I just received 20 bare root ostrich ferns. Should I soak them overnight or just plant them. If I should soak them, should they be soaked in water only or with something extra? Thanks in advance.
Cindy
bare root ferns
I just stick them in the ground and water well...we are in zone 5 and they spread like crazy - not invasive, just prolific.
cmalon,
Can I ask where you got 20 bare root ferns...... online ?
vs71099. I got them off ebay. They came from a place/nursery? in Tennessee. All planted but nothing so far.
Cindy
Well good luck with them...... I had a couple planted last year and they've already came back and showed great results - so now of course I want some more ....... I'll have to check ebay out today ..... I picked up a couple at Wal-mart for 2.50 a piece..... I'm going to try and plant them with my Hostas....... do you have yours mixed in with hostas....?
Why yes, I do have them planted with hostas on the north side of the house. I think they will look great when they come up. I did get a couple of ostrich ferns last year on ebay, and they look fabulous this year, so of course, I wanted more. One never has enough LOL.
Buy your ferns from greenwoodnursery.com. They are absolutely fantastic. They well them in increments of 10 or 30. highly recommended.
I plant mine without soaking.
I recently ordered 30 hay-scented ferns from DirectGardening.com. Yes, I've since heard of their less that perfect reputation. They looked terrible and I emailed about it. They assured me that what I described was what they should look like. I've never heard of soaking and just put them in the ground about 4 weeks ago. So far nothing. How long does it usually take to see results from a dormant bare-root fern?
I ordered some ferns from Four Season's Nursery. I read of their reputation, but couldn't resist the price. Actually most everything else I ordered did OK. Anyway, I soaked the ferns and planted them about two weeks ago. Still no signs of life. I am getting a little worried. I have never planted bare root ferns. Is it common for them to take a long time to come up? Do they wait for realy warm weather?
In warm soil a few weeks and the ferns come up. it could take longer in cool soil. I always prestart newly purchased ferns indoors although last year I planted directly outdoors in early May and they appeared in two weeks. All the fern tubers had fiddleheads (sprouts) appearing, and if none were on yours, then it may take longer. I like to buy from places that ship fresh products and not dried up tubers.
What is an Ostrich fern? Does it have another name? It sounds interesting.
Pati
I checked mine this morning and they are poking through. These were planted around the 19th of April. It is very cool here still so not much happening, but when I looked this morning, I could see the fiddleheads (sprouts) poking through the soil. My tubers did have the fiddleheads starting when I received them. I agree I like to see the sprouts on them when I receive them, but I have had good luck with ones that looked "deader than a door nail" also. I did soak mine before planting -not sure if that does anything or not.
Pati, Ostrich Fern
Matteuccia struthiopteris (Pteretis pensylvanica). They grow from 3-5 feet. Here is some info on them. http://www.ct-botanical-society.org/ferns/matteucciastru.html
Thanks, I've GOT to have one!!!
Pati
Hold on patischell.... let me see if I can find a link for a website that sells 10 for less than 20.00....
http://www.greenwoodnursery.com/page.cfm/26126
kdjoergensen posted this info earlier in this thread......
This message was edited Apr 28, 2005 3:16 PM