Ferns for the New Year
The Garden Club of Georgia
by Linda Doiron
The Hokey Gardener
Ferns are inexpensive,
eco-friendly, healthy and
can provide a quick
pick-me-up
during the winter while
we wait to plant outdoors
in spring.
Ferns can symbolize new beginnings in many ways. Some cultures believe that ferns have magical properties and can help people find hidden treasures.
Some believe they have medicinal value and can be associated with prosperity, long life, and good luck.
Thus, I thought a deep dive into ferns would be a great way to end 2022,
and to celebrate the beginning of the new year.
Ferns are often prized for their aesthetic appeal because they can add a
touch of greenery and natural beauty to any environment.
Some ferns have delicate lacy fronds that create a graceful look, while others have
broad bold fronds that give them a more substantial presence. They can
be used in a variety of settings, both indoors and outdoors, to add visual
interest and can either be used as standalone plants or incorporated into
large displays.
Indoor Suggestions
Ferns are also prized for their ability to purify the air and improve the overall quality of indoor environments.
If you're looking for indoor container ferns that will be perfect for your
home or apartment, consider the Boston fern (Nephrolepis exaltata),
staghorn fern (Platycerium), bird’s nest fern (Asplenium nidus),
maidenhair fern (Asiatum) or button fern (Pellaea rotundifolia).
*It is important to choose a pot that has good drainage and use a well-draining
potting mix when growing small indoor ferns. Keep them out of direct
sunlight to avoid scorching the fronds.
Outdoor Suggestions
Here are several types of evergreen ferns in Georgia for your outside
garden:
Southern Shield fern (Thelypteris kunthii)– It has a delicate lacy
appearance and can tolerate partial shade to full sun and is native to
Georgia.
Southern Shield fern
Holly fern (Cyrotomium falcatum)- This fern has glossy dark green
fronds and is drought tolerant once established. It is native to Georgia
and prefers partial shade.
Holly Fern
Lady fern (Athyrium filix-femina)- Also native to Georgia this fern has
delicate, lacy fronds and grows well in partial shade to full sun.
Lady fern
Christmas fern (Polystichum acrostichoides) - It has leathery, dark green
fronds and is native to Georgia. It grows in partial to full shade.
* Did your potted fern freeze during the recent cold snap? You may not be
able to save every frozen frond, but if the roots survive, your fern has a
chance. Here are some tips to provide the correct care and minimize
recovery time. Move your potted fern into a protected cool frost-free
area as soon as possible to minimize further damage. Water the potting
soil thoroughly to hydrate the roots and keep out of direct bright sunlight
to prevent further damage. If you want to check for frost-damaged roots,
lay the container on its side and wiggle the fern loose. Hold it by the root
ball and cut off all the frost-damaged roots (black and mushy), and then
repot with fresh potting soil. If your roots are black all the way through
the fern will not recover. After a freeze kills the fronds wait to trim until
the last chance of frost has passed. In our mild coastal areas, you can
prune in late winter by cutting the dead fronds right at the top of the
potting soil. Cut carefully so you don't damage any new shoots. Ferns in
containers are better protected before frost because they have less
chance of surviving freezing winter temperatures than the same varieties
growing in the ground. So, the next time you have a frost warning, move
your potted ferns to a greenhouse, covered porch or other frost protected
area. If the container is too heavy, it should be wrapped in blankets,
fleece or bubble wrap.
Did You Know
One of the most interesting sites for ferns is found here in Georgia on
the Decatur campus of Georgia State University Perimeter College.
There you will find 2 main garden areas, the native plant Botanical
Garden, and Ferns of the World.
Ferns of the World is a collection of ferns from across the globe and is the largest assortment in the United States.
It’s a sanctuary developed by a botany professor by the name of George Sanko who was given permission to plant on the three-acre plot on the campus beginning in 1990.
He initially started with a native plant garden which was beautifully constructed, but he also used the opportunity to develop his personal collection of fern species from all over the world.
George Sanko almost single-handedly transformed the plot, and when you asked him about whether he was a gardener, he would tell you that his background was in botany, and that he loved collecting and identifying plants more so than gardening. He had been associated with the Georgia Perimeter college for almost 50 years and served as a botany professor for 25 years before passing away in 2018.
His garden was recognized in 2011 as a best in the United States with an
award of excellence from the National Garden Club.
Ferns of the World
Ferns grow with a great variation in size, texture, color, spread, shape and year-round interest.
Most are perennial and they don't propagate by seed, but instead they reproduce via small dots on the underside of the frond called spores, or by layering and attaching the stolon on soil, a long fuzzy string like structure growing from your frond.
Most ferns thrive in shady areas where they can get consistent moisture so look to add them in your woodland garden.
While many are different shades of green, several ferns can be different colors such as the Autumn fern (Dryopteris erythrosora) with its beautiful bright copper shades on new spring fronds, and the Japanese painted fern (Athyrium niponicum) used in a garden’s foreground because of its dramatic silvery fronds.
My favorite fern is the Rabbit’s Foot fern (Davallia fejeenis), a creeping evergreen that is native to the Fiji Islands, and that looks great growing in a hanging basket or container.
The broad green fronds age beautifully over time. They have furry brown rhizomes that look like rabbit’s feet, hence the name. It grows up to three feet tall and requires partial shade.
Happy New Year and best wishes
for a happy and healthy year ahead
to all in our gardening family!
Comments