Cutting fern - how and when?

Content

• Cutting fern - how and when?
• Cut back in the fall or spring
  
• Foliage serves as a natural winter protection
  
• Evergreen and wintergreen ferns
  
• Cut ferns to extract cuttings
  
• Tips & Tricks

Cut cuttings from your fern in spring

Cutting fern - how and when?

At the latest when the leaves turn brown, the fern signals that it needs a helping hand. Here could be a cut attached. How the fern is cut, whether a cut is necessary at all and when the cutting is useful, is explained below.

Early article The fern as a houseplant - it depends on the care! Next article Fern - 3 common methods of propagation

Cut back in the fall or spring

Most ferns should be cut down in the fall. It is sufficient to shorten the fronds to just above the ground. Who misses the cut in the fall, has the next chance in the spring. But beware: In spring, there is a risk that the new fronds are injured when cutting!

Foliage serves as a natural winter protection

Some ferns are considered sensitive when it comes to frost. These include, for example, the Asian ferns. They should rather be shortened by half. The lower area, which is left standing, captures the leaves to be laid over as winter protection and 'hold'.

Alternatively, the brown fronds can be cut off in autumn and placed on the root area. In addition to winter protection, the fronds serve as a natural fertilizer. They decompose slowly and the formation of new fronds is stimulated and strengthened in the spring.

Evergreen and wintergreen ferns

Evergreen ferns should not be cut back. Only old, brown leaves need to be cleaned. Even winter-green ferns look beautiful in winter. You need the winter protection in the form of their fronds. Therefore, they will be shortened in the spring. This should be done shortly before the new fronds are sprouted, so that they are not injured.

Cut ferns to extract cuttings

Furthermore, ferns can be cut to recover cuttings that are used for propagation. Such a cut should happen in spring. Use clean tools and gloves as protection against the poisonous parts of plants.

Note the following points when propagating cuttings:

Tips & Tricks

Maiden ferns are cut as well as garden ferns.