Fern Plant Transplant Care

Light and airy, ferns add a graceful, lush point of interest to any home or garden. Hardier than they look, once established they are low-maintenance, low disease-prone plants bothered by very few pests. According to the National Fern Society, ferns have been thriving for millions of years, and there are nearly 12,000 recorded fern species worldwide. Transplanting outdoor or indoor ferns can be accomplished with relative ease.

Like many houseplants, potted ferns can grow and thrive as part of your outdoor landscaping. For some plant lovers, giving a root-bound houseplant a new home is a better idea than merely dividing and re-potting the fern for continued life indoors. To gradually acclimate the fern to its move, place it outside in a well-shaded area for up to one week before transplanting and check daily for any changes. The best time to transplant an indoor fern is in the spring after any danger of frost has passed. Choose a spot in the garden in partial or full shade with good drainage (elevated beds are best), adding some sandy soil in the bottom of the hole to help aerate the plant.

To remove the fern from the pot, water it well and let it drain for several minutes. Dig your fingers into the base of the fern beneath the soil so as not to tear the fronds, and knock the side of the pot with or against something sturdy to loosen the fern. The plant should now easily slide out of the pot.

Set the whole root ball into the bed, and fill with a mix of potting soil and planting soil.

Add some fertilizer to the site only after transplanting, but keep the bed well watered throughout its first season.

Unlike transplanting houseplants, mature outdoor ferns should be divided and/or transplanted in late fall after the first frost so they can establish new roots before the ground freezes. If the ground appears dry, water around the plants to be moved the night before transplanting.

When moving a whole fern, loosen earth around the plant well outside the base with a pitchfork or spade, depending on plant size. Remove as much of the root ball and original soil as possible with the fern and move to new bed.

To divide a fern, loosen and remove plant and root ball from bed. Using a sharp knife or garden spade, halve or quarter the plant to desired size. Cutting roots of mature ferns will do much less harm than ripping them apart. Transplant sections to prepared sites. Fertilizer need not be added to established ferns transplanted in the fall.

With either type of transplant, remember to locate the new planting in an area of partial to full shade.

Prepare and water the soil at the new site and always dig up as large a root ball from the original site as can be managed. This will lessen shock or stress on the plant.

The best time to transplant both types of ferns is during an overcast day or in the evening right before sundown.

Spacing between plants depends on the size and species of the fern. Recommendations can be found at a local plant nursery.