Book Club Coordinator
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Maybe Im wrong but I though that ferns grew straight from the ground and bracken grow on stems. The picture looks like things on stems. Maybe its the other way round. In any event, we grow the things I call ferns with ease, we grow them under our trees and under our cedar hedge and pretty well anywhere out of the sunlight. Anywhere they sprout, we just lift them and move them to deep shade and the grow like sin. We just have the right stuff, I guess. |
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| Olive Oil | Aug 9 2014, 04:23 AM Post #6 |
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Gold Star Member
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Thanks all. I have mine in the front North facing flower beds along the front of the house. Perhaps I haven't been watering them enough. I have them combined with various types of hostas, a few cedar bushes, and some shade loving plants. Maybe I didn't plant them correctly. Good to know Angora that they can be scooped up and replanted. Some of the babies are crowded by other plants. My back flower beds are a disgrace since the lily beetle scourge but I love the front ones. |
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| imjene | Aug 9 2014, 06:07 AM Post #7 |
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Gold Star Member
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Our property had ferns growing when we bought it and they have spread. I have always wondered if you could transplant them to get them to grow where you want them? Most of ours are one the east side of the house, but protected by trees and shrubs. They do get a bit of sun early afternoon and then the house shades them for the rest of the day. I do very little for their maintance, but give them a drink when the ground appears dry. Sometimes I give them an over all spraying with the hose. |
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| Trotsky | Aug 9 2014, 09:15 AM Post #8 |
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Big City Boy
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They are among the most difficult plants to successfully transplant. We have a narrow edge garden along the NNW side of the building surrounded by other high rise buildings. During Summer perhaps 20 minutes a day the late afternoon Sun sneaks down the street to give a glimpse of light to the mini-garden. Of course, we must settle for greens and the only bloomers are a single white viburnum in Spring and then late Summer the Hostas bloom. Otherwise all green. Ferns love it...as does Holly.
Edited by Trotsky, Aug 9 2014, 09:54 AM.
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| imjene | Aug 9 2014, 10:58 AM Post #9 |
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Gold Star Member
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Beautiful oasis in the cement jungle! I have some of the same hostas among my ferns. |
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| Olive Oil | Aug 9 2014, 04:13 PM Post #10 |
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Gold Star Member
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Lovely Trotsky. I have a serious case of Fern Envy. |
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| Kahu | Aug 9 2014, 04:24 PM Post #11 |
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The ferns at my back door are higher than the house. The second picture shows ferns which are approx 10 m high ... in sheltered valleys some ferns can reach 20 m high. The third picture shows a glimpse of a bush gully in a local park, there's an old wooden water wheel from an early flour mill still turning.
Edited by Kahu, Aug 9 2014, 04:29 PM.
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| Olive Oil | Aug 10 2014, 03:12 AM Post #12 |
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Gold Star Member
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I had no idea ferns could grow to such heights! Amazing and beautiful. My single fern (not counting its babies) is about 40" high and one of the tallest I've seen in our neighborhood. |
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| erka | Aug 10 2014, 05:56 AM Post #13 |
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Gold Star Member
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Olive Oil: yesterday, I went to the side of the house and the ferns have volunteered and taken over. wish I can mail you some. Trotsky: beautiful garden - garden of foliage can be very interesing - I think of Johnny Cash's "40 Shades of Green". Kahu: Is the 2nd picture of your garden? It is lovely. |
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| Olive Oil | Aug 10 2014, 09:24 AM Post #14 |
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Gold Star Member
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I have Snow on the Mountain (Bishop's Weed) on the side of the house. I know everyone gets paranoid about it spreading but it's fine if you keep it away from flower beds. However, mine is mutating to a solid green leaf which is rather ugly. I keep pulling it up to encourage the prettier white and green which are getting sparse. I love the smell. I would buy a perfume in that scent! |
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| Kahu | Aug 10 2014, 09:58 AM Post #15 |
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No, I wish ... It's part of Pukeiti Park on the slopes of Taranaki ... one of the Rhodendron and Camelia capitals of the world. Taranaki Rhododendron Festival Mount Taranaki is the symbol of the Taranaki Rhododendron & Garden Festival. The Taranaki region has one of the most diverse garden environments in the world with a climate ranging from sub-tropical on the coastal areas to rainforest surrounding Mount Taranaki and alpine conditions on the mountain’s upper slopes. Gardens featuring in the festival reflect the diverse climate, as well as a wide range of tastes from the space-efficient, urban chic of city gardens to spacious, more traditional rural gardens covering up to 15 acres. Soil is an added factor in creating Taranaki’s unique gardens. Mt Taranaki, in the heart of the region, is a dormant volcano that’s responsible for the rich volcanic soil, which with the region’s warm temperatures and good rainfall ensures that vegetation flourishes. Posted Image Remind you of anywhere? |
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