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| Ferns possess a vascular system,
which transports water and nutrients through the plant, and this distinguishes
them from other non-vascular, lower order plants like mosses and liverworts,
lichens, fungi and algae. Ferns reproduce from spores and have separate
(free-living) gametophyte and sporophyte generations. When the word "fern"
is mentioned, most people will imagine a dark green plant in a cool, wet
rainforest. However they can grow in a variety of climates and substrates.
Terrestrial ferns grow in the soil, lithophytic ferns grow on rocks, and
epiphytes grow on rotting organic matter and tree fern trunks. There are
Tasmanian ferns growing in full sun and in very dry conditions, for example
Pteridium and Cheilanthes.
There is also Asplenium obtusatum, which grows on coastal
cliffs and gets battered with salt spray, and there are aquatic ferns that
float on the surface of fresh water ponds and streams. |
| CULTIVATION. There are numerous Tasmanian ferns suitable for cultivation, the most popular being the common tree fern Dicksonia antarctica. Other suitable species are Polystichum proliferum, Blechnum nudum, B.wattsii, B.penna-marina, B.fluviatile, Todea barbara, Histiopteris incisa, Asplenium bulbiferum, Rumohra adiantiformis and Cyathea australis. Tree ferns such as Cyathea australis (Rough Tree Fern), Dicksonia antarctica (Soft Tree Fern) and Todea barbara (King Fern), are very slow-growing and take many years for the trunks to attain height but, like many ferns can be grown successfully in containers enabling them to be moved into more sheltered environments according to the season. | 
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SOIL The natural habitat of ferns involves decaying organic material, assisted by the action of soil micro-organisms, which provides the slow release of nutrients required, plus abundant water. Well decayed leafmould, peat moss and turfy loam produce all the parts of the food needs. The soil must be moderately acid and good drainage is essential. If waterlogging occurs the soil will become sour and the ferns will soon die. AS AN INDOOR PLANT. Potted ferns in the house
require special care, particularly when a dehydrating atmosphere has been
created by heating or air conditioning. The drying out effect can be partially
offset by grouping a number of potted ferns together on a shallow tray filled
with water. The pots should be raised above the water level on stones. The
water in the tray will rapidly evaporate so the level should be checked
and topped up regularly. Alternatively, an effective method is known as
double-potting, where the fern is planted in a porous (say terracotta) pot
inside a larger non-porous pot FERTILISERS. Great care must be exercised when using artificial fertilisers, but liquid organic fertilisers such as fish emulsions or seaweed, diluted to one-quarter normal strength are suitable. PESTS. There are a number of pests, including snails, red spider and millipedes. Ants are particularly dangerous to ferns as they “farm” aphids, scales and mealy bugs in order to “milk” the surplus sap from these insects to feed their young by carrying them from the nest to their sucking position, and even provide protection from rain by removing them to underground positions and placing them on roots of certain weeds. When the ants collect and return the aphids to the ferns, they not only suck nourishment from the ornamental plants but introduce fungus and virus diseases. Unfortunately the fern fiddle heads are the favourite food of young emerging aphids, and damage to these destroys the complete structure. Ants have few natural predators, but sprays and powders that destroy ants’ nests are far too powerful for delicate ferns so locate the ants’ nests and carefully treat the soil with malathion or some other weakorganophosphate, making sure the chemical does not come in contact with the fern. |
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Article and photographs by AndrewWoolford (Additional material from “Growing Ferns” by Ray Best) |
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