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Rust On Lady Fern-How Should I Treat It?
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Posted by mbluetyphoon 9 (My Page) on Sun, Sep 9, 07 at 2:36
| Hi!
I had planted a lady fern 2 months ago in a half sunny-half shady corner in my yard. For 2 years, it was in a pot under a birch in my yard. Ever since I had planted it in this corner, it has been gradually turning brown starting with the outer fronds moving in towards the inner fronds. The fronds, once they turn brown, are not dry. They just look like healthy fern fronds that are brown in color.
But, eventually and surely, the fronds dry up and die quicker than they normally would if they were truly, healthy fronds. I haven't given it anything else but just regular watering like the way I have been since I'd gotten it. (Once every other day or two.)
I am suspecting that this is rust. I have been trying to research this everywhere online on how to treat this, but I haven't found anything yet. (I keep on finding lady-fern rust, but nothing to treat it with.)
I am tempted to dig my plant up and re-pot it to save it. Please help! If anyone has any suggestions, I am all ears....
Sincerely,
mbluetyphoon |
Follow-Up Postings:
RE: Rust On Lady Fern-How Should I Treat It?
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Your description doesn't sound like a rust problem, which is caused by fungi that are usually airborne. Rust can begin by forming small orange colored spots on the foliage, which increases in size as the fungus multiplies. It is usually not fatal to the host plant, but can disfigure it. The spores overwinter in the soil and infect plants the following year.
Your plant may be reacting to cultural shock, if it's former location was total shade and it now receives part sun/part shade. It also must transition from potted plant with confined roots, to a landscape plant without bounds. Similar conditions to overpotting, which it resents.
Has a trunk formed yet?
Keep the roots evenly moist, avoid wetting the foliage and you might try shading it from the sun if it is exposed during the hottest part of the day. In time, it should recover on it's own.
Good luck! |
RE: Rust On Lady Fern-How Should I Treat It?
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| Hi! This is to tell the folks who have responded to my question on the problem my fern was having: Thank you! My fern seems to be doing better now. Two days after I had posted my question on the fern forum, I dug my fern up. I didn't think I had a lack of H2O on my hands, because I would water it every other day for five minutes each time. The problem was that I was actually giving it too much water. When I had dug it up, I couldn't believe how easily it came up. My soil is mostly clay with some small amount of sand. I was truly expecting to feel like I was pounding against a wall with my shovel, but, no. The shovel went into the soil like slicing butter. That was the quickest I had ever dug anything up in my yard. Anyhow, I re-potted the fern. I had clipped off the affected fronds, and just left it alone for close to a week. I had examined it today. I am happy to report that there are five (5!) new fronds that are growing from the middle of it's trunk. Thank you to all who had responded to my previous post. Sincerely,
mbluetyphoon |
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