Are you sure it's cinnamon fern and not ostrich fern?

Anyway, I've moved dozens of cinnamon fern and they are very hardy and adaptable. Generally they like moist soil. I would certainly prepare the new area first so that you can immediately settle them in (and feel free to space them out more than the way you dug them, they will fill up the space eventually).

As for rootballs, I generally try to get an area of 3-4 inches to the left and right of the center of the clump and about 4 inches deep. Leave the soil intact. A serrated shovel would've helped you dig those up.

I think that you will find them pretty forgiving and they should thrive in their new space. Give them extra water this first year to help them out.

Yes, I am sure they are Osmunda cinnamomea; we have colonies of Osmunda claytoniana, and Osmunda regalis, too. Our native soil here tends to be on the acid side and not particularly clayey. I asked about the rhizomes because some of them are nearly 2' long, they snake along the surface and the growing points are often at the ends (just like bearded iris). How much of the rhizome should I take to give the transplant adequate stored noursishment?

Our lot is naturally "low" and moisture is not really an issue, even in droughty times. We have several mature ferns that grow in very nearly full sun (but Maine sun is not like Georgia's!). It is my hope that we will be able to backfill the new site(s) with the woodland soil that will be excavated from the proposed garage site.

Some days I'm hopeful, others I look at the size of the transplanting project and am paralyzed. Ahh well, it just means more time to spend on planning and organization. Thanks for your help.

Rhizomes two feet long! Boy, those are happy plants to be growing so well.

I think that even if you cut apart some of the rhizomes, it will be just like propagation by division and most of the pieces will grow into their own. Pot the smaller pieces up for future trades or to give to friends.

I know what you mean about tackling large projects - they can be intimidating. I like to break it up into chunks - spend the first chunk preparing the new area, then the next chunk moving half of what you need to, then the next chunk the other half (or something like that). By preparing the future area first, it is easy to plop the transplants into their new home.

Yes, the Georgia sun can be brutal. I can't imagine that it is not so elsewhere!

Good luck!

Rent a small backhoe for a day..

You know, we've talked about renting equipment and doing it ourselves. And having done every bit of the existing landscape ourselves (with minimal equipment) we've decided this is a job for CONTRACTORS.

But contractors on site without a detailed PLAN is a waste of money. And that's why I've begun trawling for replies. Thank you all so much for your help. I have to chuckle though... the thought of MORE ferns from hunks of discarded rhizomes makes me blanche!

(I have a memory of Audrey II from "Little Shop of Horrors"). In my worst nightmare I will be potting up bits of rhizomes for eternity... :)