August 1996
One of the pleasures of native fern gardening is propagating the plants and getting them established. Plants for a small, home fernery may be successfully transplanted from their native site, but only when they are abundant or if they will be destroyed by development and you have permission to move them. It is better to share plants from a friend's fern garden or purchase ones that have been grown commercially. Never attempt to transplant rare species. There is too great a chance of losing them. Such species generally may be propagated by spores without damaging the plant. Increasing a rare species through spore propagation is a good conservation practice.
Ferns that develop slender rhizomes with leaves at frequent intervals usually can be increased by dividing the rhizome into sections with a few leaves to a section. When planted in the proper place and kept well watered and protected, each division should become established and thrive.
Ferns that form a dense crown usually can be increased by division, which is taking portions of a less-spreading type of rhizome. Care and thoughtful handling are essential. It is especially important in transplanting or dividing ferns to be careful that the roots do not become the least bit dry or unduly exposed. The transplanted plant or plant part should be placed in the soil at the same depth at which it was growing. The soil should be kept well watered and generously supplied with leaf mold. This prevents undue drying of the roots, helps control moisture, and keeps the soil cool. Do not mix an excess of leafy material into the soil -- this causes the soil to be too open. The fern roots should be in mineral soil containing enough rotted and finely divided leaf material to keep from packing and to increase the water-holding capacity. Leaf mulch should be put on top of this soil to check evaporation and to keep the soil cool around the roots.
The bladder fern may be propagated from the dark bulblets that develop on the lower sides of the leaves. Under natural conditions, fully developed bulblets fall onto the moist soil and develop into plants. If bulblets are placed on moist soil in flower pots or other suitable places, plants can be grown under artificial conditions. The bulblets may be planted where desired, as long as proper conditions are maintained. The bulblets should not be buried, but should be pushed carefully into the moist surface and moisture maintained.
The walking fern propagates readily by rooting the slender, leaf tip. Plantlets that have started this way may be found in natural-growing colonies and can be transplanted into suitable locations.
The hay-scented fern, bracken, New York fern, and, to a lesser extent, sensitive fern have the tendency to spread in the garden once they become established. The sensitive fern is the most attractive of the group and is less likely to become invasive.
(Originally published as "Planting A Native Fern Garden" in The Virginia Gardener Newsletter, Volume 11, Number 2.)