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Brown fern

steven.g.garnersteven.g.garner Posts: 133
in Plants
Hi! I’ve got 2 of the same fern planted next to each other. The differences are obvious - any idea why one has gone completely brown???

Posts

  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    It's what they do in winter.  :)
    The greener one may just be in a slightly more favourable spot - soil etc.
    One or two of mine are still green but others are completely brown/dead. None were planted, they just seed around from an original one. 
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • steven.g.garnersteven.g.garner Posts: 133
    Oh how relieving! I did actually plant both of them so I was surprised how different they are directly next to each other. That’s great though, bring on the spring!
  • PlantmindedPlantminded Posts: 3,580
    I just cut mine to ground level, add a handful of blood fish and bone and they're off!
    Wirral. Sandy, free draining soil.


  • steven.g.garnersteven.g.garner Posts: 133
    I was about to ask @Fairygirl and @Plantminded I’m on a tidy up week (lots of oak leaves around still!) so it’s ok to cut back? I can see a good mound of curled up fronds in a big lump below - of course I need to be careful of those?
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    Yes - just cut of the dead fronds if they annoy you. They're not doing anything for the plant.  :)
    I've never fed any fern. They need no help  :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • PlantmindedPlantminded Posts: 3,580
    Hi @steven.g.garner, this link may help you.  The video from specialist fern grower Fernatix, identifies three golden rules for growing ferns including feeding: 
     
    How to Grow Ferns - BBC Gardeners World Magazine

    I hope this helps.
    Wirral. Sandy, free draining soil.


  • TopbirdTopbird Posts: 8,355
    Are you absolutely certain they're the same species? Never mind what it says on the label - they can get swapped around or stuck on the wrong pot at the nursery occasionally. Did they look exactly the same when they were in full flourish?

    I have deciduous ferns which usually keep their leaves until quite well into winter but then look like your brown one. I also have evergreen ones which currently look like the green ones in your picture. 

    I tend to treat them much the same though and cut off the old foliage just before the new fronds open up. The fresh new growth is better than the old leaves on the evergreen ones so I like to get rid.
    Heaven is ... sitting in the garden with a G&T and a cat while watching the sun go down
  • bertrand-mabelbertrand-mabel Posts: 2,697
    We have many different varieties of ferns in our garden. Most of the "new" ones are from spores that have grown over the years. They are in very sunny areas, semi shade and deep shade and they are always a delight to have in the garden.
    We don't cut them back as the old fronds can help to insulate them from the frosts that can come at anytime here in our garden.
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