The Garden Helper

Helping Gardeners Grow Their Dreams since 1997.

No-dash-here, you've found The Real Garden Helper! Gardening on the Web since 1997

Getting rid of ferns

Gardening Reference » Gardening in 2004
by Triss on August 23, 2004 02:19 AM
We have tons of them growing all around one side of the house. They have been mowed over dozens of times and dug up but still contunue to grow. Anyone have an idea of how to get rid of them permanently?

Thanks
Triss

* * * *
 -
 -
We are all under the same stars... therefore we are never far apart.
by weezie13 on August 23, 2004 09:45 PM
Holey smokes there, you got your hands full
with all of them wee~ones!!!

Nice to meet you Triss!!
And welcome to The Garden Helper's Forum!!

Got a quick question for you!
How come you want to get rid of all of those ferns.??

Usually, ferns grow best when it's shady and moist conditions! Probably the side of the house with no sunshine on it and in the shade.

The one way would be to dig up all the soil in that area, and introduce new top soil.......

Or put a large piece of plactic down and cover for a season... that may work, but they send runners out and would come to the end of the plastic...

Or encorporate some hosta's and pulminaria's and
shade bulbs and that would take up some space that the ferns would be able to come up thru....
And make an area that sort of takes care of it's self... semi~non~maintainence!!

What would be your plans for the area, after you remove the ferns? That may also help with some ideas, let us know!!!

Weezie

* * * *
Weezie

Don't forget to be kind to strangers. For some who have
done this have entertained angels without realizing it.
- Bible - Hebrews 13:2

 -
 -
 -

http://photobucket.com/albums/y250/weezie13/
by Triss on August 23, 2004 10:09 PM
Hi Weezie,

Thanks for the welcome. Naptime now so all is quiet here but yes generally my hands are full. I love it though.

On the ferns, I really dont like the look of them personally and would like some color all around the house. You are right, they are growing on the northern side of the house that receives the least amount of light. As for what I am going to do there. I have no idea. First step is to get rid of the ferns and transplant the very few Lily of the Niles that are not thriving there since they got mowed over (grrr) and the one amaryllis that bloomed this year in spite of being mowed. We do have one hostas that I also plan to move into the new garden area. It is on the east side of the house right now and will be moved to the south side and will with any luck thrive there. It is kind of small once again due to the mower.

Any ideas would be great for me since I am in the planning stages for that area.

Triss

* * * *
 -
 -
We are all under the same stars... therefore we are never far apart.
by frustratedattimes on August 24, 2004 03:13 AM
Welcome
Now, you are trying to get rid of what I really want, lots of ferns.

Being originally from the Pacific Northwest, I miss all the ferns and moss hanging from the trees, in the forests.

If it boils down to it, and Weezie don't hit me to hard with that rolling pin, [perplexed] [Big Grin] but you can always spray that area with a general purpose plant killer, just dig up the plants you want to keep first.

As for your hostas, they will thrive on that northside of the house, and multiply every year, so you can divide them and keep adding to your garden.

Hope this helps some.

* * * *
I won't be wronged, I won't be insulted, and I won't be laid a hand on. I don't do these things to other people and I expect the same from them." John Wayne
http://community.webshots.com/user/johncandy1005
by Triss on August 24, 2004 04:23 PM
Hey frustrated,

I think it was your website I looked at the other day, house with lots of new yardswork, an empty slate that started in winter and has continued? The work you have done to date is beautiful.

If you would like ferns, let me know the best time to pull them (I assume before the first frost) and I will send you a box of them or 10 [Wink] . I do not really want to use a killer on them because of the kids. Mikey still eats anything he can get his hands on and the kids pool is in that area so he could get to them easily.

And thanks for letting me know about the hostas, they are everywhere here in town so I know they will grow in just about any environment.

Also you gave me a good memory of going to the coast (used to live in Sacramento) and seeing all of the ferns in the forested areas near the coastline. They were pretty there, just not in my yard.

Triss

* * * *
 -
 -
We are all under the same stars... therefore we are never far apart.
by weezie13 on August 25, 2004 06:14 AM
Triss,
quote:
First step is to get rid of the ferns and transplant the very few Lily of the Niles that are not thriving there since they got mowed over (grrr)
Got a question for you, what zone are you in?
That always sounds so funny when I am asking that!
But, I mean growing zone???

Can those Lily's over winter where you are???
Just curious? Thought those ones were warmer weather types??? [dunno]

Back to the first question???
Getting rid of the ferns, [tears] !!!
Sometimes, ferns can be a very pretty background for other plants!!
And low mantainence too!

I have some Japanese Anemone's with mine, and some columbines, and some Jacob's Ladder and some primroses and some "Mrs. Moon~Pulminaria's..
Pulmonaria's (**Make sure you click on See More Pictures)
Each has a pretty flower for a certain time of the year, gives you some color and weed out a few
or leave them out into the background area!!
Slip some impatients in there too!

quote:
You are right, they are growing on the northern side of the house that receives the least amount of light.
Sometimes when the light is not there, it's hard to get the things in there we'd like to put in there, and trying to put something in there that won't be happy with out the right amount of sunlight, doesn't always work....
So, sometimes it's better to go with what works,
or likes those conditions than those who don't.
and it's with the least amount of effort th at they do survive!!!...

Keep us posted on what you pick out, we
love [Cool] to hear updates [critic] [thumb]

Weezie

* * * *
Weezie

Don't forget to be kind to strangers. For some who have
done this have entertained angels without realizing it.
- Bible - Hebrews 13:2

 -
 -
 -

http://photobucket.com/albums/y250/weezie13/
by weezie13 on August 26, 2004 04:56 AM
***Frustratedattimes,
quote:
If it boils down to it, and Weezie don't hit me to hard with that rolling pin, [perplexed] [Big Grin]
You are just lucky [scaredy] that the rolling pin is out for repairs this week!!! [tongue] [Big Grin]

Weezie

* * * *
Weezie

Don't forget to be kind to strangers. For some who have
done this have entertained angels without realizing it.
- Bible - Hebrews 13:2

 -
 -
 -

http://photobucket.com/albums/y250/weezie13/
by frustratedattimes on August 26, 2004 05:08 AM
Hopefully the rolling pin repairman went to Tahiti for about a month [devil] [Big Grin] . [angel]

* * * *
I won't be wronged, I won't be insulted, and I won't be laid a hand on. I don't do these things to other people and I expect the same from them." John Wayne
http://community.webshots.com/user/johncandy1005
by Triss on August 26, 2004 05:48 AM
Weezie,

I thought I replied earlier today but it must have been when my computer decided to go bonkers... might have been cuz the kids were banging on it [Wink]

To answer you, I am in zone 5 and I was suprised the the Lily of the Nile popped up. They were abundant in CA and the weather is so much different there. We do seem to have very mild winters here because for some reason all of the good weather, snow and thunderstorms, go all around up but we rarely get a direct hit.

As for what to do in the fern area, I have no idea, maybe just let the grass grow up to the house. It is not a priority because it is in the back of the house and I want the front pretty first. I did take some pics of my "clean slate" area today and just need to get them posted somewhere to share. Then I can really get going on it. The kids and I were out today clearing out some of the rock that was there before being used as ground cover. The next step is getting the log borders positioned perfectly and then putting in more dirt to give it some height. Then I can start planting. I really want to get some things in before the frost hits so they can lay in the ground all winter long.

I also had no idea that ferns bloomed. I will plan on putting a few in the front area just to see what they will do, I have a good area that would cover the faucet where I have not planned something specific.

Triss

* * * *
 -
 -
We are all under the same stars... therefore we are never far apart.

Active Garden Forum



Search The Garden Helper: