Pruning of ferns

Hi:

I bought some ferns last year ... it is the first time I have attempted to grow them and they were beautiful.

I live in zone 4/5 ... right now they are not beautiful.

My question. Should ferns be pruned in the spring? If yes, how far down? Many thanks.

What type of fern is it?

Cut back everything that does not look healthy, and fertilize them with humus and leaf mold.

Thanks for your answer.

I don't know anything about ferns, ordered these ferns from somewhere in Canada ... do not remember all the names, but some are: Himalayan Maiden (something), Golden Scale, Sword Fern and Lacy Crested Broad Buckler.

By the time Spring rolls around they will all be 'dead' so do I just cut them all down to the bottom? (I live in zone 4/5).

Definitely okay to remove anything dead.

You can grind up the old fern parts and turn them to leaf mold to feed your ferns.

Aloha, Dave

Thank you Dave. The 'Aloha' makes me jealous sitting here in New York in the cold and ice and wind and snow (not as bad as Minnesota however)!!

I'm not a fern expert and grow mostly native ferns.
I'm very careful in the spring when I trim off the last seasons browned growth. I usually wait until I see new growth before I clean up the old growth because it protects the crown and also lets me know where the ferns are in the garden. Some of the old growth can just be gently pulled off while some has to be cut back.
I do have a few non natives ferns that do not appear until very late spring, early summer, I'm thinking particularly
of a holly fern with a light yellow green stripe down the center. It actually looks in top form in the fall and early winter. So sometimes you have to be patient for new growth to start. It helps to know the names of the ferns so you can research growth time, then you don't panic when they don't appear in early spring and it prevents you from planting over the late starters.