Bulbs
Flower Basics
Flower Beds & Specialty Gardens
Flower Garden
Garden Furniture
Garden Gnomes
Garden Seeds
Garden Sheds
Garden Statues
Garden Tools & Supplies
Gardening Basics
Green & Organic
Groundcovers & Vines
Growing Annuals
Growing Basil
Growing Beans
Growing Berries
Growing Blueberries
Growing Cactus
Growing Corn
Growing Cotton
Growing Edibles
Growing Flowers
Growing Garlic
Growing Grapes
Growing Grass
Growing Herbs
Growing Jasmine
Growing Mint
Growing Mushrooms
Orchids
Growing Peanuts
Growing Perennials
Growing Plants
Growing Rosemary
Growing Roses
Growing Strawberries
Growing Sunflowers
Growing Thyme
Growing Tomatoes
Growing Tulips
Growing Vegetables
Herb Basics
Herb Garden
Indoor Growing
Landscaping Basics
Landscaping Patios
Landscaping Plants
Landscaping Shrubs
Landscaping Trees
Landscaping Walks & Pathways
Lawn Basics
Lawn Maintenance
Lawn Mowers
Lawn Ornaments
Lawn Planting
Lawn Tools
Outdoor Growing
Overall Landscape Planning
Pests, Weeds & Problems
Plant Basics
Rock Garden
Rose Garden
Shrubs
Soil
Specialty Gardens
Trees
Vegetable Garden
Yard Maintenance
How to Prune Ferns
How to Prune Ferns. The fronds of a fern, or the leafy stems extending from the fern's trunk, can grow quickly and in just about any direction. Old growth tends to be deprived of nutrients and sunlight due to aggressive new growth. For this reason, pruning is necessary to maintain a healthy plant. The process for pruning ferns essentially consists...
The fronds of a fern, or the leafy stems extending from the fern's trunk, can grow quickly and in just about any direction. Old growth tends to be deprived of nutrients and sunlight due to aggressive new growth. For this reason, pruning is necessary to maintain a healthy plant. The process for pruning ferns essentially consists of removing dead growth and pruning back for size.
Things You'll Need
Shears
Cut yellow or brown fronds at any point in the year. Usually, yellow or brown fronds occur because new growth shades old growth and causes it to die. Use a pair of pruning shears and cut the frond off at the base of the plant.
Look for leafless strands of fronds extending from the fern. If you locate any, cut them off at the base of the plant with the shears.
Trim the fern to maintain your desired shape during the spring or summer months. Ferns respond well to aggressive pruning and will grow back healthier and larger. Focus on shaping the sides of the fern and not the top of the fern. Cut back the leaves to a manageable length.
Remove undergrowth and dead leaves from around the trunk of the plant when you aggressively prune. This will allow air to flow through the stem system of the plant.
