Re: [SG] Maidenhair Fern

Well, to add to the good info. you've gotten here, FWIW.

Your failure might be due to several factors....possibly you aren't
watering these enough when first planted.  Most any plant that prefers
moist woodland conditions will need to be watered more than you think until
it gets established, which generally takes the entire first season you have
it in the ground.

Possibly, your source is not sending you or selling you good material.  If
not from an absolutely reliable source, they may have been  wild collected
and wild collected plants often not thrive in garden conditions for many
reasons, among which is the treatment they get from the time they are
collected until you plant them.

If you are trying divisions of an existing clump from someone, perhaps the
divisions aren't large enough or have enough roots to survive - or they
were taken at the wrong time of year, or the got too dry between the
digging and replanting...

If you feel that you have watered enough and these were bought from a
nursery or garden center, it is possible that the compost in which the fern
was grown when sold to you was peat based and drying out while the
surrounding soil is moist.  This can happen quite often with the soilless
mixes that many nurseries use, and even with quite large woody plants.
Once this potting mix is dry, it is virtually impossible to re-wet properly
once in the ground.  And, of course, if the compost around the rootball
dries, then the plant dies, no matter if the surrounding soil is a bog.
Best with soilless mixes that seem dry (i.e. they don't readily crumble
where not full of roots and/or the entire pot is full of roots so when
unpotted, the pot shape remains) to submerge the entire root mass in a
bucket of water until no more bubbles appear and it is thoroughly wet
before planting.

I have not heard or read that this species is subject to any diseases or
insect pests....never seen any sign of same on my plants, or indeed, on any
of the many ferns that I grow.

I have this lovely fern in two places - both have been there for
ummm....probably about 15 or 18 years.

My main clump is planted right next to a path in what was my native lousy
fairly acidic clay that was originally dug over and well amended many long
years ago and has had very irregular top dressings of compost, mulch or
whatever, plus the residue of leaves that fall and are allowed to remain
during spring cleanup when they have started rotting.

The soil drains quite well and even tends toward dryness in summer.  The
bed is watered in summer when weather is dry.  Originally, the bed was
quite shaded by a huge oak that had to be removed upon receiving a direct
lightening strike and a dogwood that succumbed to Dogwood Anthracnose,
leaving it in a good deal of south sun for maybe 3  hours at midday.

This clump started as one plant.  It now covers and area about 18" by 30".
It has never been divided or fed.  I clean out the old fronds in early
spring (hopefully before the new ones have started - much less tedious).
The area is now getting a tad more shade as other adjacent shrubs have
grown, but still receives more sun than this fern really likes.  The only
sign I've gotten that the fern would rather have more shade is that the
tops of some of the fronds burn a bit in hot July/August sun; otherwise, it
continues to grow and thrive and is now trying out the cracks in the
adjacent flagstone paving to see how it likes them.

The other fern was planted at the very base of a boxelder (Acer negundo)
which was fairly large at the time and is now way too big.  It casts almost
total shade as the fern is on its north side.  The soil under this tree is
quite dry, natural clay garbage.  There are many other plants, including
ivy (Hedera helix) in this bed.  This poor fern survives but has not
expanded one iota.  By the time it penetrated what passes for my brain that
it was not really happy there, it was so completely engulfed by ivy stems
that I doubt I can get it out of the ground intact, so there it stays.

I ramble on about this to let you know that this fern can be grown in less
than its ideal conditions, and in moderately less than ideal conditions it
can flourish if watered so that it does not dry out.  I think letting it
completely dry out may very well prove deadly, but once established, it can
tolerate (although not flourish) in the dry, rooty total shade under a
hideous trash tree.

A totally lovely fern, and one of my favorites - well worth trying until
you get it going.  It should grow in your climate, so I don't think climate
is an issue here.

I have no idea about the Malathion question as I've never used it.

Marge Talt, zone 7 Maryland
mtalt@clark.net
Editor:  Gardening in Shade
current article: Mailorder Nurseries - On and Off Line - Seneca Hill
Perennials
http://suite101.com/welcome.cfm/222

----------
> From: Michael D. Cook <mikecook@PIPELINE.COM>
> Date: Saturday, January 30, 1999 4:51 PM
>
> At 01:05 AM 1/30/99 -0400, you wrote:
> >
> >The one I haven't seen mentioned  is Adiantum, Maidenhair fern, one
> >of my favorites.
>
> Can anyone tell me how to keep this plant alive?  I have tried and tried
-
> it always shrivels up in about two months.  I have not had problems with
> other ferns, and grow types needing a wide range of conditions.  My
mother
> has Maidenhair ferns growing in heavy clay soil, with no supplemental
> watering, and moderate, dappled shade, but according to the books, the pH
> should be too high for them there.  I have tried them in dappled shade,
> total (but light) shade, part sun, acid soil, neutral soil, moderate
> moisture, dry conditions, woodland conditions, ordinary garden...could a
> pest or disease be at fault?  Also, how long does Malathion persist in
the
> environment?
>
>
> Sheila Smith
> mikecook@pipeline.com
> Niles, MI  USA, Z 5/6
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