Can i transplant ferns?

A friend on mine has just aquired a small wooded area, when i next go up i'll take some pictures, its got some amazing old greenhouses on rollers.

In the wood there are hundreds of ferns, he's currently about to start clearing the area ready for horses but he said i can have as many ferns as id like :wink:

The question is could i transplant them in to big pots and keep them in my rear courtyard garden?

If so, how should i go about it?

Adam

 

I've moved ferns from place to place in the garden with no issues. Ideally, probably best to do that in autumn when they're dying down...but years ago I did remove a couple from the local forest (yes, I know its illegal) and they survived.

Try and get as big a root ball as you can, keep them moist in transit and replant as soon as possible, keeping them well watered. Why not try a couple of small ones to start with?

 

Ferns are easy to move, as Sussex says just keep them well watered.

 

Excellent news, can have a little jungle in the court yard

Don't suppose they are of any value? There really is hundreds!

 

See if there are any young hazel trees in there too that are to come out. Hazel's form is such that it would look good in a large container in a confined space (it grows straight up and apparently responds well to coppicing). You could have your own mini woodland, though I'm not sure its the right time of year to move such things. Mind you, if the woods are to be cleared anyway, and you can get what you want for nowt, its no loss (apart from a few hours hard work) if it all fails.

 

Theres loads of things, even oaks, although he's going to keep those.

There's def hazel, i'll have to have a think about it.

I'll have to get some pictures, it really is an amazing little place. It was a nursery of some desciption i guess in the 60's, but its just been left.

 

Shame he's going to clear it.

 

I thought that too, but horses need lots of grazing area and unfortunately grass and woodland don't mix too well. It would be beneficial to leave some woodland though, if only to provide shelter for the horses during bad weather.

It is worth considering that there are a couple of laws that apply in this scenario. Firstly you need a license from the Forestry commission to cut down trees that are more than 10cm thick on their main trunk measured at 1m from the ground (I think). Secondly if there are certain birds or bats nesting in their you have to leave well alone until they've moved on, and thirdly you have to make sure there is no preservation order on any/all of the trees to be removed.

 

thats interesting.

The bigger tress i know are being left so thats ok.

It's also private land so i don't think the FC have any durastiction or do they?

 

I don't think you'll have any problem moving ferns Adam. They do have pretty tough root systems but you can get them out.
The problem I find with them is they produce prolific numbers of spores and seed all over the place. I introduced them to my last garden and they became the biggest weed I had, growing out of any crack they could get into. I regretted I'd ever got them. But if you want a jungle in your courtyard they could be just the thing.

 

Yes. As far as I know the only exemption is when it is at a private dwelling house in a residential area within so many metres of the road, and even then that only takes away the FC's jurisdiction. There's still the potential (but unlikely unless there are ancient or rare trees) issue of preservation orders.

Then there may be an issue with local planning department. If they argue that the land has undergone an unauthorised change of use, it could get quite costly, as the penalty can be (in extreme cases) that they order the landowner/manager to restore the land to its original state, i.e. replant trees.

Personally though, I would say if the bigger trees are staying, so the area is still 'woodland' then as long as you have no reason to suspect there may be any preservation orders in effect, and nothing nesting in any of the trees to come down, I doubt you'd fall foul of the law.

 

Id love a little jungle! I'll plant up all the pots i have and see how i get on... Although i still need to store the bikes somewhere so wont be a perfect jungle :hehe: