I got a box of 6 Ostrich ferns from Costco and just opened them up to plant, and they look like h*ll! Just a tangle of dry roots, and only on one is there anything resembling a fine strand of green growth from which to even begin to determine what end is up! At this point, I'm thinking it's not worth the bother to plant them. Anyone planted these dry things and had them grow into anything? If so, how do I tell what end is up?
Thanks,
karen
Planting "bareroot" ferns from Costco?
The ferns are dormant, so there should not be much green on them. Does any part resemble a small crown of tightly furled up fiddleheads? Or Do you have the rhizomes they are long and leathery? Can you take a picture?
shady
Sometimes with boxed ferns, it is hard to tell if it is alive and which end should be up. It is a hard ball with hairy bits attached! I soak mine for about 10 minutes and plant two or three to a pot - sometimes placing them sort of sideways - and see where the green part emerges. Then I put them in the garden. I have several I bought from Wal-Mart that are emerging after about 10 days.
I do this 'pot planting first' with any sleeping plant I am not sure about. With ferns, you do not want to plant too deep. Maybe with 1/2" soil above them. Then when you see the green curls, you know how to plant it in the garden.