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Annuals/Winterizing Boston and asparagus ferns

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Expert: - 9/10/2011


Question
will they do well in an home (vs professional) Oklahoma greenhouse. Or should I cut them back, put them in trash bags and store in my insulated, but unheated garage. thanks

Answer
Boston Fern ("Nephrolepis exaltata") and Asparagus densiflorus Sprengeri are entirely different shade-loving plants.  But both are hardy to Zone 9 and as you correctly note will need special care to survive your Oklahoma winter.

Asparagus will grow happily in a bright window, especially one that is not shaded by summer trees during the coldest, shortest days of the year.  Keep conditions cool and water only occasionally to slow down metabolism.  Play your cards right and you'll get flowers in the spring -- fragrant ones at that.  It is a close relative of those green spears people grow in the spring and serve with butter.  Not a fern.

Non-flowering Boston Fern is a true fern, and actually a little tougher than Zone 9.  Grow it under the same conditions as the Asparagus, but in the Spring, divide the root ball into individual plants and pot immediately.  Longer days and warmer temps will accelerate growth at that point, and you'll have full grown plants for summer decorating schemes in no time.

You don't want to completely withhold water from these.  Water with discretion, but be cautious about too much of a good thing.  Of course, it goes without saying there should be absolutely zero fertilizer at any point in this Winter exercise.  Good luck,

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Decisions, decisions... If you can't make up your mind which Annuals to grow, you're not alone. Problem with your new flowering Annuals flats? I`ve been there, done that. Petunias, Sweet Alyssum, Larkspur, Marine Blue Lobelia -- they all grow here at my house on Garden Street on Long Island, N.Y.. Cutting and Cottage Gardens, Sun and Shade Gardens, White Gardens and Night Gardens, I`ve done them all. Annuals are the perfect summer flower, bursting with color June through fall's first frost. I can`t speak on Cactus or tender Tropical Plants -- they don`t grow outside in my Zone 7. I`m no Farmer, so I cannot guide you on Fruits and Vegetables. But whether it`s an Annual you want to start from seed, mail-order or pick up at your local garden center, I can help you grow amazing blooms this Summer. Yes, together, we can turn your neighbors green with envy.

Experience

I have a lifetime of gardening behind me here on the North Shore of Long Island. While I have degrees in related fields, there's nothing like hands-on work to build real knowledge. I stay on top of current science -- there's a boom in research, and Kingdom Plantae is filled with surprises. By the way, I really do live on Garden Street.

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Gannett newspapers, The New York Times, and hundreds of others - but not on Annuals.

Education/Credentials
B.A., botany; graduate credits in European Intellectual History and Political Science; minor coursework in related fields, docent training at our local botanical gardens (required for volunteers). I'm currently working on an advanced biochemistry degree.

Awards and Honors
I could tell you, but then you'd know who I am.

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