Anni, I'd have thought if the fronds were brown you'd be fine to cut them back now - though if any of your ferns are fancy Japanese varieties rather than good old British ones, it might be safer to leave it until after Easter, judging by the forecast...
I've only got wild ferns in my garden, in West Yorks. Harts tongue, lady fern, male fern. And a few other hardy ones like oak fern which I planted. I cut them back yesterday.
Since 2019 I've lived in east Clare, in the west of Ireland.
Thanks Liri & Hosta, re: the fern, I think it's just a bog standard one, looks like the one Monty was cutting back. My dad got it as a freebie from the GC with no label.
Hosta, do you mean the snowdrops as opposed to the fern? (Sorry, not enough coffee yet).
@AnniD. I know it's commonly said that snowdrops should be moved "in the green" but many galanthophiles despair of this, claiming it damages the roots and therefore the bulb itself. If you're buying them new, it's the better option than buying dried up bulbs, but if they're in your own garden, I'd mark them, let them become dormant , then move them. Others are free to have a different opinion on the matter. I merely pass mine on in good faith.
@Hostafan1 , no worries, I was just a bit confused (nothing new there!). As you say, Monty was referring to them "in the green". I might hedge my bets, try one clump in the green & one dormant clump & see how it goes. Thanks again
The tall grasses he was cutting back ( miscanthus was it?) got me thinking. I might try it as a dividing/blocking plant to mask parts of my garden. What could go wrong, eh?
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I've only got wild ferns in my garden, in West Yorks. Harts tongue, lady fern, male fern. And a few other hardy ones like oak fern which I planted. I cut them back yesterday.
Thanks Liri & Hosta, re: the fern, I think it's just a bog standard one, looks like the one Monty was cutting back. My dad got it as a freebie from the GC with no label.
Hosta, do you mean the snowdrops as opposed to the fern? (Sorry, not enough coffee yet).
If you're buying them new, it's the better option than buying dried up bulbs, but if they're in your own garden, I'd mark them, let them become dormant , then move them.
Others are free to have a different opinion on the matter. I merely pass mine on in good faith.