Divide a fern with a clumping root system by cutting them into sections with a sharp knife. After a quick trim, it’s already looking much better! I chose to tackle mine now so they’ll get plenty of water during our rainy winter. Subscribe to get project ideas, home improvement tips, woodworking plans and more delivered straight to your inbox! Read my full Terms of Use and Disclosures here. © Copyright 2020 Hearst Communications, Inc. Feed transplanted holly ferns one month after transplanting them with 14-14-14 fertilizer diluted to half strength. Prepare the transplant site before digging up your holly fern. Now all we need are more ferns! Repot or plant the new divisions right away and water them generously so they have the nutrients they need to grow. My future garden . Instead of shelling out big bucks for a few scrawny plants at the nursery, I decided to divide ferns instead. This post contains affiliate links for your convenience. If your fern is kept indoors, divide it in the spring when its container is full of roots. I have a large bed of ferns and wasn't quite sure about, "I wasn't sure how to divide a fish fern that has totally outgrown its pot, but now it's clear. % of people told us that this article helped them. If your fern no longer produces leaves, its leaves begin growing smaller than they usually do, or the center of the fern is dead, it’s time to divide the fern. Thanks, pals. Dig a planting hole for each holly fern division.

I plan to divide some outdoor ferns from a partially sunny location and replant them. As with most plants though, especially those that are potted, ferns will outgrow their location if given enough time. Move the fronds around until you can find a clear center part, just like with your hair.

The quickest way to grow more ferns is through division, preferably in spring. The fronds grow in clumps with a central root, like a bunch of bananas. Maintain moderate moisture in the soil for the first summer after transplant. These ginormous plants look like they came straight out of the Jurassic era, thanks to the constant rainy weather. Some species go dormant in summer, and should be left alone during this time. Be sure to water them again when the top of the potting mix begins to dry.

Try to cut as close to the bottom as you can. We’ve already got the moss-covered trees and flowering rhododendrons. Royal fern (Osmunda regalis) is one of the fern species that has a clump-forming root system. Sign up to receive email newsletters from The Handyman’s Daughter, How to Divide Ferns to Create a Woodland Garden for Free.

This hard shield fern is the scruffiest of the bunch, so it became my first victim attempt. I saved one half of the fern to go back into the hole it came from. Spread a 1-inch-thick layer of pine bark mulch around each holly fern immediately after transplanting them. Dig in two or three inches of compost or other organic material, especially if your soil is clay-based. Pour the water evenly over the potting soil until it drains freely from the bottom.

Space them 18 to 24 inches apart. Water the newly transplanted ferns thoroughly. I hope to be able to do this next Spring. These went into the ground along the back fence. Carefully work the blade underneath the holly fern and pry loose the root ball. Indoors, holly fern needs a well-drained, lightweight potting … Stick the point of a shovel into the part until it creates a divot in the root. wikiHow is a “wiki,” similar to Wikipedia, which means that many of our articles are co-written by multiple authors. Is it best to cut it all off? I am happy I did not, because I would have removed them all so wrong. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/1\/1c\/Divide-Ferns-Step-1.jpg\/v4-460px-Divide-Ferns-Step-1.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/1\/1c\/Divide-Ferns-Step-1.jpg\/aid5516073-v4-728px-Divide-Ferns-Step-1.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":"728","bigHeight":"546","licensing":"