How to Grow Maiden Ferns

Gardeners looking to add color and texture to shady areas of the landscape, can't go wrong with maidenhair ferns. Frilly and lacy, with delicate fronds, maidenhair ferns thrive in dark, sheltered growing areas. Grow maiden ferns with minimal care, simply ensuring that the soil stays adequately moist throughout the growing season. Even better, in addition to requiring little care, maidenhair ferns should return to your shady landscape year after year.

Aged compost
Slow-release granular fertilizer
Pine needles or shredded pine bark

Instructions

- 1
  Plant maidenhair ferns in a sheltered, shady location with rich soil. Work aged compost into the soil before planting, to improve nutrients and drainage, if necessary. If the maidenhair ferns are already growing in a location, add compost over the soil surface, but do not mix the compost into the soil because you may damage fern roots.
- 2
  Mulch the soil around ferns with pine needles or shredded pine bark to prevent weed growth and keep the soil moist. Keep about 2 inches of mulch over the soil, replenishing the mulch yearly with fresh materials.
- 3
  Water ferns if less than 1 inch of rain falls within a one-week period. Ferns require evenly moist soil to thrive.
- 4
  Fertilize maidenhair ferns in the spring after the ferns begin growing again. Sprinkle a granular, balanced fertilizer over the soil surface around the ferns, following package recommendations for the size of the growing area. Water the soil well immediately after adding the fertilizer to the soil to help dissolve the fertilizer into the soil.

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