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Big ferns - weather to plant then move or just pot up

Aurum66Aurum66 Posts: 65
in Problem solving
Hello all
my garden is getting planted from scratch this year. I have a lot of what are small ferns at the moment, but will hopefully grow into big plants in a few years  - Dryopteris Cristata and Filix-mas.  The woodland area I want to plant them in won't to be ready until September and I have a lot of spaces in my raised beds whilst the plants in there fill out. Do you think it's a good idea to fill the space with these ferns then remove them and transplant them next year or would I be better keeping the ferns in pots (and trying desperately not to let them dry out) and filling those gaps with annuals which will die of anyway?

many thanks 

Posts

  • ButtercupdaysButtercupdays Posts: 4,353
    If your raised beds are moist and shady then maybe, but the ferns won't enjoy it so much if it's sunny and well-drained.

     Perhaps take them out of their pots and pack them together in a box or crate with some damp compost round the roots and find a suitable place for them. It will make it easier for you to monitor them and keep them watered too.
  • Aurum66Aurum66 Posts: 65
    edited April 2018
    sorry should have said - the raised beds are in a sunken area in dappled/part shade. I suppose what I was worried about was disturbing them and the plants next to them when it’s time to move them on. I need to fill out the gaps between the plants in those beds. I’m not keen on bare soil/bark chipping....I prefer the lush show garden look!

  • DampGardenManDampGardenMan Posts: 1,054
    Ferns have very fine roots that "resent" disturbance and they can take a while to reestablish good contact with the soil. I'd leave them in pots so they only have to cope with a single move.
  • Aurum66Aurum66 Posts: 65
    Aha. Thank you Dampgardenman! That’s exactly what I was worried about. 
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