Subject: Help!>>>>Ferns<<<<

From: William Barrett <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 6 Feb 1996 22:33:04 -0500

I'm having trouble growing some ferns I got out of the woods.  The 
fiddleheads tend to stop growing after they get their little heads above 
the soil surface.  Got any ideas?????

Please E-mail me.
Bill
[email-masked]

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From: Bugman <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 07 Feb 1996 07:22:53 -0800

> the soil surface.  Got any ideas?????

Try to give those ferns the same ecological conditions that existed in 
the woods from where you got them. That is you should have checked the 
type of soil, soil pH, shade, humidity, etc. Try to give those plants 
the same conditions in the home/greenhouse environment.

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From: [email-masked](Mark & Victoria)
Date: 7 Feb 1996 13:30:58 GMT

In <[email-masked]>
>the soil surface.  Got any ideas?????

When we take things from the woods, what we do is tear the plant away
>from  the microbial activity of that particular environment.  If the
plant does not have the correct balance of organisms which enhance its
growth pattern, it will most likely either perish, or limp along.  That
is one of the key reasons why we must not disturb plants which are in
nature in the woods.  It is the chance we take when we dig them out of
nature.  Which in most states is illegal unless the forest if our own
personal property.  Even then, if you transplant anything from the
forest, you must take a root ball, which wont fall apart before
transplanting it.  That way, you will be introducing the microbes into
the new growing place.  It also must have very similar conditions
regarding sunlight.  You cannot take a plant out of the forest and put
it into the sun, or even partial sun, if it is more sun than it had in
its original location.  It may survive, but it wont be healthy, it will
always limp along.
Victoria*

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From: [email-masked] (BLEWETT2)
Date: 7 Feb 1996 13:36:41 -0500

The ferns you can find in nurseries are more ornamental than the more
common natives, anyway. Cinnamon fern, royal fern, maiden fern and
especially japanese painted fern are a few to look for. Planted in masses
and sited properly ferns add charm to a shade garden like few other
plants.

                                                    Evan Blewett
                                                    GARDENWORKS
                                                    Cary,NC