Looking after Ferns

[Gela]

I have recently moved and taken over a garden which has a line of trees and bushes along the southern boundary, which also borders a lane. On the other side of it, (my side) there has been attempt to put in something resembling a "permanent" border - in other words, helebores, daffodills, hyacinths, primroses, etc. Among the permanent residents are several ferns. Recently I have had an infestation of celandines which have encroached on the whole of this area and I am trying to release the daffs and ferns from their clutches by hand. I find that the ferns, which I have never really investigated close up before. have a lot of brown fronds with green tips, and on the soil there are masses of rotted dead fronds. I don't know whether they should be permanently left to their own devices or whether I should have cut them back in the autumn? I have never had ferns before and I think they must be pretty ancient, as the bowls from which the fronds develop are pretty large. Can someone tell me please what my role is in their lives?

[SarzWix]

Hi

I've moved your thread out of Growing Techniques into an appropriate board.

Thanks

http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...here_4846.html[/

[Sweepster]

I usually cut the dead and tatty fronds off in spring, as the new fronds start to unfurl. Sometimes can't resist a bit of a tidy-up in autumn if it looks a mess, though.

[IgglePiggle]

I just leave them there to rot down into leaf mould. They just kinda look after themselves, its how they do it in the wild, so who am I to argue

[Mi Jardín]

I am the same a Sweepster, I tend to tidy them up in the spring once the new fronds are starting to uncurl.

[Gela]

Thank you - that all seems simple enough!