sparklegirl says:

May 30th, 2008 at 3:01 pm

About a week ago, I moved a couple of crested lady ferns from a partly-sunny mixed bed into a more shaded area under our mature pine tree. I’ve read that, because mature trees are such moisture hogs, sometimes it works to sink containers into the ground between the roots and put plants there. I’m currently trying it with two ferns and a coleus — we’ll see how it works in the long term, but for now, the ferns seem very happy!

sabrina says:

May 30th, 2008 at 6:03 pm

Every time I’ve moved ferns they die back to the ground. But I have about an 80% success rate, I just don’t see it until the next year. Keep lots of the original dirt around them so they don’t know that they’ve been moved, just cut off from the mother plant. I have no large pines but they were originally planted by junipers & seemed very happy.

sabrina says:

May 31st, 2008 at 10:50 am

Just the ones that came w/the house, Ostrich maybe? I do want to get a (or many) burgundy japanese painted & harts tounge, someday. But hardiness is an issue.

Judybusy says:

June 1st, 2008 at 6:08 pm

Jaime! I am aghast at your comment about hostas. Maybe you just think they come in plain green and don’t know better! But, maybe you’ve seen them all and still inexplicably are tired of them!

As far as ferns, I love the Japanese painted ones. They seem so delicate but are actually pretty hardy….

Jaime Chismar says:

June 3rd, 2008 at 7:44 am

Oh JudyBusy, when it comes to hostas, I’m like a teenage girl with a crush on the captain of the football team. I both love and hate them for their popularity. Sometimes, I protest too much and go out of my way to avoid the inevitable (grin).

Cindy says:

June 3rd, 2008 at 12:28 pm

As long as you keep it in a shady area they thrive. I don’t need two big ferns so I try to give part away. I know they’re hard to keep but i mist it every day during the winter and heavely watered and hosed in the summer.