How to Root Ferns

Rooting ferns requires moist, cool conditions.

Ferns endear themselves to many gardeners with their delicate foliage and elegantly spreading growth habit. Ferns occur naturally in a range of ecosystems, including moist woodlands and dry mountain valleys, and the plants are adaptable to garden conditions or indoor cultivation with moderate care. Many gardeners discard older ferns since they often look untidy with age, but it is possible to propagate new plants from old ferns by rooting a rhizome division. Rooting ferns takes patience and research into the specific cultural requirements of each species, but it is a simple task with the same basic steps regardless of the species.

Things You'll Need

• Garden spade
• Spray bottle
• Gardening knife

Instructions

1. Dig up a mature fern in autumn, using a garden spade to remove it from its pot. Work the soil away from the root ball by hand until the roots and rhizomes are exposed. Periodically mist the fern with water from a spray bottle to keep it hydrated and cool.

2. Locate a healthy rhizome with a diameter of at least 1/2 inch. Look for a thick, white root running horizontally between the main plant and the leafy offshoot. Avoid rhizomes with dark spots or soft patches.

3. Cut the small, threadlike filament roots and main rhizome as close to the parent plant as possible using a gardening knife. Make sure the rhizome division is at least 2 1/2 to 3 inches long, with a large portion of filament roots.

4. Replant the parent in its original bed or return it to its pot with new soil. Water the fern thoroughly to prevent it from going into shock.

5. Keep the rhizome division in a cool, shaded place while you set up the new bed or pot. Prepare the soil according to the needs of the species, adding sand, peat moss, or other amendments to achieve an ideal soil mix.

6. Plant the fern division in its new planting site. Keep it well watered for the first week to help it adapt to its new environment. Mulch heavily around the base of the fern if you're growing it outside.

7. Check for new root growth in three to four weeks. Tug the fern while you hold it gently around the base to feel for resistance, which is a sign of new anchor roots.

Tips & Warnings

• Do not fertilize fern transplants until they put on new growth the following spring, then apply 15-5-15 ratio fertilizer according to the manufacturer's instructions.

References

• "American Horticultural Society Plant Propagation"; Alan Toogood; 1999