When I bought this group (have about 5 bought 3 years ago, and 3 little tiny ones bought just last year), I saw 2 different tags. The "crested" ones were supposed to be taller, so those are the ones that I put at the back. 3 years later I can't tell a difference, except that the "crested" ones have little projections, like horns, at the tips of the fronds. The fronds taper to a tip, then there are 4 or so of these feathery projections. Pretty and a little exotic looking. When I realized how short these were going to be, I put the new ones bought last year way up front. But they do get some morning sun there on one side. One edge of this bed gets a few hours in the morning, then shade afterward. They look even smaller now than when I bought them, mid-summer last year. Seem healthy though. But it is early yet; they were so slow to emerge I thought I'd lost them. How will I know if it is too sunny for them? Will they get crispy-edged? I love plants that tell you they are unhappy before they die! The older crested ones are going to an all-shady spot. And another question: the spot next to the house stays a little moister, as it never gets full sun and is sheltered from wind. Will the new astilbe like it there? Besides the too-short ferns that I am moving there is (staying there) a cimicifuga and a bleeding heart, both doing very well.

At that size, they should be rather easily divided, If you are uncertain about some of them, lift the whole group and place in a pot with well drained mix. Keep all of the transplants moist until they are fully recovered. Once they have become established, you can add fertilizer to hasten their growth. A commercial fern grower that I know, recommends a slow release formulation of 3-1-2, such as 12-4-8, 18-6-12, etc. The JPF is probably the most prolific sporeling producer of any of the popular garden grown ferns. They have completely taken over the loose rock borders around the raised beds where they were growing in my garden. I frequently find them growing in the lawn while mowing. If the color looks promising, I just lift them, along with a plug of soil, with a trowel and plant them elsewhere. You will evenually have plants that look like, or better, than any of the fancy named cultivars being sold for premium prices. Good luck! Rb

hi novice_2009, Basically when you're growing anything in your garden, your trying to re-create the conditions that plants would thrive in when they're naturally growing in the wild. The two ferns you have that are native to Asia (Autumn fern and Japanese Painted fern) and your U.S. native fern (Ostrich fern) all prefer a neutral to slightly acidic soil in nature, so yes, it may be your alkaline soil in the spot next to your foundation that is affecting your ferns. If you have an overhang on your roof, your ferns may also not be getting as much natural moisture from rain as they would get in the wild. Generally on a typical house with a peaked roof, the roof hangs over the edge at least by six inches to even a foot or so. Unless you stand pressed against your house and look straight up to see just how far your roof overhang is, you may not be aware just how little rain is reaching an area close to the house's foundation. You have a couple of options open to you to deal with this problem. You could try amending the soil near your foundation where these ferns are growing with peat and compost. This could temporarily help to correct the PH of your soil to a more neutral or acid PH. However, it's debatable how long the correction will last, because any moisture that comes in contact with your foundation could turn alkaline and creep into the soil, sending the soil back to alkaline again. Your "fern spot" could become a high-maintenance area, and it sounds like you are looking for plants that are easy to care for. Or, you could just plant these ferns in another shady spot in your garden that has more neutral or acid soil, and try a fern-like plant that tolerates alkaline soil, such as an Ebony spleenwort (Asplenium platyneuron) instead. Eastern red columbine (Aquilegia canadensis) or Wild stonecrop (Sedum ternatum) may also tolerate your alkaline soil conditions and partial shade. Just be sure to give anything you plant in this spot supplemental watering if natural rain is not reaching this area well enough. There are many other plants that tolerate alkaline soil, but most of these are native to Texas, so I don't know much about them. Hope this helps.

Posted by Matt Schwartz: In my opinion, ferns get little or no respect from most gardeners. Most people don't want to waste their time with fern names, culture, etc. I think gardeners need to treat ferns as any other garden plant, and learn to properly ID them, other than 'it came from my neighbor's backyard.'It's hard to discuss ferns when you don't know what it is. Grace (PA/Zone 6): Matt, as someone with a backyard that is 1/2 shade, I love ferns! I bought this house two years ago and am still trying to identify some of the ferns planted here. I'm amazed at the way they grow via spores. And nothing cheers up a porch like some huge ferns in hanging baskets (which I have been able to winter over - don't just compost them!) Lynn Hansen: I use ferns as an accent plant to the rounded foliage of hostas. I especially like Japanese Painted ferns with their deep foliage help bring out the color in plain leafed hostas. Brigitte: We have a spot full of ferns where they are sheltered and they grow up to 5ft tall. Ours are the river ferns (native). In the spring you can actually eat the fiddle heads. You steam them just like you would asparagus. Betty (calz10-Sunsetz17): I have some ferns (Japanese Painted Ferns) I want to increase/multiply. I've checked all my gardening books, but not one says how to propagate ferns. So what does one do when one wishes to increase one's species ferns? Matthew Schwartz: Some ferns spread by rizhomes, others by runners, others by a variety of methods. Generally speaking, you will always use vegetative means of propagation to retain the desired characteristics, never sexual propagation. For the painted fern, the only vegetative method is division. However, other ferns reproduce in a multitude of interesting ways: Spore,Bulbils on frond, plantlets on tip of frond, runners, rhizomes. A good example of a bulbil producing fern is the proliferous shield fern [Polystichum setiferum 'proliferum'] It multiplies phenomenally, developing numerous plantlets from bulbils at each pinnae axis, which then grow when contact with soil is made. Skip MNZ4: I don't know much about it but I have tried both spring and fall. Also in between. Maidenhair Fern was divided and moved in the spring just before the little crosiers started to appear and they did fine. I have divided and moved Royal Fern, Cinnamon Fern, Interrupted Fern and Ostrich Fern in the middle of summer; Japanese Painted Fern and Sensitive fern in the fall and they, too, did fine. If they are healthy plants and you give them adequate water they will be fine. Stephen Nyikos: I would recommend spring unless you can be sure to mulch them so they don't heave during the freeze/thaw cycle. Either is OK. Guess it's the chocolate vanilla decision. ;)