How diverse and beautiful ferns are! Many gardeners try to have them in their garden, because they give the effect of some kind of fairy tale, jungle. Nowadays there is a lot of information on the Internet about ferns, especially about caring for ferns, indoor ferns, because they, considered heat-loving exotics, are indeed one of the most beautiful decorative and foliage decorations of the house. But in the fall, when the smell of fallen leaves was really sweet, I turned my attention to my 2 young ostrich ferns. They were probably 2 years old, since I bought them at the market as already formed plants and lived with me for a year. There were problems: the place was not very good, with stagnant air, and there was not enough moisture, and the slugs ate a little. So I’m thinking about how to provide my ferns with good winter so that they, with weakened immune systems, still survive. Having looked through a few sites about ferns, I was convinced that the information about wintering was like a cat crying. Why? Most likely, if the fern is normally tolerated in central Russia, that is, our temperate climate, with temperatures of +30 in summer and temperatures of -25 in winter, then they require less scrupulous care. Well, you can organize shade, moisture, acidic soil... During wintering they say that different ferns overwinter in different ways, but nothing specific...
And I thought, after all, prepare fern for winter very simple! You just need to find out his homeland, that is, the place where he came from. And this applies to all plants, especially heat-loving ones. So, we find a site where you can find out the homeland of the plant, in this example, I open Wikipedia. We read - the common ostrich, perhaps originated from North America, has spread in nature in Russia, Ukraine, etc. That is, it tolerates severe frosts well. And this takes into account the fact that it does not need to be specially covered, as, for example, roses are covered for the winter. Because he covers himself. Our winters are different - sometimes everything is covered with snow so much that you have to clear the paths with a shovel, then it rains until January... It’s not very good when it rains, and then without snow there are severe frosts. Then the most common plants can't stand it.
Fern for the winter covers itself. And it is covered with its own foliage, which does not fall off like trees, but simply lies (under the influence of wind, rain, snow) on the ground under the rhizome of the fern. Thus, the layer of leaves sufficiently protects the roots from frost. In the spring, these brown-black leaves don’t have to be removed (in general, I don’t recommend cleaning out all the plant remains and leaving the black soil - it’s fertilizer!), but new, plump, green fronds will emerge from under the leaves - unusually beautiful and eye-catching. If the fern grows near the entrance and the picture with protruding dry leaves is not particularly attractive, then take and wrap the leaves around the beginning of the rhizome. Girls, do you know how to make a bun out of your hair? Have you ever twisted your hair into a bun? And you, men, ask women about this if you haven’t guessed. This is how we wrap the fern leaves. This way you will even improve the preservation of the fern roots.
And even before you prepare fern for winter, you need to know what kind of fern you have. Okay, the look is there, but the genus is a must. If you know what genus, then the species of this genus have similar care. There are ferns that retain leaves for the winter, for example, Brown's multirow fern. Brown's multi-row fern photo:
And there are ferns, such as ostrich, whose leaves die, but the rhizome tolerates it well cold winter, but here is the fern Adiantum venus hair (homeland Crimea, Caucasus, Central Asia) - this one generally does not tolerate cold winters well. It needs to be either well covered or replanted in pots. In general, maidenhair is good indoor plant. Ferns photo maidenhair:
So, having found out what kind of fern you have, its homeland, you can safely adhere to appropriate care, which will provide the plant with a suitable climate atmosphere. Judging by the fact that I have an ostrich fern and its leaves are dying, I will carefully lay its leaves on the ground itself under its rhizome and, perhaps, I will also sprinkle some foliage on top, since my fern is damaged. And if a plant without normal immunity has been damaged by a disease or pest, or weakened by insufficient care, then it will be more difficult for it to survive the winter.
Fern leaves can also be trimmed, but why, why waste time on uselessness? We're not in the army, where everything should be clear? We strive for nature, for the natural order. In addition, fern leaves serve as excellent mulch.
The roots of a fern, or rather some ferns, like the ostrich's, have this peculiarity - they climb a little to the surface, forming such a tubercle, a stem, and if before each winter you twist the dried leaves around this little stem, then we can assume that fern for winter sufficiently sheltered. Ferns in the garden photo:
I’ll also give you a couple of tips on how to prepare fern k winter conditions . First, check your ferns for diseases and pests. Do not forget that many ferns love dampness and shade, but fungi and slugs also prefer this atmosphere, which cause rot and eaten leaves. If one or the other is found, then treat the ferns and soil with insecticides (against insects, pests) and fungicides (against pathogenic fungi).
If you are not sure that the winter will be optimal for plants, that is, either strong thaws and then frosts, or a snowless cold winter, then you can cover fern for winter, throwing pine needles from the forest on top of the rhizome (if the forest is nearby), here I have a forest nearby, so I would rather pick up pine needles or moss. Moss, by the way, is also a good lightweight covering material. But I’ll still rake off the leaves, because lately we’ve had a wet winter until January, the leaves can absorb a lot of moisture and then in the frost all the rhizomes will freeze. However, if you don’t have moss or needles, then first throw a couple of cut branches on the rhizomes, and then sprinkle dry leaves on top. The branches will prevent the leaves from caking. Ferns in the garden photo:
Why pine needles or moss - excellent materials to cover fern for winter from frost? Because ferns are bigger forest plants, and they like acidic soil. This way, you will not only cover the ferns, but also fertilize the soil with the necessary minerals that ferns need so much.
If the forest is far away, but there are meadows nearby where cows graze, or neighbors keep cows, pigs... Can you guess?)) Of course! Throw a couple of armfuls of humus or compost onto the rhizomes! This is 100% what fern for winter secured optimal temperature, because compost or humus still contains undecomposed substances that will maintain not only warmth, but normal temperature, since - 25 in winter and + compost = best option for the preservation of weak, young ferns, or ferns that are by nature afraid of frost.
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Decorative fern in own garden will become a real highlight of your home flower bed. It is not difficult to grow it; the main thing is to consider in advance the basic rules for selecting and planting ferns. Consider the key recommendations and feel free to start purchasing seedlings or seed material.
Planting a garden fern is a responsible process. To grow it on your own personal plot, you need to take your choice seriously suitable variety. If flower growers purchase for indoor growing exotic varieties, which require a lot of attention, it is better to root cold-resistant, unpretentious specimens in the garden.
Most often, domestic gardeners prefer to plant asplenium, low-growing woodsia, kochededzhnik, bracken, osmunda or chistoust near the house. With their help, you can decorate almost any flower bed, as well as create an alpine slide.
Video “Planting and growing ferns”
From this video you will learn how to properly plant, propagate and care for the plant.
Preparatory stage
garden fern It is necessary to plant on the site based on the recommendations of specialists. But before you root the fern on own dacha, carefully prepare for this procedure. First of all, you need to choose a quality planting material, determine the optimal place for its rooting, and also study the basic requirements for soil composition.
Selecting a location
Planting ferns correctly in the garden is not difficult. The first thing you need to do is choose good place for a plant. Most fern varieties cannot tolerate straight sun rays, and this must be taken into account. That is why define under this flower a shaded place where moisture will remain in the soil for a long time.
Soil requirements
Further care
Even a novice gardener can care for an unpretentious garden fern. If you follow the basic recommendations, you will be able to use this green specimen for landscaping at your dacha. Complete care includes fertilizing the soil, regularly moistening it, as well as loosening the soil and protecting it from insects and diseases.
Watering and fertilizing
To grow ferns in the garden, it is advisable to focus on moistening the substrate. It must be done regularly, at least once every 5–7 days. With the onset of autumn, the frequency of watering can be reduced, since during this period the plant will not need as much moisture.
Do not forget that the features and frequency of irrigation of the substrate will also depend on what type of fern you prefer. You should also not over-moisten the soil, because if the water stagnates in it, this will lead to rotting of the roots.
Soil care
Every gardener can grow varieties of forest fern. But you certainly cannot do without careful care of the soil composition. First of all, think about regularly feeding the substrate. It is best to saturate it with organic mixtures. However, for variety, add complex mineral fertilizer in liquid form. It won't hurt to loosen the soil from time to time either.
Take care of your ferns, and they will delight you with their lush greenery for a long time.
A plant such as fern is familiar to many people precisely because of the legend according to which it blooms only once a year. We cannot vouch for its magical properties, but it is not short of beauty - garden fern can decorate many landscapes. Planting and care will already fall on the shoulders of the summer resident, and it’s worth talking about all the intricacies of these events in more detail.
Ferns can be classified as the most ancient plants, which are perfectly preserved and, perhaps, will delight people for a long time. But no one could observe the flowering during all this time - in any case, no official confirmation was given. This, however, does not prevent it from occupying places in gardens and plots, complementing the landscape and being a beautiful decorative element. But there are more than 10 thousand of them! It is not surprising that every summer resident could choose absolutely any specimen for himself.
Landing
An important aspect that precedes the planting itself is the choice of an appropriate place for the fern. The best will be considered any darkened areas, as well as not too heavy and well-moistened soils. The combination of these two qualities will be simply ideal for excellent growth. But sunny meadows are completely unsuitable for ferns. Planted in such places, they not only do not grow to the stated size for their species, but will also be very weak. Pay due attention to this, since a correctly selected place, planting ferns in the country in accordance with the rules, complemented by proper care, will allow you to grow a large plant.
It will not require a large amount of fertilizer, so if there are areas of land at your dacha in which other flowers do not take root at all, you can safely plant a fern there. There is no optimal landing distance that would be strict. In each case, it is important to be guided only by the size to which it will grow. If it belongs to the giant species, then it is rational to maintain at least 30 cm of distance between each hole intended for planting. If necessary, this figure can be increased or decreased. It is only important that no other plant interferes with its development and growth. For those individuals that have extensive roots, it is better to immediately provide enough large plot so that it does not become a hindrance for other colors. Or, already at the planting stage, provide artificial limiters for root growth. They can be decorated to look like a regular fence.
Some summer residents, for whom planting a fern in the fall is also not difficult, recommend placing the pot with it in water before immersing the rhizome in the hole. As soon as air bubbles stop rising, you can pull out the roots and start planting. By the way, landing hole You will also need to pre-moisten it.
It is important to always ensure that when planting on the rhizome, there remains a certain amount of soil in which the plant grew before. This could be either potted soil or forest soil if the fern was dug up there. This is necessary so that the plant quickly takes root in a new place and ensures that the petals do not fade.
When immersing the root into a hole, it is better not to touch the fronds (leaves) at all. They are very easy to damage, which can affect the decorativeness of ferns. After the roots are straightened in the hole, you can cover them with soil and water them with settled water.
By the way, if some gardeners were suddenly late with spring planting fern roots, then don’t be upset. Purchase potted plants- they can be planted throughout the year.
Reproduction
Many gardeners wonder what is the best way to plant ferns in the country. After all, it reproduces in three main ways:
- Dividing the bush. The simplest method, compared, for example, with planting spores. It involves simple separation of the bulbs and their subsequent planting along a pre-prepared perimeter. It is best to carry out work on dividing the bush in the spring. After this, you can immediately begin planting. If you store the bush, divided in advance, over the winter, then some specimens will not survive the storage period;
- Rhizome whiskers. Not every type of fern can be planted in this way, since not all ferns grow tendrils. For example, in cordifolia nephrolepis they look like above-ground shoots spreading along the soil. If you bury them in the ground and carry them out intensively, you can soon get a new plant;
- Brood buds (spores). This method can be considered perhaps the most labor-intensive and least productive. For planting it will be necessary to separate from upper parts leaves, place on peat soil or moss and moisten daily. Immediately after this, it is important to cover each spore with a jar and put it in any warm place. Soon the “babies” will take root and after a month they can be planted as a full-fledged plant.
Growing seedlings
In order to understand how different the methods of cultivation are by dividing or buying ready-made rhizomes and germinating spores yourself, you need to consider all aspects of this action.
They take root best in open ground those seeds that have been previously grown to a certain size. Seedlings grow best in a mixture ordinary land and peat - from them they take all the necessary substances that are important for primary growth and for the development of a powerful root system. In addition, additional fertilizer can be added to each box intended for a particular variety. For some types of ferns, chalk is suitable, for others - compost, and for others - nitrogen or some other fertilizer. As a rule, each package of a certain variety will contain fertilizers suitable for this purpose. But if the spores were collected independently, then it is better not to add anything at all. It is unknown how the plant will react to this if its species is unknown.
Before sowing the spores in a prepared container with soil, it is best to thoroughly disinfect the latter. You only need to plant in warm soil! To do this, you can place the dishes with it in a water bath and heat it up a little. When planting, it is better not to deepen the seeds, but just sprinkle them a little on top. The entire container must be covered on top with polyethylene material, and then installed on the windowsill. Watering should only be done when the soil begins to dry out, but it is still not worth keeping it excessively wet all the time. After a couple of weeks, a greenish coating can be detected on the ground. There is no need to get rid of it, since this is exactly what sprouted spores look like. The only thing that may be required at this stage is picking. The most optimal distance between each spore will be 1x1 cm.
After they have germinated and increased by about 6 cm, you can start spraying them using a spray bottle with warm water. This procedure must be repeated weekly. Petals in this case appear on about 10 days. Since they will constantly grow, it will be necessary to carry out picking regularly.
You need to remove the film from the container only after the stems have become stronger and reached about 8 cm in size. But after a few minutes they will need to be covered again. Such ventilation should be regular. At the same time, the spraying procedure increases to 3 per week.
The method of germinating spores is indeed quite long. And when choosing such a method, you may additionally need special knowledge. That is why it is recommended for gardeners, especially beginners, to choose a different method of planting ferns.
Care
The garden fern, planting and caring for which is quite easy even for a novice gardener, is one of the most unpretentious plants. Besides abundant watering, the process of caring for it will include, for example, creating mulch. It is especially important to do it in the fall in order to provide good natural protection both from cold weather and various pests. But at the same time, in the spring there is no need to rush to remove last year’s mulch. The leaves used in its creation will be a good fertilizer for ferns. There is no need to worry that young shoots will not be able to break through the cover of them. After all, it has been proven that the weak-looking young stems of this plant easily penetrate even through asphalt.
Ferns, as a rule, do not need pruning even in autumn and spring periods. Why? Leaves, covering the ground, create additional protection. By spring, they will have completely dried out and will become the same fertilizer as those that were used as mulch. It will be necessary to trim off broken shoots or those that have been affected, for example, by some kind of disease, so that it does not spread further.
Feeding with fertilizers is an optional activity, but it is important in order to provide the plant with the necessary substances and thus help good growth. It is best to make various fertilizers early spring, at a time when shoots are just beginning to emerge. Moreover, they tolerate both inorganic and organic species fertilizers Be sure to keep an eye on how it grows. If signs of wilting, yellowing or drying of the leaves appear, there is no need to rush to immediately replant the plant. Perhaps he just doesn't have enough in his new place nutrients. In this case, purchase any mineral fertilizer (preferably the liquid type) and apply it to the soil when watering.
During dry periods, it is best to increase watering rates. In this way it will be possible to prevent the leaves from wilting. Additionally, loosening can be carried out. This measure is also not considered mandatory. It is better to use for loosening special devices, but still it’s not worth deepening them too much. As mentioned above, ferns have a huge root system, so there is a risk of damaging them.
Only some varieties that are not resistant to frost need to be covered for the winter. For example, these include: thermophilic species, like a shield borer, a holocuner. This measure may also be required in areas characterized by long, harsh winters. Peat and dry leaves are suitable as covering materials. As a rule, this is enough. But if you are very concerned about the safety of a plant that is not frost-resistant, then cover it with additional film on top, cover it again with leaves or add spruce branches.
Ferns add character to the garden natural landscape. These plants generally do not require abundance sunlight, because in natural conditions they are accustomed to growing in dense forests, and therefore feel great even in the most shaded areas. Among garden species Ferns most often cultivated are nomadic ferns, shield ferns, multirow ferns, ostrich ferns, holocarias, foliage ferns, adiantums, osmundas and woodsias.
Ferns are the oldest inhabitants of our planet. Impressions of fronds (leaves) on the surface rocks can be seen in the paleontological museum. And, as if to prove that time is a relative concept, ferns still inhabit forests, meadows and mountains across the planet. Russian open spaces are no exception. More than a dozen species of ferns grow in the Moscow region alone; most of the plants are ideally suited for natural-style gardens.
In the current omnivorous fashion, one can still identify the main direction - it is natural, natural garden. The colors in such a garden are muted, and diversity of colors is possible only in the spring, during the flowering time of the ephemeroids. Then the variegation fades away, giving way to green color various shades. Great value The texture of the leaves, the graphics of the branches, the contrast of shades and shapes play a role. In general, the focus is on long-term effects. In this context, ferns in landscape design couldn't come at a better time. The fashion for them is in full swing. Finally, you can purchase them not only from collectors, but also in the store. Breeders obtain varieties with intricately cut and even colored fronds.
Check out the photos and names of the types of ferns that are most popular among Russian gardeners.
Fern plants: photos, names and descriptions of species and varieties
The brightest in literally words of the genus of ferns - Athyrium. There are many nomads in nature, but in Russian gardens it is better to plant two types - female and nippon.
Female Kochedyzhnik (A. filix-femina)– aborigine Russian forests. After sporulation, the openwork foliage turns brown and loses its attractiveness. Fortunately, cultivars This type of fern does not have this disadvantage.
Miniature ‘Frizzelliae’ does not exceed 30 cm in height. The leaves on the petioles look like tiny fans. The plant does not look like a nomadic plant at all. The variety ‘Victoriae’ is unusual, in which the narrow lobes of the fronds effectively intersect. There are also many varieties with varying degrees of “terry” leaves - ‘Multifidum’, ‘Grandiceps’, ‘Congestum’, etc. And the variety ‘Lady in Red’ of this type of fern has a name that speaks for itself - its leaf petioles are red.
Much richer color variations Nippon nomad (A. nipponicum).
As you can see in the photo, this type of fern has green feathery leaves and purple petioles:
Numerous varieties boast beautiful combination purple and silver colors.
The most famous and widespread variety is 'Pictum', the most silvery - 'Silver Falls'.
The variety looks luxurious in the photographs 'Ursula's Red', having almost purple fronds. However, the variety is unstable and looks almost no different from 'Pictum'.
There is also a colorful species among the shield insects (Dryopteris). This is a shield bug red-russian (D. erythrosora). True, it is bright only during the leaf bloom period. The young fronds of the old gold color of the ‘Brilliance’ variety are especially attractive.
The leaves of some genera and species of fern form a beautiful vase or glass shape. Multi-row and shield plants can be compared with fountains and funnels. The advantage of these plants is that they are evergreen and do not lose their attractiveness even in winter.
Widespread male shieldweed (D. filixmas). Walking through the forest in spring or autumn, when other plants are still or already asleep, you can easily recognize it by green leaves. Thanks to the fantastic variability of the shield plant, countless varieties with “densely double” or intricately cut leaves have been bred.
Look how beautiful the ferns look in the garden in these photos:
Of the numerous genus of shield insects, the following also deserve attention:
shieldweed related (D. affinis) And Austrian (D. austriaca),
having many varieties, Goldie (D. goldiana), extreme (D. marginalis) And Amur (D. amurense).
Among the multi-row bristle-bearing plants (Polystichum setiferum) we can distinguish:
m. Brown (P. braunii), m. spear-shaped (P. lonchitis),
m.spiky (P. aculeatum) And m. verkhoplodny.
Multirow top-bearing plants (P. acrostichoides) are long-lived plants that develop rather slowly, but reach impressive sizes.
Pay attention to the photo - this type of garden fern has large, glossy, winter-green leaves, the petioles are covered with hairs:
Worth mentioning and familiar to everyone common ostrich (Matteuccia struthiopteris). Of course, this is an aggressive beast, but it is precisely this that allows you to create large arrays near water bodies, which is very beautiful. And the lone ostrich “vase” looks expressive. In order for the “vase” to be lonely, you need to regularly monitor and uproot the numerous shoots of this fern.
In terms of growth rate, only the ostrich bird can be compared with onokleya sensitive (Onoclea sensibilis)- another candidate for the development of vast coastal areas. Unlike ostrich, onoclea forms a continuous carpet.
What other types of decorative garden ferns are there?
Other ferns are good in areas under the canopy of trees.
This three-parted holocaber (Gymnocarpium dryopteris) And Phegopteris binder (Thelipteris connectilis). An openwork blanket of delicate, brittle leaves looks lovely under the branches of conifers.
Common centipede (Polypodium vulgare) may also play a role ground cover plant, although this fern does not grow quickly, and you will have to wait a long time for the carpet.
Also available for sale scolopendra leaflet (Phyllitis scolopendrium) and its varieties. This is a fern that normally leaf blade solid, similar to a long tongue. But the varieties look completely different: the corrugated edge or split crown looks exotic. The disadvantages include the fact that in harsh winters the leaflet freezes and, as a result, loses its leaves. It happens that a fern dies after winter.
Charming plants - adiantums (Adiantum). Unfortunately, among adiantums there are not many species suitable for growing in our gardens.
This maidenhair maidenhair (A. pedatum) and its varieties, as well as adiantum aleutian (A. aleuticum). The latter is elegant and delicate: whimsically cut leaves seem to hover above the ground.
Majestic “funnels” Osmund (Osmunda). According to the description, this type of fern is somewhat similar to ostrich ferns. At the same time, unlike the ostrich bird, osmundas do not grow. All types offered on the market are suitable for gardens near Moscow. A special feature is that the leaves or leaf lobes on which spores are formed turn brown after sporulation.
And, of course, we cannot forget the miniature “hill” ferns.
The easiest woodsias to care for are: brittle (W. fragilis) And Elbian (W. ilvensis). They winter well even in crevices between raised stones. They are easy to propagate by division.
These photos show the types of ferns whose descriptions you read on this page:
Ferns in garden landscape design
All ferns are unpretentious and, just imagine, they don’t get sick! They can grow both in a dry sunny area (with watering) and almost in a swamp. The main thing is that the soil is relatively light. Leaf humus is very good. Bark or litter mulch will not harm.
As shown in the photo, having ferns in your garden design, there is no need to come up with complex compositions:
Plant them with hosts and you will get classic combination. For contrast, add heuchera, and mountain weeds to the padding, and plant scillas, kandyki and corydalis in the gaps. Such a garden will be decorative from snow to snow.
The combination of decorative garden ferns with stones is very beautiful. Whether it's crushed limestone or a mossy boulder, proximity to stone will emphasize tenderness. lacy greenery. It is also natural to plant ferns next to snags, stumps... or, in general, any rotten debris, because in nature ferns take moisture from them.
Look at the photo - ferns in landscape design are a great backdrop for beautiful flowering plants. Feathery fronds create air cloud, which envelops candelabra primroses, onions or geranium flowers.
Ferns can be found from coniferous forests and to the tropics, in almost all natural and climatic zones. The garden fern is most often a native inhabitant of the same area where the garden plot is located.
This selection of crops allows you not to worry about acclimatization of plants and creating for them special conditions content. In addition, ferns growing in Russia are no less decorative and attractive than tropical species, but caring for them is much easier.
Which garden ferns should you choose? Are there species in our forests worthy of decorating an alpine hill, flower bed or group planting of conifers?
Ferns in the garden: unpretentious species
If at home gardeners often grow exotic species, then the garden is the right place for plants that are more adapted to frosty winters, hot summers, cold autumn rains and other vicissitudes of the Russian climate. And there are many such species of ferns that adapt to planting and caring for the dacha.
One of the first can be called asplenium. Although many ferns belonging to this genus are quite thermophilic, there are varieties whose openwork leaves tolerate winter well middle lane. Plants prefer partial shade, where they readily form rosettes of medium-sized but very attractive leaves that retain their decorative properties. early spring and before the snow falls. 
Low-growing woodsia is a medium-sized garden fern that in nature prefers to settle on rocky ledges and even on old walls. The height of the crown of small fluffy leaves, depending on the species, reaches only 5–20 centimeters. Moreover, the plant belongs to the long-growing ferns, and in one place it exists perfectly for up to three decades. 
Kochedyzhnik forms a dense bush up to a meter high. The peculiarity of this fern growing in the garden is the constant formation of new foliage. 
Bracken is rightfully considered one of the most widespread ferns in the world. Its clumps can be found in the Arctic lands and in Australia. For the middle zone, this native species is perfect as garden culture. The trifoliate carved leaves rise high above the ground level and can become a refuge for early bulbous plants. When planting a fern in the garden and caring for it, bracken is able to grow quickly. Therefore, it is important to immediately take measures to ensure that the crop does not go beyond the boundaries of the area allocated to it. 
Osmunda or Chistoust is the largest representative of the family in central Russia and the south of Russia. In nature, it can only be found in the forest zone of the Caucasus and eastern Asia. And in a garden where a fern grows, it will become the center of a flowerbed located in a damp corner. 
On alpine roller coaster another unpretentious garden fern will find its place. This is a bubble - small shade-tolerant plant with graceful foliage that disappears in winter.
Planting and caring for garden ferns
To decorate the garden with ferns, plants from the neighboring grove and from the garden center are suitable.
But if in the first case, a carefully dug bush falls into the ground almost instantly, and the gardener may not take measures to additional protection roots, then the fern brought from afar is in danger of drying out and dying.
To protect the plant from loss of moisture, which is critical for the crop, before transporting the rhizomes, wrap them in damp cloth or moss, without disturbing the remaining earthen lump. If the leaves droop before planting, they will not regain their elasticity even after watering. To simplify further care, planting garden ferns is carried out immediately.
The location is chosen so that the greenery does not suffer from direct sunlight, and the soil retains low moisture as long as possible. Plants are undemanding to the composition of the soil, the main thing is that the substrate is loose. Sandy loam mixtures with a high humus content are well suited.
If the plant is taken from the forest, it is useful to collect soil here and fill the planting hole with it. This will speed up the acclimatization of the fern in the garden.
IN further plant It is important to water regularly every 5-7 days. And fertilize using complex means, including both organic matter and mineral additives.
The optimal temperature for garden ferns is 15–25 °C. IN summer days, especially in well-lit areas, plants require more moisture, and they respond well to watering with foliage.
If a fern planted in the garden grows quickly, then after three years it may become overgrown and require thinning and limitation. This is done in early spring, carefully removing old specimens and dividing the bushes. At the same time, you should delineate the boundaries of the area intended for garden ferns by digging a special mesh, geotextile, slate or boards to a depth of at least 20 cm.
Features of the structure and reproduction of ferns
In addition to dividing adult bushes, some ferns can be propagated by budding. This should be done in early autumn. A developed, healthy leaf blade is bent to the ground and sprinkled along the edges with moist soil so that the central vein remains exposed to the air.
A leaf of a garden fern that has overwintered in this way in the spring will give the gardener several tiny daughter sockets. They should be separated very carefully, trying not to damage either the above-ground part or the root primordia. Plant small ferns in the garden.
If you use the structural features of ferns and their reproduction, you can wait until the spores on the back of the leaves mature.
First, the spores are well dried in paper envelopes, then, in the middle of winter, they are sown on top of the substrate collected where the fern grows. The spores will have to remain in moist soil for up to a month until the first signs of the emergence of new plants become noticeable. In February, the rosettes are transferred to a greenhouse, and when warmer weather arrives, they are transplanted into the ground to a permanent place.
