I just moved from PA to OH, and did not get a chance to bring many plants with me. I would like to find a start of this fern. I had some when I was back there and now find that I have a good place for one here. I will be able to get back to the old house, but not until late May, and not sure how well the fern will transplant once it is that warm. If anyone has some of these and would be able to share for postage, or a future plant trade (check my list, it needs a bit of updating, but I should be able to get most of what is on there when I go back in May), please let me know. Thank you so much in advance. Gerry

I have some beautiful ostrich ferns I would like to trade for lady's slipper, or other items on my Trade List.

I was surprised when I read your subject line, because while my cinnamon ferns are quite large, they are also quite orderly and make good neighbors with other plants which like the same conditions. As your second posting made clear, Ostrich ferns are another matter. LOL. I have a large patch of them which actually started out quite slowly, but has now taken off and needs quite of bit of care to keep under control. I doubt that the pound-in plastic barrier (which I have used quite a bit of in various spots) would work. I think the plants would just pop up on the other side of it. I would suggest that you remove about half of the Ostrich ferns, if you wish to add other plants to the area. Don't interplant the established ferns with new plants. The new plants will be overrun and the ferns will be hard to remove without injuring/stepping on the new ones. Leave a clear line of demarcation between the ferns and the other plants approximately two feet wide - think in terms of a curving small (hidden) pathway between the planting areas. Guard the line and do not let the ferns intrude on it. Your plant selections sound good to me. Just to give you some ideas, in my garden the fairly short ostrich ferns kind of trail around the FRONT edges of a variegated planting of moisture loving shrubs and large grasses. Other perennials in the area (acting as a sort of stepdown from the shrubs) include several large clumps of astilbe (unknown pale purple variety), 3 Carex Bowles Golden (2-3 foot grassy sedge), a large cluster of Trollius Lemon Queen, & a large clump of Lysimachia Alexander (green & cream variegated folliage with yellow flowers). Tucked in near the front here and there are some candelabra type primula (small plants with tall flowers in early spring).

I've moved painted ferns at different times of the year and in some cases they split apart on their own. All parts survived and prosper. I don't have any maidenhair ferns growing now. Tried once, drowned it and never bought again. I should try it again. Re: Cyrtomium. I've read somewhere that they are easy from seeds indoor. Maybe instead of dividing it you want to try it from seeds which holly ferns produce in abundance. Just a thought.