Join Tim Stretton from Mounton House garden in Monmouthshire as he collects and sows fern spores to increase the number of ferns in the garden for free - completely gratis!
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Step by step
- First, collect ripe spores in late summer from a fern in the garden, gathering fronds and placing them in an envelope.
- Then gently sow them onto damp compost, and place the pot in a plastic bag to germinate in a cool shady spot, such as under the glasshouse benches.
- Mist the spores every few days, remembering to reseal the bag, as they require consistent moisture.
- Within a couple of months, they will form a moss-like covering on the soil surface, which is the first stage of the process.
- When the first true fern leaves have developed, usually within a year of sowing, then they can be removed from the bag and the ferns gently teased apart and potted on, like you would do with seedlings.
- Two years after sowing, the fern plants should be ready for hardening off and setting out in the garden in their final planting position.
It's a long process, but totally worth it for beautiful, free greenery.
