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Fern propagation

18 years ago

Hi,

We have native New York and Maidenhair ferns in the wooded areas on our property. Over the past 8 years the ferns basically occupy the same plots, not expanding their turf. I would like to be able to encourage the ferns to spread their spores far and wide, or to grow more prolifically in some areas. Is this possible?

Thanks,

Bill

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Comments (8)

petzold6596
17 years ago
Root division is best during late fall/early winter. Make sure the new area has the same environmental conditions, soil type, soil moist, light intensity, etc., so you have the best success.
willyrok
Original Author
17 years ago
That sounds a lot easier than what I have been reading about propagating spores. And late Fall is not far away. Thanks for the advice.
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So far I've got 2 Autumn Ferns, 2 Japanese Painted ferns, 2 Ostrich, 1 Northern Maidenhair, 1 Eastern Wood Fern/Marginal Fern, and I think I'd better knock off the fern acquistions as summer is setting in. I don't expect any of these to reach their full height potential, since the garden area is underlaid by a concrete slab of some sort, so there's about 4-8 inches of soil in most places. To compensate, I've been mulching very thickly with shredded wood mulch. The soil, what there is of it, is kind of clayey and spongy, but it seems to retain moisture pretty well and has a decent worm population, so I'm hopeful that if I continue to lay down layers of mulch it will build up its organic matter and continue to retain moisture well as we get into the hotter months. Also potentially concerning is the amount of wind that comes through the space - you wouldn't think it, since this little patio is between two solid rows of three-story row houses to north and south, but apparently the east-west winds enjoy the wind tunnel and come through on a regular basis. The fern fronds flap in the wind pretty often, so I guess I'll see which ones do OK despite this. The ferns I like best so far are the autumn ferns; they look nice almost right away, the fronds are a nice triangular shape and the new fronds are such a pretty color. The ostriches are getting established and continue to unfurl new fronds. I expect them to do well and to spread without too much encouragement. The Marginal fern put on four fronds (and lost a fifth to my clumsy pruners - whoops) and then stopped for the moment - it looks OK, though the fronds are on the thin side. The Maidenhair has put out two small, pale, spindly fronds and hasn't managed any more yet. The painted ferns are also slow to establish.
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gamekeeper
17 years ago
We have had great success transplanting ferns at my home it is an ongoing thing as I keep finding places where nothing else does well and they thrive.I would start right away and give them a chance to take hold with the early fall rain.
Peter
waplummer
17 years ago
it is strange that they have not expanded their turf. Both maidenhair and New York fern normally increase by stolons. When you separate them for transplanting you should improve the location they are presently growing.
Lynda Waldrep
17 years ago
Maybe your area has too much mulch for them to reproduce via spores? I find my "babies" in paths and other areas in which the ground is fairly clean, i.e., the spores have a place to start. Then I can move them after they get to some size. I have also found new ferns in containers from my winter sowing! Guess the spores just blew in there, and since, in those particular containers, nothing came up, they just volunteered. Bad news: your seeds did not germinate; good news: the fern spores found a nice, moist place to grow!

PS: I have grown ferns from spores in my basement, which proved interesting but was too much work for me. I prefer cleaning a small area of moist soil and putting the spores there...much better results in the long run for me.
petzold6596
17 years ago
Simple way to germinate spores. Take a Mickey D's ice cream cup with top, empty the contents using a spoon, clean very well, get one of those peat moss wafers and hydrate it. Place the hydrated plug in the inverted lid, place some spores on top of the plug, place the bottom on the top and place the 'mini greenhouse' in a corner of your kitchen counter. No light required, only moist soil and warmth. Have fun!!!
pseudacris_crucifer
17 years ago
Ferns all have two growth forms: spores grow into thumbnail-size (or smaller) inconspicuous haploid plants which produce the big, leafy ferns we recognize, which then produce spores.

My college professor told me that an enterprising student went out into the woods and collected all the haploid ferns he could find. He put them in the greenhouse to grow into diploid plants to see if the abundance of haploids was similar to the abundance of diploids. Why wouldn't they be?

Some of the ferns grew into familiar local Michigan ferns. But many grew into exotic ferns from all over the world, even tree ferns from tropical rainforests. Apparently the spores travel worldwide and the haploid will grow in any somewhat moist climate. However only the local ferns can successfully survive to the showy diploid stage.

Here is a link that might be useful: Picture of haploid
evonnestoryteller
17 years ago
That is pretty amazing!

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