New fern - very poorley

My new ferns came from "Parker" and this one looked fine (more than what I could say about others) It was however very pot bound, so I potted it in a bigger pot and then after preparing fern bed planted it out.

I have to say when I re potted it, it was looking sickly and as it was so pot bound I though best thing to do would be tease out a few roots and plant out, but it does not look well.

any help please.

 

In my experience, ferns like to be potbound when indoors, and I tend to follow the advice of a plantsman expert quoted in AG a while back, who deplored the GW attitude of teasing out roots when planting stuff. he said the last thing you should do would be to add extra stress to a plant when moving it (with a very few exceptions). Since reading that, I've done that, generally with success.

 

I love ferns, I'm no expert, but this is my reaction:

1. Bit confused, but sounds like not long between repotting and planting out .... extra stress?

2. It looks like a rather sunny position for a fern maybe?

3. Don't know what type that is, but none of mine look like that at the moment. All mine are 2 years old in containers outside and don't look much cop yet, but it's a bit early yet surely?

Just my thoughts?

 

Hi waco, i too got a pack of mixed ferns from parkers and that variety looks just like mine do at the moment, but there is signs of life just starting, dont dispair i fed mine a little while ago, dont know if it helps the poor ferns but i feel better.

 

Happy Hippy - thats interesting, sounds like the same batch as mine, it is supposed to be evergreen.

Dag - yes could be extra stress, but because it looked stressed I took decision to plant out where it would have more space. I don't think it is position as it is in dappled shade, I think it looks as if sun is on it as it is going a yellow colour.

thanks for advice.

 

Normally a plant where the leaves are going yellow like that is suffering from chlorosis. That is normally asociated with an excess of lime, but for the length of time your plant has been in the soil, that seems unlikely. It looks like a Hart's Tongue fern to me by the way.
Try spraying it with rain water and give it a little ericaceous type feed.

 

Yes it is Hart's Tongue. Now you just jogged my memory and it is a bit strange, when I potted it on which was day it arrived in post, I only had a bag of ericatious compost, perhaps it was the shock.

another thougt and I may be wrong, but it chlorosis associated with too much water too?

 

ferns generally like damp conditions - so not so likely they'llhave a problem that way, surely?
I had the same pack, but they didn't stand a chance - rabbits dug them out of the pots I'd out them in, and when I put them back, having set up even more rabbit defence fences, I saw the cat doing the same thing, and later the dogs knocked it over when dashing around!! So, my ferns are extremely poorly! :(

[ 25. April 2006, 06:22 PM: Message edited by: dendrobium ]

 

Well dendrobium that does make me feel a bit better, they certainly have not been attacked by any of above animals (though have to talk to you about rupicola, mouse or something got at ot - another story) Will may be just have to hang on and see what it does.
THANKS

 

Oh Dendrobium, i wouldnt like to be a baby plant in your garden...poor things, i think i would be in shock if i was a fern....Mine didnt go into ericacious compost, it is in a shady bit of garden, and isnt too dry, i think it is just a baby fern, i have fed it and talk to it ( well hey youll try anything right??) im trying to protect a pear which is just about to flower from a pidgeon which is hell bent on eating them....

 

This is my hearts tongue It went yellow and was very unhappy after I planted it in the garden, so I transferred it to the pot last autumn and think you will agree looks promising now.Oh and I gave it a sharp haircut...

[ 26. April 2006, 08:32 AM: Message edited by: rosietu ]

 

Now you may have a point with the hair cut, there could be too much leaf for the root?

Anyway it will have to stay in garden as I can't cope with loads of pots everywhere and it is supposed to be a fern bed I have created so don't think it will look very good without ferns in it

 

Shopping this morning in Sainsburys they had a garden Marque Wow U should have seen the healthy ferns in there at �£1-99 a piece I was very tempted... in fair sized pots bout 6ins..I have purchased many very good shrubs and plants there as well as Morrisons, and their black currant bushes were 1st class..think they had just come in, thats the secret I think being in the right place at the right time.

 

ouu do you have Morrisons in Dorset? thought it was only for us up North. I know what you mean about being tempted, I got some Euchomis from Morrisons and don't know why on earth I bought it othere than the fact that looking at plants was much better than doing the shopping - YUCK!

 

I had a pack of the ferns from Parkers' last year, and had to put them in pots as I haven't finished the woodland spot they're to go in. They've all survived, but I wasn't happy with the plants, very small and a bit pathetic looking.