What do any of you do with older fern fronds that are still green but lying flat on the ground? My Christmas Ferns and Lady Ferns remain green after the winter, but the foliage is flattened by snow and not very pretty. Now a whole new group of fiddleheads has emerged. I never know whether to prune off the old stuff, or let it stay to eventually turn brown and decompose as it might in nature.
What to do with older fern fronds
I always trim them off so the fern can concentrate on new growth and they look better.
I trim them off to make them look better, then use them as mulch around other plants. Most woodland plants love the mulch around their feet :) You can also use them as a mulch for orchids, especially lady-slippers.
Thanks to both of you for the advice. I trimmed them off, chopped them up, and mixed them in with the leaf mulch already in the garden. It's much neater now, especially around the Lady Ferns because their fronds are so large.