Garden fern, planting and caring for which is not difficult, is an excellent culture that gives a finished look to any landscape composition. The representative of the vascular plant department, which has witnessed the life of dinosaurs and other extinct species of flora and fauna, is loved by many gardeners and landscapers.
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Types of fern for growing in the garden
Ferns, representing the Asplenievye family, number more than 10 thousand species, which are classified by habitat.
- Forest - a group that prefers acidic, moist soils and is tall.
- Rock - undersized representatives, differing in different requirements for soil and lighting, depending on the specific type
- Wetlands - it is possible to meet this class of ferns on the banks of reservoirs, where the soil is very moist.
As garden ferns, as a rule, forest ferns are cultivated.
Among the most popular types and varieties, distinguished by a special decorative effect, the following deserve attention:
- Adiantum is foot-shaped - a common representative, reaching a height of 30 cm, has horizontally arranged yellow-green openwork leaves (waiyi).
- Japanese leaflet - a kind of fern with vayas of different directions, creating special randomness, which gives the landscape composition extravagance.
- Ostrich is a tall variety, capable of reaching 1.5 m in height, is well known to many gardeners.Waiyi in the form of light green ostrich feathers are distinguished by grace and high decorative qualities that will decorate any site.
- Kochedzhizhnik is a variety that combines ferns not only green, but also red, which perfectly complement the landscape composition, made with a predominance of burgundy - for example, Burgundy Lace, a color of red wine.
- Millipede is an excellent plant for alpine hills and other stone art objects, which has a creeping root system that allows the gardener to independently set the direction of fern development.
Outdoor landing
When carrying out planting, it is necessary to take into account such important points as the preparation of holes, the choice of place and time.
Site selection and soil preparation
In order for the culture to develop well, it is necessary to choose a shady area with light and moist soil, where there is a lot of free space.
Fern does not need preliminary soil preparation if its structure is sufficiently loose. In case of heavy soils, humus and river sand should be added when digging.
How and when to plant?
Perfectly adapting to new conditions, the fern survives when planting throughout the growing season.
Carrying out the landing, adhering to the following algorithm:
- A hole is dug, the dimensions of which depend on the root system of the planted specimen.
- A drainage layer is placed in the pit and slightly crushed by the excavated soil.
- Next, a fern with an earthen lump is immersed, which allows the plant to take root more quickly.
- Empty spaces are filled with a substrate from dug up earth, peat and sand in a ratio of 2: 2: 1.
- The soil around the plant is compacted and well moistened.
Attention! When planting, care must be taken with vayas, damage to which leads to a loss of decorativeness by the plant.
Garden ferns: care
Garden fern is an undemanding culture, so taking care of it will not cause the gardener much trouble.
Watering and soil moisture
One of the main parameters is soil moisture, which at the same time should maintain friability, which does not allow stagnation of water. During the period of active growth, the fern is watered to maintain the required moisture level. To preserve moisture for a longer period, you can mulch the area around the plant.
Fertilizing and fertilizers
Fertilizing is not a mandatory agro-technical measure. But in order to obtain a beautiful, lush bush that will decorate shady relaxation areas, in early spring, the fern is fed with organic or mineral fertilizers.
How and when to transplant a fern?
Plant transplantation can be carried out throughout the season, however, the best time is considered to be early spring, when the shoots just started to develop.
During the procedure:
- A pit of such a size is prepared that allows not to constrain the straightened roots of the transplanted specimen.
- The hole is filled with water, into which the fern immediately falls with a lump of old soil.
- The plant is dug in such a way that the root neck is 1-2 cm high above the ground.
Pests and diseases - how to treat?
Fern is rarely affected by harmful organisms.
However, sometimes on a plant are noted:
- whitefly;
- aphid;
- spider mite;
- mealybug;
- and scaffold.
They must be dealt with immediately. As an effective tool, insecticides act as a solution for spraying the culture.
Among the diseases that can develop on a fern, decay is caused by the growth of the plant in a constantly moist soil with poor drainage. At the beginning of the development of fungal diseases, it is possible to carry out treatments with fungicides, which are powerless in a neglected state.
Propagation Features
Fern propagates by dividing the bush and spores that form on the back of the waya.
Bush division
During the transplant, a bush is divided, in which:
- The day before the procedure, the area around the fern is moistened.
- An adult plant is removed from the soil and divided into several parts, each of which must have at least one apical shoot.
- Delenki planted in prepared wells and covered with a substrate, and then watered abundantly.
Spore propagation
New plants can be obtained by sowing spores in early January as follows:
- A plastic box with drainage holes at the bottom is filled with a 4 cm layer of calcined substrate made of sand, peat and sheet earth in a ratio of 1: 1: 2.
- Spores are distributed on the surface of the soil.
- The container is covered with cellophane and moves to a warm, bright place where the lower watering is organized for crops.
- After emergence, the cellophane is removed.
- At the end of winter, plants are transferred to the greenhouse, from which they are transplanted into the open ground after the onset of stable heat and the threat of return frosts disappears.
The main problems when growing
As a rule, growing garden ferns is straightforward.
However, there are situations when the gardener notes the following:
- Spotting shoots - a manifestation of rot, the development of which is associated with stagnation of water in the ground.
- Withering, yellowing and drying of the leaves is too poor soil or improperly selected place where the destructive rays of the open sun fall.
Thus, the garden fern will become an exquisite decoration of the garden plot with minimal care, which does not require tremendous effort from the gardener.