Dividing Staghorn Ferns - How And When To Divide A Staghorn Fern Plant

How to Divide a Staghorn Fern. When you're ready to divide your staghorn fern, look for an offshoot and the stem or root that connects it to the main plant. In most cases, you should be able to twist or gently pull the offshoot free, but you may need to get a knife in there to sever the attaching root.

How do you divide a staghorn fern?

You can cut a larger fern into several or few pieces. Becovery is quickest if you divide the plant into just a few, larger pieces. Use a clean, sharp knife to cut down into the brown shield and sever a group of fronds that has developed at a tip of a branching rhizome. Cut deeply enough to sever rhizome and roots.

When can I transplant a staghorn fern?

When to repot a staghorn fern is a common question to many but an easy one to answer. Staghorn ferns are happiest when they're slightly crowded and should only be repotted when they're nearly busting at the seams – usually once every few years. Staghorn fern repotting is best done in spring.

How do you transplant a staghorn fern?

The underside of foliar fronds of the staghorn develop a brown, scaly coating called sporangia. ...
To transplant the small pups of an established staghorn fern, gently remove them from the large fern mass, wrap the roots in damp sphagnum moss and tie the root ball into a basket or onto a piece of bark or wood.

When can I divide ferns?

Early spring is a good time to divide a fern before its fronds unfurl, before it comes into growth (or in Autumn apparently).

How do you secure a staghorn fern?

An easy example of how to mount a staghorn fern is to use a wire basket and the side of a tree. Secure the basket to the tree, with nails, for instance. Fill the bowl of the basket with the growing material. Position the fern inside this and secure it to the wire basket with ties.

What is the difference between staghorn and elkhorn ferns?

The difference between these two plants is the elkhorn (Platycerium bifurcatum) has thinner, wispier leaves and multiple “eyes” or rosettes of foliage whereas the staghorn (Platycerium superbum – pronounced with the emphasis on the middle syllable) has a single eye and larger leaves.

Are coffee grounds good for staghorn ferns?

Up-to-date gardeners know that California's low rainfall and alkaline soil are tough on acid-loving plants. Coffee grounds act as a mulch and soil improver. ... A few staghorn owners even advocate using the entire banana, placing it into the paper-like platycerium that supports the main plant.

Should I mist my staghorn fern?

Growers often thoroughly mist the basal fronds of staghorn ferns once a week. Spray bottles may be adequate for small indoor staghorn ferns, but large outdoor plants may need to be watered with a gentle, misting hose head. Staghorn ferns should be watered when the upright plants look slightly wilted.

How fast do staghorn ferns grow?

Naturally grown as epiphytes, staghorn ferns (Platycerium spp.) harmlessly cling to tree branches as they hang downward in the canopy's shade. These bushy evergreens grow slowly, up to 4 feet tall and wide over a period of 10 to 20 years.

Do staghorn ferns like sun?

Staghorn ferns are epiphytes, which means they are air plants. They gladly grow on a wall mount, which lets air circulate around them. They need good-quality light, even some direct sunlight. They need some drying of the soil or medium in between watering.

How often do you water a staghorn fern?

A good rule of thumb is to water once per week in dry, hot times of year, and once every two to three weeks during cooler months. Start with this schedule, and adjust as necessary depending on your space. Staghorn ferns absorb water through their fronds, as well as their roots.

How do you get rid of staghorn fern pups?

Wait until the pup is at least 4 inches (10 cm.) across. Find the spot under the brown shield fronds where the pup is attached and, with a sharp knife, cut the pup away with some roots attached. You can mount the pup just as you would a fully grown staghorn fern.

How do you divide and transplant ferns?

When separating a fern, you first need to remove it from its old pot or dig up the clump. Once it's out, brush off and shake loose as much soil as you can. It may not be much, as ferns tend to have very tight, interlocking root balls. Next, use a long serrated knife to cut the root ball either into halves or quarters.

Can you take cuttings from ferns?

Propagating ferns from cuttings

Fronds can be bowed over and pegged down on the surface of a tray positioned next to the mother plant, then detached once rooted. Fern fronds can also be removed then placed and pegged to encourage rooting (facing upwards) on the surface of a tray of compost.

Should ferns be cut back for winter?

Some of the lowest maintenance perennial plants are the hardy ferns. That said, they and the looks of your garden will benefit from a little simple pruning at the right time. ... At the end of winter, before new fronds begin to emerge and unfurl, I usually remove all damaged, brown or faded fronds from my evergreen ferns.

What do you mount a staghorn fern on?

There are five key components to mounting a staghorn fern at home. First, you need a mature stag, green sheet moss, twine or fishing line, a sturdy wooden board, and hardware for securing the fern to the board and hanging onto the wall.

How do you save a dying staghorn fern?

It is normal for a few fronds to die and be replaced from time to time, but the fern is in need of water if a significant number of its fronds begin to die. It may be possible to save the plant by placing its root ball in water for several minutes, allowing the roots to rehydrate.

How do you attach a staghorn fern to a piece of wood?

How to Mount a Staghorn Fern

Materials Needed. ...
Place the potted fern in the center of the wood plank, making sure that a sterile leaf is turned toward the top. ...
Dip a handful of moss in warm water, and then arrange it on the plank in between the screws.

Are banana peels good for staghorn ferns?

ANSWER: Banana peels can contribute lots of potassium and a little phosphorus to the nutrient needs of your staghorn fern. But they contain very little nitrogen, which also is needed for good growth. So go ahead, toss a few banana peels among the foliage to slowly release their nutrients.

How many types of staghorn ferns are there?

Staghorn ferns are unusual, exotic-looking plants that will definitely attract guests' attention, whether they're displayed in the home or outdoors in a warm-climate garden. The plants known as staghorn ferns include the 18 species in the Platycerium genus plus many hybrids and varieties of those species.

How do you mount a staghorn fern in a basket?

Place your plant in the basket and gently bring the leaves of your plant through the edges of the basket. This allows the plant to grow out the side of the basket. Carefully pull some of the fronds through so the staghorn fern can grow in its natural upright position. Add more sphagnum moss on top of the roots.