Ferns

Autumn Ferns, Ostrich Ferns and Asparagus Ferns will all grow to slightly different heights. There is no one height for all ferns, you might find some species of ferns will only grow to around twelve inches in height while others can become as large as six feet. Some ferns will also grow as wide as they do tall.

Let’s take a look at some of the individual ferns and see what size they can grow to.

Asparagus Fern

It might come as a surprise to you since they are so small and delicate when you buy them but an asparagus fern can grow to an impressive height of 2.5 meters.

Autumn Fern

The Autumn Fern is slightly smaller on the scale of ferns by growing to approximately 18 inches tall. The Autumn Fern will also tend to grow as wide as it does tall giving it a bushier appearance.

Ostrich Fern

The Ostrich Fern is more of a medium sized fern and will tend to grow to anywhere between three to six feet.

Birds Nest Fern

The birds nest fern is another fern with quite a range. You can expect the fronds of this plant to grow anywhere from two feet all the way up to five feet.

Western Sword Fern

This type of fern can cover a large area of land and is able to grow to an impressive five feet. At five feet the Western Sword Fern is a good choice to make if you want to give your garden a more jungly feel but are unable to use tropical plants due to the climate you live in.

The most important thing you want to remember is that in order for a fern to grow to its maximum height it needs to have the ideal growing conditions and this part is up to you. Make sure that the growing conditions you provide your fern with are optimal for its needs. And remember that not all ferns require the same type of conditions. Be sure to research the individual ferns in order to help them grow the most effectively.

Other questions that you may be interested in include: Can Autumn Ferns Be Grown Indoors?

Fern care isn’t necessary for a fern to thrive in your garden with little help from you. However there are things that you can do when planting your fern to make sure that you’re setting it off to the best possible start.

The first thing to think about when planting a fern in your garden is where to put it. It’s important to remember that ferns don’t like too much direct sunlight, so if you could plant your fern in a shadier area out of direct sunlight, either by a fence or under the shelter of other plants then your fern should do relatively well.

If you live in an area that rains often then you will also have to do less to take care of your ferns as they will be receiving lots of waterings. However, if you’re experiencing a particularly hot or dry summer then you may find that you need to water your ferns too. Ferns are plants that do well under wet conditions so if it hasn’t been raining then chances are you’ll probably need to water your ferns yourself.

As for feeding your ferns, they will probably get all the nutrients they need from the ground and you’ll find that they grow and spread quickly, so much so that you may need to consider trimming then back to prevent them from becoming invasive.

The best time to trim your ferns is in the spring just before the growing season starts as dead fronds can protect the plant in the winter months. This might mean that you have to keep dead fronds in your garden for a few months.

It’s also important to not only think about care but aesthetics too. Ask yourself how tall do ferns grow? What can be grown with an Ostrich Fern? What will look good in your garden side by side with these beautiful plants? Try and think of taller plants and trees you can grow above your ferns to provide them with a sufficient amount of shade.

Taking the time to think about this will ensure that you have a beautiful well thought out garden that you enjoy spending time in. And that your ferns are well taken care of in your garden and thrive without that much input from you. If anything you will probably need to worry about them thriving too much in that they could become overgrown.

 

Autumn Ferns are plants that are incredibly fast growers. You do not need to wait much time for them to fill up your garden and if you’re not careful you’ll find them taking over. It’s important to ask how do you take care of a fern in the garden? And make sure that you help it to thrive for the best growing opportunities.

In the Spring the plant itself will grow incredibly quickly however that is not the only factor to consider. Ferns can be quite invasive meaning that they will easily spread to the surrounding areas and if not take care of properly can take over the other flora that is there.

With this in mind you should cut back your ferns to prevent your garden being overrun by them unless this is something that you’re trying to achieve. The best time to cut back your ferns is in the spring.

In the winter the fern will die back and it may look like the plant is dead. Try to resist cutting the fern at this point as the dead fronds can actually protect the plant from the cold and from animals.

Wait until the spring comes and cut away the dead fronds ready for new growth. If you find your Autumn Fern is growing too quickly for you to manage then cut it back during the growing season as well.

Also be aware that ferns from your garden may spread to the land outside or to neighbours garden and that this is your responsibility.

If you keep your fern indoors then it may continue to grow all year ground depending on the light it has access to and how warm your home is. You can increase growth by fertilising your plants but make sure you dilute the fertiliser as some feeds can be too strong for autumn ferns and can burn the fronds. To be honest you probably don’t need to use that much feed to encourage growth in your ferns. They do remarkably well on their own.

 

Yes Autumn Ferns can be grown indoors, although they are not typically grown this way. When deciding whether or not to keep this plant indoors, you need to ask: How fast do Autumn Ferns grow? Will they spread? What kind of conditions do they require?

As Autumn Ferns can withstand relatively cold conditions you might want to consider keeping this plant outside in your garden. If you live in north America, north Asia or Europe you will find that this plant thrives outside. However this doesn’t mean that you can’t keep it as an indoor plant instead.

Just because Autumn Ferns do well outside doesn’t mean that they have to be kept as an outdoor plant. If you want to keep this fern indoors then there is no reason that you can’t do this. The only thing you have to do is to make sure that your provide it with the conditions it would be living in if it was being kept as an outdoor plant.

So what does this mean? What conditions will an Autumn Fern thrive in. If you want to look at our full Autumn Fern care guide you can find it on our website, if not then we will give you a quick guide here.

In order to keep your fern healthy indoors you need to recreate its ideal growing conditions. Firstly, these plants don’t like to receive too much direct light so avoid south facing windowsills. Instead place it in a shadier area of the house where it still receives light but not direct sunlight.

Secondly make sure you pot the plant in well draining soil and water regularly to keep moisture levels up. Ferns also do well in humid environments so you can try misting your fern for even better results.

Finally although these ferns can do well inside if you want to see them thrive and spread and you have garden space available then I would seriously consider adding them to your garden. Their fantastic oranges and yellows can add a beautiful splash of colour to an otherwise quite green environment.