Among the most common, diverse, and low-maintenance plants are ferns. Ferns don't bloom, yet even without flowers, their unique shapes and textures greatly enhance the aesthetic attractiveness of the garden. You may whether you should remove the dead leaves from your fern. Fortunately, you're in the right place. We've researched this topic to bring you the answers you need.
You should cut away dead leaves on your fern to keep your fern healthy, happy, and productive. In late winter or early spring, cut away any brown or dead leaves to make room for new growth. In summer, cut away brown or dead fronds from the base of the fern. And throughout the year, you can prune damaged or misformed leaves.
Ferns are among the planet's oldest living things. They exist in a range of sizes, from tiny groundcovers like the Alpine Water Fern to gigantic tropical trees. The majority of ferns are easy to care for because they withstand a variety of soil types, regular watering, and many love shade. If you want to learn how to prune your fern correctly, have any questions, and are interested in the process, keep reading.
![Young green fern with curly leaves on white background. Should I Cut The Dead Leaves Off My Fern [Including When And How To]](https://gardentabs.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Young-green-fern-with-curly-leaves-on-white-background.-Should-I-Cut-The-Dead-Leaves-Off-My-Fern-Including-When-And-How-To.png)
How to Remove Dead Leaves from Ferns
Ferns don't generate seeds as flowering plants do. Instead, they develop spores on the underside of their fronds. Your outdoor ferns will occasionally require some maintenance to get rid of dead, crooked, or damaged leaves or fronds. An easy method for removing dead leaves from your fern plant is shown here.
1. A pair of precise garden clippers should be used to remove any brown leaves or fronds. The plant grows more quickly when the brown or dead leaves are removed because it promotes new growth. Perform this in late winter or early spring to avoid damaging new growth. 2. Cut any fronds at the fern's base that are dead or brown. Do this in the summer or late spring. Make sure not to clip the new growth when removing dead leaves after it has started to grow, since they can become deformed or end up dying. 3. Remove or cut away any fronds or leaves that are misformed or damaged at any time of year. To safeguard the fern's crown and provide organic matter, you can leave the cuttings at the base of the plant as a natural mulch.
How Frequently Should I Water Ferns? (Both Indoors and Outside)
If you focus on properly watering them, hanging ferns make excellent indoor plants that are simple to manage. It's considerably simpler than you may imagine. It is ideal to water hanging ferns two to three times weekly.
Summertime may require daily watering for your indoor ferns. Every two to three days, spray the leaves to prevent yellowing. After the summer, when the plant is starting to get ready for winter, reduce watering.
You can normally water your fern every two to three days if it is planted in the ground or a well-draining container. You should water your fern plant less frequently, though, if it's in a small pot without drainage.
The type of fern, the location in which it is planted, and the amount of light it receives will all have an impact on the ideal watering schedule for ferns. In general, you want the soil surrounding your fern to be damp but not saturated. See the general guide below.
| TYPE OF FERN | AMOUNT OF WATERING TIMES | ||||
| 1.) Boston Fern | Once every seven to 10 days | ||||
| 2.) Kimberly Queen Fern | Once every three to five days | ||||
| 3.) Maiden Hair Fern | Once a day | ||||
| 4.) Lemon Button Fern | Once a week | ||||
| 5.) Staghorn Fern | Once every one to two weeks | ||||
| 6.) Asparagus Fern | Once every two weeks | ||||
| 7.) Western Sword Fern | Once every three to four weeks | ||||
| 8.) Ostrich Fern | Once every two weeks | ||||
Ferns are the perfect plant to have in any home due to their adaptability and ease of growth. One of the essential components to maintaining your fern's top health is proper watering.
Check out this Boston Fern on Amazon.
Find this Lemon Button Fern on Amazon.
How Do I Stop a Fern From Dying?
Regardless of whether a fern is grown indoors or outdoors, poor drainage is often the cause of its problems. The soil in which you plant your fern must drain well. If you use a container, it should have drainage holes. If these get clogged, try sticking a pen into the draining hole to clear it out.
Another problem that can plague your fern is that it has outgrown its pot. In this circumstance, you'll want to move it into a new pot. However, repotting the plant too quickly could shock the fern. It's best to repot your plant when it is healthy and showing signs of new growth.
Keep the fern in the pot and prune the dried-out fronds to a length of two inches, leaving the healthy, green leaves alone. In the middle, you ought to have fronds that are straight and robust. Prune the top two inches, then add new potting soil.
The best time to repot ferns is in the spring when the roots have filled the pot, as a general rule. A yearly repotting schedule is recommended for young specimens.
The Ideal Fertilizer For Ferns
Usually, the soil provides ferns with all the nutrients they require. If you want to add more fertilizer to encourage faster growth, go with a slow-release fertilizer. The plant receives ample nutrition from a 10-10-10 fertilizer that is properly balanced. As too much fertilizer might cause more harm than good, it is better to stay away from fertilizers that are higher than 15-15-15.
Ferns don't require a lot of fertilizer, particularly if the soil has been improved with compost. Every year in the spring, fertilizer should be applied to garden ferns. If the plant appears ill, fertilize outdoor container ferns again in the middle of the summer. Avoid fertilizing your ferns in the fall.
Ferns prefer soil that drains easily and is mildly acidic to neutral. Ferns grow well on loam with a pH of 4 to 7. Most typical garden soils typically have pH values between 6 and 7.
If you're unsure about the soil's pH level in your landscaping project, you can test it by buying a soil pH measuring probe at your neighborhood garden center. Your fern might benefit from being mulched with compost or having compost worked into the soil.
Use fertilizer sparingly and only at the lowest percentage advised on the label if you decide to do so. It's generally best to use a light, slow-release fertilizer. The tip of the leaves becoming brown or dying off is a warning that there is too much fertilizer applied, so take note of this. To aid in flushing off the extra fertilizer, try increasing the watering.
Find this All-Purpose fertilizer for fern on Amazon.
How Quickly Do Ferns Expand?
Throughout the growing season, ferns can produce new fronds quickly and build a crown in a matter of weeks. Each newly growing frond, or individual fiddlehead, can unfold and grow within days. However, it usually takes a fern five to 10 years after planting to attain full maturity, at which point the plant will have grown to its full height and spread.
The slowest growing ferns are tree ferns, which can keep growing tall for many years. When considering how quickly ferns grow, there are two factors to consider: how quickly they add new leaves each year throughout the growing season, and how long it takes for a particular plant to mature, reaching its full, bushy spread and maximum size.
The amount of time it will take a fern to reach maturity is not determined by its annual growth. It's crucial to know the eventual height and spread of the fern once it has grown to maturity if you want to match a plant to a plot. The majority of ferns develop on a similar schedule.
An individual plant matures after five to ten years, at which point the yearly cycle of development causes the crown to emerge every year with the same size and shape. Both strong, sculptural ferns like the Male fern and more delicate, ornamental types like the Japanese Painted Fern have this trait.
![large fern fronds surrounding small green leaves. Should I Cut The Dead Leaves Off My Fern [Including When And How To]](https://gardentabs.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/large-fern-fronds-surrounding-small-green-leaves.-Should-I-Cut-The-Dead-Leaves-Off-My-Fern-Including-When-And-How-To.png)
Final Thoughts
Anyone can enjoy the easy and gratifying chore of growing ferns. No matter what kind of space you have, these lovely plants will add life and greenery to it.
Now you know more about pruning your ferns to keep them looking lovely and growing strong. We've also learned more about the ideal soil conditions and watering schedules for ferns as well as how they grow. Your ferns will remain happy and healthy for many years with a little tender loving care.
If you found this post helpful, you might also enjoy these informative articles: