If you encounter ferns in the forest, it's nothing spectacular. But ferns look great in your own garden! If you want to save money, propagate these prehistoric plants with your own hands. Here are 3 propagation methods that have proven themselves.
How to successfully propagate ferns?
Propagate ferns using three methods: 1. collecting spores and sowing them in potting soil, 2. dividing ferns with underground rhizomes or 3. propagating by cuttings by cutting off a rhizome and planting it in soil. Good moisturization is important for all methods.
Spores for propagating ferns
Ferns do not produce flowers and then fruits with seeds like higher plants. They spread using their spores. These are usually located on the underside of the leaf and are easily visible.
Collecting spores and growing plants
The spores mature in summer. Look at the fern fronds! Is there any fine dust visible on the underside? If so, the spores are 'ripe'. Cut off a frond and place it on a piece of paper at home. After one or two days, the spores fell out of the capsules and landed on the paper.
The spores are now sown like seeds:
- Choose pot or seed tray
- Sprinkle spores (€6.00 at Amazon) onto potting soil and distribute well (light germinator)
- Moisten the soil with a hand sprayer
- Place the plastic bag or lid of the seed tray over it
- ventilate once a day to avoid mold formation
Share ferns
A much less time-consuming and patience-requiring method is division. However, this is not possible with all fern species. Only ferns with underground rhizomes are suitable for division. Furthermore, the plant should already be large and strong.
Procedure:
- Dig up plants in spring
- Shake off the soil from the roots
- Cut rhizome e.g. B. with knife or spade
- each section should have at least two fronds
- plant in pots
- plant out after the first winter
Propagation of fern cuttings
Propagation from cuttings has also proven successful. Note that all fern species are poisonous and washing your hands after contact with the plant parts is important. How to proceed:
- Look for above-ground rhizome
- Cut rhizome 4 cm behind the growing point
- plant in pot with soil
- keep moist
- Rooting time: about a month
Tips & Tricks
Growing using spores is extremely time-consuming. Only after a year can the plants be seen and isolated. Therefore, the other two propagation methods are preferable.
