Forum home› Problem solving
This Forum will close on Wednesday 27 March, 2024. Please refer to the announcement on the Discussions page for further detail.

New gardener - What’s wrong with my Ferns?

COVIDgotmegardeningCOVIDgotmegardening Posts: 40
edited August 2020 in Problem solving
Hi folks, I’m a novice gardener and was given these for my birthday; I love Ferns. Planted them in and they’ve put up a fight but something is wrong. Can somebody point me in the right direction.

Posts

  • COVIDgotmegardeningCOVIDgotmegardening Posts: 40


  • SlumSlum Posts: 385
    Lack of water? When were they planted? How often and how much water have you given?
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    It looks to me as if the fronds that are browning are last year’s ... I would snip them off carefully at the base leaving the young ones which have grown this year. 
    I cut all the fronds off mine in the spring just before the new fronds unfurl. This explains it
    http://russellnursery.com/spring-haircuts-for-evergreen-ferns/

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • KeenOnGreenKeenOnGreen Posts: 1,831
    Anything planted right up against a structure (shed, fence, etc), will not get that much rain, as there is usually a rain shadow.  If you could move it further away from the structure it wouldn't do any harm.  A mulch of compost or well rotted manure around the base would also help to keep the soil moist.

  • micearguersmicearguers Posts: 646
    The first year a fern needs good watering in, like nearly all plants. After that a lot of ferns (e.g. dryopteris species, asplenium, polystichum, polypodium) will do alright even in dry-ish shade. I have all of these in (summer) dry shade, but they do get a good start in spring as winters/springs do tend to be still reasonably wet here. If the fern is up against a structure as KeenOnGreen points out it adds a challenge; if it is otherwise rainy/damp that's fine, but the combination, say, of up-against structure + dry + sunny would make it an unsuitable place for the fern.
  • PianoplayerPianoplayer Posts: 624
    Am I right in thinking there are two different ferns here? A Polystichum on the right and another on the left? The LH one does look as if it needs the lower older fronds removing but new fronds are appearing. They are very close together - if you do decide to move them further from the shed, I would maybe separate them a bit more to give them room to grow? Also, newly planted things need a surprising amount of water - especially during a heat wave!
  • COVIDgotmegardeningCOVIDgotmegardening Posts: 40
    Thanks everyone. I got them and planted at the end of June. They get purposefully watered once a week and any rain when it happens. I’ll do a further water then; so 2 a week or would it be better a little every day.
  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,090
    Best to give a generous drink that goes down deep than little dribbles that encourage roots to stay up at the surface where they get fried when it's hot or damaged when you hoe.   This applies to all plants, not just ferns.

    Pour the water slowly so it soaks in rather than runs off and start with 5 litres per plant at least twice a week until the autumn rains set in.  If the heatwave continues and/or you have no rain, water every 2 or 3 days for a couple of weeks.
    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
    Plato
  • micearguersmicearguers Posts: 646
    During the heat wave it might have benefited from a soak every two or three days. It depends really on how quickly the soil dries. All plants generally need a wet-dry cycle (not dust-dry, more slightly-moist dry). For established plants it can be much longer (weeks), and in winter it can be much longer (as plants are in dormancy). It is affected by the plant's affinity for water (e.g. damp- vs drought-loving), whether it is newly planted, what its aspect is (sunny or not), and what the season is. Once a week for  a newly planted fern in summer sounds not nearly enough, certainly if it rains little and it is in the rain shadow of a structure.
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    Just cut off the brown fronds and water until established - in the way described by @Obelixx , and regardless of rainfall unless you get it regularly and properly. That's  hours of it - not twenty minutes now and again. :)
    I'd remove all the weeds and the grass as well, and make a proper bed. All competition, especially so near the fence/shed.
    I'd say that's 2 different ferns as well, and too close together to give them their best chance of looking good.  :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Sign In or Register to comment.