Hard fern help

Hi guys,

i have a hard fern that i planted in some multi-purpose compost last year. Since i potted it in the new compost it has slowly became more and more ill looking
If i dont do something soon i think it may die.
Do i need to re-pot it into an acid based compost maybe?? i have read that ferns like acidic soil, which i could get a bag but the water PH here is quite high usually over 7, so over time will that not raise the PH of the acid soil if i re-pot it??
Any help would be great thanks guys

 

Hi H,

I've only found Hard ferns growing in the Welsh mountains, pretty acid soil so you are right.

Re pot into ericaceous compost & only water with rain water

 

Cheers Ziggy had not thought about using rain water, im in manchester so im sure the rain here will be corrosive enough hehe

 

Sorry for being dopey AGAIN....But what's a hard fern please......

 

No.3 at the bottom.

From Collins Grasses, Sedges, Rushes & Ferns.

 

I've planted several ferns in the past couple of months (mainly dryopteris affinis king, and dryopteris felix mas)

these were all small ferns in 9cm pots .... I've been spraying the foilage once a week with a seaweed based fertilizer, and they are growing like crazy ....(some have already doubled in size with loads of new fronds forming)

I never bothered with planting in acidic soil ... and all mine are in full sun (not that we have had much)

not sure if the hardy fern will respond to seaweed likewise?

 

I would check for vine weevel as well just in case, I had a big clay pot I emtied yesterday full of compost I had forgoten what had been growing in it I think ?? maybe a begonia , I emtied the soil I had over 30 vine weavel larvea the only good thing is they are pearly white I put them in a plastic water tray and the robin had them finished off in 5 mins. I know I lost my japanese painted ferns and that was vine weevel two years ago I just didnt realise they liked them they like the fancy stuff not like my tough old King Fern !!!


Spruce

 

Very good book that, can't pick up a second-hand copy for less that £15-20 now, I keep waiting for my charity shop expeditions to pay off

 

It is good, blimey, paid £14/11/9 for mine

 

Found one on ebay £5 if anyone interested.....lookedon amazon and they started at £15...

 

Have repotted the other day in some new eracious compost, its looking good up to now i shook as much of the old soil off as possible so will see how it goes.
If it dies Ziggy owes me 1 hard fern

 

A hard fern is gonna fall.