Messy ferns
#1
Messy ferns
I'm in south Florida and hae a couple of questions about keeping fern beds lush looking. I have a few beds of ferns (Boston among others) that tend to get kind of messy looking (old naked brown stems, fronds of different lengths, kind of tired looking). I trim them back about 1/3 periodically and they come back the same way. All are in semi-shaded areas.
I've been toying with the idea of cutting them back almost to the ground. Will this refresh them, or hurt?
Also, what else do I need to know about fern care? Should they be fertilized?
I've been toying with the idea of cutting them back almost to the ground. Will this refresh them, or hurt?
Also, what else do I need to know about fern care? Should they be fertilized?
#2
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Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: TX
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Re: Messy Ferns
Hi Suobs. I had very lush ferns growing in a shaded area, but they can be a bit invasive. They seemed to spread by underground root systems, and periodically, I would pull the brown ones out (with a few green ones), and it would improve the appearance quite a bit. I'm not a fan of cutting them, because that leaves a choppy appearance.
Any green ones you pull out can be either replanted, used for indoor flower arrangements, or possibly taken to a nearby florist for their flower arrangements. I deposited quite a few there, myself.
Any green ones you pull out can be either replanted, used for indoor flower arrangements, or possibly taken to a nearby florist for their flower arrangements. I deposited quite a few there, myself.