Planto.. I don't know your MIL's age, but it's ironic how, well, let's say, 'grandma's, etc,' grow plants without fussing, yet they're greens do wonderful. Have you noticed? My grandmother grew an AV in a ceramic pot, w/o drainage, several feet from an obstructed, curtained window, yet AV lived for years, and bloomed, too.. She watered whenever, and never fertilized. My friend's mother grew various plants, including CC/TC in butter containers w/o drainage. They did fantastic, flowered during the holidays. Some of her plants, especially CC/TC were kept in a cold, unheated porch, that faced north. Your MIL has a gift..maybe one day she'll pass her secret to you... :) When you say ferns, do you mean Ming/Foxtail or true ferns? Hardy ferns here in IL die back, but pop up in spring..They prefer cooler temps but once temps dip in the 30's, stems and fronds die back. Planto, I'm not sure where you're located, only that you live in z8. Sorry, bad memory.. :) FPT..do you have a cool room? When Ming/Foxtail are brought inside, they're placed in a back room which happens to be cool/cold, especially nightime. If enough water is given, very few fronds fall. Windows face south and east but light is low. They're set under/near a 6' flourescent light. No full sun, heck, hardly any. Problem is, now that they've been out in the cold so long, frond drop is inevitable. I should KNOW better, but they were and are still healthy and green. Once they come in though................. My friend, the same friend who's mother grew CC/TC in butter containers, had a huge, 6' plus, Asparagus Fern hanging before a south window..Her AF was amazing.. Alongside the window was a huge radiator...steam radiators are so much better than vents or space heaters. The air doesn't dry as much. Wish our house was heated with radiators instead of vents. What type of heating source do you have? You can cut back fronds, or place a piece of paper beneath, until your Af adapts??? Do you plan on placing your AF in a hanging basket? Wonder if your neighbor is sorry he/she gave your his/her AF..lol. Especially since you got it to flower and berry.. Are berries green or red? So, what will you do? Bring inside? Cut stems? BTW...don't know if you can see the saucers, but they're much larger than containers. When fronds drop, most, 'not all,' land in the saucers which is preferable to the carpet.

I agree - it will probably grow again from the crown. If so place a wire basket upside down over it to stop new damage - it will soon be covered by the new growth. I will soon have seed from my "foxtail" for a ssae so if you want some email me for details.

Here in south Texas we can plant these in the ground and they come back every spring. They enjoy extreme heat and can tolerate drought. From the pics, I would say yours wants much more sunlight and time to dry out between watering. Don't water until a chopstick/skewer shoved all the way down to the bottom of the pot comes out mostly dry. You may want to investigate supplemental light if you don't have a window you can put it closer to.

I'm in 9a and have one bed of foxtail ferns that I planted about 14 years ago. Three years ago I planted 3 more in another area. As you're aware, this past winter was a bit colder than usual. Some foxtail stems were affected (or maybe they were just "old"). Whatever the reason, I cut them out and the bed still looked full and remained evergreen. I do find occasional self-seeded plants coming up in the area but my soil is sandy so it's easy to just pull them up.