How to Trim Sword Ferns

Sword ferns are native North American plants found in temperate to warm areas. The plant could spread up to 4 feet wide and can be grown in the partial-shade to full-shade garden or even indoors. Sword ferns require moist, slightly acidic soil but can tolerate short periods of drought. The ferns spread with underground runners that can be cut off to create new plants. The plants are stimulated to produce new fronds when pruned back to the crown, but it is not a necessary process for the health of the plant. Some gardeners remove the spent fronds, but again, this is not a cultural requirement because wild plants thrive without removal of the dead leaves.

Hand pruners
Long-handled loppers
Hedging shears

Instructions

- 1
  Use hand pruners at any time of the year to remove dead and broken fronds. Take them off of the plant as close to the crown as possible without cutting into the crown.
- 2
  Cut out center fronds with long-handled loppers when pruning large plants. This allows you to get close to the crown without fighting the numerous leaves on a mature fern.
- 3
  Prune back the entire crown of the plant in late winter to early spring for rejuvenation. Use whichever pruning implement is most comfortable, and snip off individual stems 2 to 3 inches above the crown.
- 4
  Trim the stems in a slightly domed shape so you don't have a scraggly lump in your yard. You can easily do this with gas or electric hedging shears. Sweep them in an arc over the crown of the plant to cut the fronds easily.
- 5
  Leave the removed fronds around the base of the plant as organic mulch. They might have spores, which will create more ferns. If you do not want more sword ferns, compost the fronds.

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