FERNS

Thats an interesting collection Marley, does that all live outside all year?

 

I have a shade garden with quite a variety of hardy ferns. They are now beginning to spore themselves around the place.
I will post a picture of it when I can find one.
If anyone needs instructions(sounds pompous that)on how to grow ferns from their spores I have a summary of how I do it and it seems to work for me.

 

Will go and find it. For now though here are the pictures.

 

Found it.
Fern Spore Sowing.

The first, second and third essential is sterility of every part of the growing system (except perhaps the grower!).
This is the method I used and it worked for me, no doubt others will have their own system.
1.I use new plastic 7cm. plant pots and sterilise them by immersing them in boiling water for about a minute. (Test one first to make sure it does not lose shape. Otherwise you must cold sterilise with a mild bleach solution.
2. Any seed sowing compost is ok. Fill dry, cool pots to about an 1 cm below the top and firm down gently. Cover the top with a piece of kitchen towel or coffee filter paper. Pour boiling water through the paper. About a cupful will do.
3. Cover the pots and allow to cool. No further watering is necessary. Remove filter paper.
4. When cool sprinkle fern spores on the surface. Each pot will be big enough for about as many spores as you can fit on the tip of a penknife. They are very tiny and really do need to be spread thinly on the surface or they will not have room to develop. DO NOT DO THIS IN A WINDY SPOT! or sneeze.
5. Place pot in a plastic bag and seal. I use sandwich bags and the paper ties which come with the roll. If the surface appears to be drying out, gently mist with cooled bolied water.
6. Place in a warm (unless they are hot house ferns, in which case they need more heat) light position. A north facing or shady window ledge or in the greenhouse but put some shade netting over the top.
7.Eventually the surface of the pot will become covered in what looks like moss (if it is going to work). Open the bag and spray the surface of the 'moss' with distilled water( take the chill off it). Close the bag and put back in a warm, light area and wait.
8. If you have been successful, before long the moss will change to baby ferns. Gradually acclimatise them to growing outside the plastic bag.
9. Prick out the babies, I usually do this in little groups, you can always do it again when they are bigger.

 

Hi Marley,

Your friends garden looks like my kind of garden

ferns, tree ferns, bananas and cycads and other stuff very nice

 

I have a leaflet on growing spores printed by the BPS pretty much like palustris says though...sterilising the equipment and compost is a must...if anyone wants it emailing let me know

 

Steve w. I agree totally, that garden is how i'd love mine. Im in Heage Derbyshire....so like me im sure you are Jelous as hell of those cornish gardeners and their tropical gardens what dont req over winter protection.....I'm a huge fan of tropical look gardens....tree ferns....different palms....and Bananas etc...if only i lived in cornwall(have you seen those echiums !!!!!)I have to make do with cordylines and yuccas etc.. that look great and need minimum protection

 

Also. in the wooded areas in st ives bay to landsend area of cornwall are some awesome big wild ferns....like tree ferns but with only 3 inch trunk or so...have to be seen to be belived

 

Hi SteveB

Have you tried Musa Basjoo? its a hardy banana...well root hardy, dies down and sprouts up again each year, or you can wrap it up or put it in the greenhouse (tall greenhouse :D ) and it will over winter with a bit of protection and warmth

 

If you want something which looks like a tree fern there is a way. Make a cylinder with chicken wire, fill with good fibrous material, like composted fern fronds and then plant hardy ferns in the top and sides.

 

You do need to push a perforated piece of plastic piping down the centre and keep it filled with water, but that is no different to pouring water in the top of a tree fern all summer, now is it?