HOW TO GROW FEDERALS IN A GARDEN - LANDING AND CARE

Ferns are the oldest inhabitants of our planet, which appeared on Earth about 400 million years ago, even before the era of the dinosaurs.

Since then, the climate has repeatedly changed, geological cataclysms have occurred, many plants have died out, unable to adapt to new conditions. Ferns, too, have lost most of their species, but still survived and spread to all continents, with the exception of Antarctica.

We can say that on the evolutionary ladder, ferns occupy a place between bryophytes and flowering plants.

And with those, and with others, they have some common biological features. Ferns also have individual characteristics that are unique to them.

To designate a fern leaf, scientists use a special term - "frond", because what a common man can take for a leaf of this plant, in fact, is not such an organ. Vaya is a system of branches that are located in one plane. In this regard, fronds are also called flat-toes or pre-shoots.

But, despite the fact that in the process of evolution the fern did not "acquire" real leaves, it still has leaf plates. Over time, the flattened plants thickened, which led to the formation of plates.

At the initial stage of the growing season, the fern is very easily recognizable and it is quite easy to distinguish it from any flowering plant precisely by the peculiarities of the development of wai. At first, their tips are curled up in a spiral and resemble a snail, but gradually the fronds unfold and grow in length. The only exceptions are aquatic fern species, the fronds of which are never twisted into a "snail".

The sizes and shapes of ferns are very diverse. But most often they are pinnate, small leaves extend from the common petiole on both sides, which are usually divided into leaves of the second and third orders.

It is important to know that fronds are very fragile and to protect them from damage. They can recover only during the growth period, that is, usually only the next year. It should also be remembered that the apical bud of the plant contains a supply of vai primordia for the next 2-3 seasons. Therefore, ferns often react to improper care not immediately, but after a few years.

Openwork fronds are very decorative and are often used in bouquets. But it is advisable to cut them only from well-developed plants and on condition that most of the greenery remains intact. Heavy pruning can seriously weaken young and newly planted ferns.

FERROUS: STEM INSTEAD OF ROOT

The fern root system also has interesting features. Usually it consists of one large underground rhizome, which is a modified stem, from which small adventitious roots branch off.

The rhizome is covered with the bases of the past years, which remain viable for a long time, serve as a reservoir of nutrients and a kind of protective shell. The adventitious roots are replaced with new ones every four years, and the rhizome can live up to 100 years. This is how the underground part of most fern species looks, with the exception of epiphytic ones that do not have rhizomes.

Ferns contain bactericidal substances, so their remains decompose very slowly. Due to this property, chopped and chopped rhizomes of these plants are used as a substrate for epiphytic bromeliads and orchids.

CHANGED TO SURVIVE

The fern can be found in a wide variety of places - in forests, in swamps and lakes, in tropical forests and even in deserts. Having adapted to different environmental conditions, these plants themselves have become very diverse. Dwarf salvinia with whole leaves reaches a height of only 1,5 cm, and the growth of a tropical plant of a tree-like form of the genus Cyathea reaches 25 m.

Many xerophilic plant species (Ceterah, Heimantes Persian) thrive in arid mountainous areas. Davallia Canary grows as an epiphyte on tree trunks, rocks and stone walls.

PARENTAL "DISEASE"

At the beginning of the XIX century. Fern fever swept across England. The craze for this plant even got its name - pteridomania. It all started with the fact that botanist Nathaniel Ward started growing ferns in glass containers (a kind of florariums).

After a while, the hobby swept the whole country: the British went into the forest to dig up a fern and settle it as a houseplant, whole fern greenhouses were created in houses, the shape of the plant's leaves became very popular and was often repeated on porcelain and wooden products. During the years of pteridomania (and it lasted about 10 years), botanists studied many species of fern and wrote a huge number of books about them.

THE SECRET OF FERRY BREEDING

Like flowering ferns, ferns have vascular tissue that delivers water and nutrients to all organs of the plant. But ferns do not form either flowers or seeds, but reproduce by spores, like mosses. This secret was unraveled only after the invention of the microscope.

In most cases, fern frond combines 2 functions: photosynthesis and sporulation. The spores are usually found in clusters or rows on the lower, more protected side of the frond. Sometimes the wrapped edge of the leaf blade serves as additional protection for spores (for example, in common bracken). In some species, such as the royal osmund, the upper part of the frond is spore-bearing. There are also species in which fronds are divided into sterile, which are responsible only for photosynthesis, and fertile, which form spores. So, in the ostrich, fertile fronds are collected in the center of the plant.

A single fern can produce about a million spores. But new plants are not obtained from all. Gardeners will find it helpful to know that ferns can also be propagated by dividing the rhizomes, cuttings and buds that form on the roots or leaves.

---

See also: Kinds of fern (photo) cochairmen shields and multichannels

---

FANS FOR ANY GARDEN - SPECIES

Ferns belong to one of the most numerous groups of plants and form a whole department, which is subdivided into several classes and many families. But it is not at all necessary to delve into all the subtleties of the botanical classification. It is enough to know that there is a fern in front of you, and imagine which place in the garden is most suitable for it.

Some fern species seem to be specially made for alpine slides.

Woodsia ilvensis grows in cracks in rocks in the arctic and temperate regions of the entire Northern Hemisphere. The plant is easily recognizable by its petioles, which persist for a long time and stick out like a brush around the bases of the wai. The feathery fronds reach a length of up to 20 cm, the segments of the leaf plate from below are densely covered with rusty scales and long hairs. Woodsia's rhizome is short.

The plant prefers a slightly acidic or close to neutral poor substrate, without excess lime, loosened by the addition of coarse sand, needs good drainage.

Woodsia elbe grows well in lighted areas, while partial shade is most suitable for other species of this fern.

ROCK HERMITS PREFERENCES

Rock ferns, which include kostenets, woodsia, and bubbly, do not tolerate stagnant water at all, including during winter thaws.

These plants feel best on alpine slides and retaining walls, where they are planted in small niches and cracks between stones, making sure to provide for good drainage or water flow along an inclined plane.

Vesicle fragile (Сstopteris fragilis) grows easily in partial shade on neutral and slightly alkaline substrates, provided there is good drainage and sufficient soil moisture. In nature, it is found on rocks, cliffs, limestones and shales in the temperate humid climate of both hemispheres. It is important to know that the plant is poisonous!

The maximum height of the vesicle is about 30 cm. The rhizome is short, branching. Fronts are thin, lanceolate or oblong in shape, arranged in bunches, petioles are brownish in color.

Wall bone (Asplenium rutamuraria) grows in cracks in outcrops of limestone rocks, on fragments of limestone. Widely distributed in Eurasia, in the European part of Russia, in the Urals, the North Caucasus, Altai.

It is a small fern up to 20 cm high with a short rhizome. Fronts are matte, gray-green in color, the leaf blades are triangular, triangular-oval or oval-lanceolate. Undemanding to soil - can grow on both alkaline and neutral. But it is sensitive to a lack of moisture: during a drought, the male Dychworm leaves curl up and unfold again after watering.

It reaches its maximum size in partial shade, in open places the plant becomes very shallow. Winter-hardy subject to good snow cover.

Northern Kostenets (Asplenium septentrionale) occurs naturally in rock crevices, on rocky slopes and talus. Widely distributed in Russia, Eurasia and North America.

The rhizome of the plant is thin, short and branched. Numerous linear fronds are wintering. The length of the coriaceous leaf blade is 2-4 times shorter than the petiole. The leaf can be whole or divided into 2, 3 or 4 narrow segments, the upper edge of the plate is forked. The maximum height of an adult fern does not exceed 10 cm.

Large fern species are perfect for shady gardens.

Male dryopteris (Dryopteris filixmas) - the most common fern in the forests of central Russia. It is also found in Eurasia and North America.

At the apex of a thick short rhizome there is a funnel-shaped rosette of lanceolate erect wai, the length of which can reach up to 1,5 m. The leaf plates are dissected, dark green in color.

Young fronds emerge from the middle of the rosette and fully unfold only in the third year. Thus, on the same plant, you can simultaneously observe both mature fronds and young ones, coiled in a spiral.

Nippon Cochiner (Athyrium niponicum) it is distinguished by an unusually decorative color of the leaf plates. This fern grows well in shade and partial shade, and is common in China, Japan and Korea. The plant's high winter hardiness allows it to be used in gardens in almost all regions of Russia.

Depending on the type, the leaf plates can have a color from ash-silver to beige-silver with a transition to green towards the ends of the plates. Leaf veins - from reddish to beetroot-purple.

The maximum height of an adult Nippon goose is usually no more than 60 cm.

Common bracken (Pteridium aquilinum) - the most common fern for the middle lane. Distributed in pine forests, often grows on sandy loam soils.

This is a large fern up to 1,5 m high. The rhizome is long, creeping. The fronds are spaced, the leaf blades are triangular, repeatedly dissected.

Currently, there are about 10500 fern species on Earth, most of which are found in tropical and subtropical climates. About 2000 species of this plant grow on the territory of Russia.

It is important to know that the bracken is quite aggressive and quickly captures large territories. In conditions of light shade, it can be used as a ground cover plant.

You can decorate damp, sunny areas with poorly drained soils with ferns.

Sensitive Onoclea (Onoclea sensibilis) grows well in waterlogged areas. In natural conditions, it meets

1 in forests and swamp edges in the Far East, China, Japan and North America.

The maximum plant height is about 70 cm, the rhizome is long, creeping fronds are spread. Spore-bearing frond double-pinned, with feathers in the form of balls, inside which there are sori. Sterile frond - pinnately separated, light green in color.

In wetlands, the plant easily tolerates strong lighting.

Asian Chistous (Osmunda cinnamomea) forms extensive thickets in the Far East, is found in Korea.

The height of the plant is about 1 m. The fronds are feathery, light green in color, forming a funnel-shaped rosette. First, sterile frond grows on the fern, after which spore-bearing frond begins to form from the central part, which are so densely covered with dark golden sori that they resemble paniculate inflorescences.

Asian Chistous is edible and very popular in Asian cuisine.

Marsh telipteris (Thelypteris palustris) in nature, it grows on the outskirts of bogs, in damp meadows, in swampy forests, and is common in Eurasia and North America.

Plant height 30-70cm, long creeping rhizome, frond usually solitary. The leaf plates are broadly lanceolate, slightly tapering at the base, double-peristo-separated.

The fern prefers a light shade, but on peaty waterlogged soils it can thrive even in high light conditions.

Some ferns can be kept in open water.

Marsilia quadrifolia (Marsilea quadrifolia) has another name - four-leaf clover, due to the similarity of its leaf plates with the ground part of this plant. Four-bladed glossy plates about 2 cm long float on the surface of the water or (if Marsilia grows in shallow water) are directed vertically.

The fern is found in shallow water bodies, on muddy shores in Russia, Central and Southern Europe, as well as in China and Japan.

Floating salvinia (Salvinia natans) often settles in reservoirs with a slow flow or with standing water. The fern grows in Asia, Africa, central and southern regions of Europe, in Russia it is found mainly in Western Siberia and the Far East.

The thin stem of the plant is located horizontally on the surface of the water, its length is usually 15 cm. From each node of the stem there are 3 leaf plates, two of which are solid, elliptical in shape. The third leaf plate is under water, it is dissected into filamentous lobes and looks like the roots of a plant.

At the base of the underwater lamina there are clusters of spherical sori that winter at the bottom of the reservoir; and in the spring they release spores.

Ball-bearing pillary (Pilularia globulifera) grows on the shores of small lakes, rivers, ponds on wet clay or clay-sandy soils. Easily tolerates changes in water level and is able to change the air form of existence to the underwater one.

Leaf plates up to 25 cm long in saturated green color have a needle-curved shape. Rhizomedlong, creeping, with numerous thin adventitious roots.

Pillaria grows better and develops at a water temperature not higher than 20 °. In warmer conditions, fern growth slows down. In well-lit places, the leaf plates acquire a juicy emerald hue.

SOIL FOR FERROUS

Forest ferns (ostrich, bracken, duckweed, onokleya) love loose fertile soils. Soils with an acidic or slightly acidic reaction are suitable for almost all plants in this group.

It is recommended to add sand and loosening organic matter in the form of peat and leaf litter to clays and heavy loams. Poor sandy loam must be enriched with compost and humus.

---

Reference by topic: How to transplant fern - photo

---

REPRODUCTION OF FERROUS

Many decorative ones can be propagated by spores. This is a long, but very interesting process, which allows you to get a large number of plants at once.

SEEDING SPORTS

Fern spores mature by late summer - early autumn, they darken and are easily separated from the wai. Spores of many plant species remain viable for 2 years. In some ferns (for example, osmunda), germination is lost after about a couple of months, and in Chistomus, no more than half of the spores germinate after 10-14 days.

To collect material for sowing, cut off plots of wai with dark brown or ocher sori. Then the leaves need to be laid out with sori down on sheets of paper and pressed down with a small weight. Usually, after a couple of days, the sporangia open up, and dark dusty spores pour out onto the paper. The optimum sowing substrate consists of 3 parts peat and 1 part sand. It is poured into a transparent container (glass or plastic) with a layer of 3-4 cm. A prerequisite for successful spore germination is light, but not direct, but diffused.

It is important that both the substrate and the seed containers are well sterilized. To do this, they are treated with steam or doused with boiling water. This procedure will destroy the spores of moss and algae, which are always found in peat, and will help get rid of pathogenic fungi.

The substrate is moistened and spores are evenly sprayed over its surface. From above, the containers are covered with glass to maintain high humidity and placed on the windowsill, shading from the bright sun if necessary.

---

Reference by topic: Reproduction by spores (fern, etc.)

---

It is important to ensure that the crops do not dry out. Watering is desirable with boiled water. Usually, in closed boxes, the substrate, well-soaked before sowing, perfectly retains moisture, and watering is required no more than once a month. From time to time, it is recommended to apply top dressing with a solution of complete mineral fertilizer, but you need to take no more than a quarter of the full norm.

APPEARANCE OF GROWTH

In most temperate ferns, spores germinate at 20-25 ° C. Lower temperatures are also suitable (from 12 ° to 18 °), but in this case ferns develop more slowly. In general, the timing of germination is highly dependent on the type of plant. So, the first shoots appear in the shrimp, leaf, bony, and bladderworm in less than a month. For some ferns, it takes up to six months for seedling to form.

Seedlings that appear during spore germination are called outgrowths, they do not at all look like adult ferns.

The outgrowth is a small green plate only 1 -5 mm long. It is usually heart-shaped. On the underside of the outgrowth, germ cells are born. In the drops of moisture accumulated under the overgrowth, the fertilization process takes place. The result is a fern embryo. It begins its development in the bud, which gradually dies off.

The main danger to the overgrowth is mold, which not only drowns out crops, but also poisons the ferns. Mold-affected areas are removed along with the substrate. But with its strong spread, it will be safer to transplant the overgrowths into a new container with clean soil.

GROWING YOUNG FERROUS PLANTS

When young ferns reach a height of about 2 cm, they are planted in pots or boxes for further growing. For forest plant species, a new substrate is prepared from leaf humus or garden soil, peat and sand in proportions of 2: 2: 1. You can also use ready-made soil for Saintpaulias. At the bottom of the container, a layer of expanded clay must be poured. For rock ferns, it is useful to add granite gravel no more than 5 mm in size or expanded clay to the substrate. And for rock ferns that prefer lime - lime crumb.

The plantings are sprayed and covered again with glass or film. It will be possible to start airing only after a few days, when the plants take root and get used to the new conditions. First, the glass or film is removed for just a couple of hours a day, gradually the airing time is increased, and only after accustoming young plants to dry air, the shelter is completely removed.

Only formed strong plants that have reached a height of at least 5-6 cm can be planted in open ground. Usually, such ferns become only after 1,5-2 years. In the middle lane, it is advisable to plant at the beginning of summer, so that the plants have time to get stronger and adapt before the onset of frost.

---

See also: Fern - properties and application, planting and care

---

FUEL - LANDING AND CARE, VIDEO

© Author: Galina Artemova

ORDER QUALITY AND CHEAP SEEDS AND OTHER PRODUCTS FOR HOME AND COTTAGE. PRICES ARE BOTTLE. CHECKED! JUST LOOK FOR YOURSELF AND BE AMAZED. THERE ARE REVIEWS. GO >>>

Below other entries on the topic "Dacha and garden - with their own hands"

---

Subscribe to updates in our groups and share.

Let's be friends!