Painted Fern Germination Time

Growing From Spores

• Spores are collected from plants that are several years old and mature enough to produce spores on the undersides of the leaves. After spores are collected and sown into suitable growing conditions, the spore germinates and produces tiny sexual forms, called gametophytes. Gametophytes form tiny heart-shaped or ear-shaped bodies called prothalli, and prothalli produce eggs and sperm. The sperm need free water to be able to swim to reach the eggs. Once the egg is fertilized, it begins to grow the sporophyte, which is the recognizable fern grown in the garden.

Spores

• It takes one or two weeks to dry spore-containing leaves, depending on humidity. Spores are very tiny and usually tan. Collect them by shaking the dried leaves over clean white paper. Spores can be stored in an airtight container or planted immediately.

Sow the Spores

• Sprinkle collected spores over the surface of the sterile, moist growing medium, and cover the container with glass or plastic wrap. Spores will germinate in one to five months.

Growth Begins

• Watch for tiny pale green growths to appear on the surface of the growing medium. These are the new gametophytes. When they begin to appear, provide extra moisture so there is free-standing water necessary for egg fertilization. The prothallus gets bigger and is more visible to the naked eye over the course of the next month or two. When the fertilized egg within the prothallus begins to grow, it produces the young fern (sporophyte), which can be seen in another month or two. As the fern grows, the prothallus shrivels up.

Toughen the Small Ferns

• Begin to allow some air into the covered container by opening the cover a crack, increasing the width of the crack as the baby ferns grow. In two more months, ferns should be 2 inches tall, at which time they are ready to be put into pots of their own. It takes another two to four months to grow them large enough and tough enough to go into the garden. Depending on conditions, the time span between the collection of the spores and the moment they become young ferns ready for the garden can be six to 10 months.