I have several OLD ferns in my yard. I think they are sword ferns. The clump of dead fronds is about the size of a 5 gallon bucket. Do I need to cut back more or simply let the new growth sprout?
Pruning back old ferns
Just saw this. Wonder why nobody else did. Anyway, if it were me I would cut them all off and dig up the root cut it up and divide it. Plant them some distance away from each other. Depending on what you want to do. Make a border of them, or???
I take the hedge trimmers and cut mine back every couple of years. These are potted ones I take in the greenhouse. They get huge and look kind of crummy after a couple years. If I get vicious with them right away when I take them in, they look decent by May when I put them out. Not quite as full, but by the end of the summer you can't ever tell how I butchered them. I thought I had a pic of them, but I guess not.
I can see that. Take a look at the difference in zones tho. you are in 4 and she is in 8. Big difference. That makes up for your putting them in the greenhouse and she can just go plant the divisions anywhere she wants.
Too bad nobody answered you back in March when you posted it originally. OH, my birthday by the way. LOL, good luck with them, whatever you do. OH, I think in Vancouver you can do them any time you want to. But would do it before they start growing again in the spring. Good luck.