How to Trim Foxtail Ferns
Do you have foxtail ferns at your home? Are you sure that you are taking good care of your foxtail fern? Because they require little maintenance during their growing period.
It will additionally increase or develop their growth even further. If you want to know how you can trim your foxtail fern, stay tuned to this article.
Here, I’ll give you an overview of foxtail ferns so that you can have a basic idea about their characteristics. Later on, I’ll emphasize when you should trim your ferns and how to do that process.
By giving step-by-step guidelines, I’ll ensure you can do this process very effortlessly at your home.
Overview of Foxtail Fern
- Scientific name: Asparagus densiflorus
- Plant: Evergreen perennial
- Common names: Foxtail fern
- Native range: South Africa
- Height: 2 to 3ft
- Flowers: white
- Bloom time: spring, early summer
- Hardiness: zone 9 to 11
- Temperature: 65 to 75° F
- Shade: partial to full
- Soil: acidic, neutral, well-draining
- Toxicity: humans and pets
Foxtail ferns are the evergreen perennial plants which have fluffy herbs. These ferns also have stems like pine needle-like leaves that’s why they are very popular ornamental plants. These plants are usually native to South Africa along with their abundant growth.
Interestingly, these are not actually true fern species because they do not use spores to generate rather they reproduce by seeds. Still, these foxtail ferns are considered ferns because somehow they belong to the asparagus family.
Mostly, these ferns are used as decoration or flower arrangements in homes, restaurants, or any indoor place. These plants also have flowers that reproduce eye-catching red berries which gives this green plant a colorful effect.
However, remember that their flowers, berries, or fronds might be mildly toxic to both humans and pets. Therefore, you need to be a little couscous near this plant.
When Should You Trim Your Foxtail Fern
For trimming or grooming your foxtail ferns, you need to carefully observe your ferns. If you see your foxtail ferns have already root bound then you need to do trimming and grooming of your ferns.
Root bound situation is basically when roots are overgrown in the pots and they don’t have enough space to accommodate them. Then you have to do trimming of your ferns to keep their growth active.
Similarly, if you observe your foxtail ferns are getting more brown and dead leaves then, you need to do trimming and grooming. In addition, early spring is the ideal time for this process.
Because in late spring and early summer, their growth will be enhanced.
How to Trim Your Ferns: Step-by-step Guidance
Now look at the following guidelines to understand the foxtail fern’s trimming process. Here are those:
1. Wear Gloves
Before starting the trimming process, wear your hand gloves or gardening gloves. It will keep you safe from any other future injuries. Also, it will keep the plants safe as well.
Because foxtail fern fronds are quite sharp as needle-like leaves. This can somehow hurt you throughout the process. Therefore, wear gloves to prevent this incident.
2. Take Your Trimming Tools
After taking all of your trimming and pruning tools. Right after that sanitize all your tools. Alternatively, you can also wash off your tools with any decent market soap or detergent.
This will keep your plant from any kind of infection.
3. Cut Off the Stems
After all your pre-processors, take your foxtail ferns in your hand. Choose which stems you’re going to cut. Mostly stems that are already overgrown, you can cut off those stems.
Hold the stems with your hand and slightly come down near the bottom of their root base so that you don’t cut any wrong stems of your foxtail ferns. Carefully cut down each piece of your foxtail ferns.
4. Prune or Remove Yellow Dead Fronds
While cutting your foxtail ferns, simply remove any dead, brown, or yellow leaves of your ferns. Because those fronds will not recover it’s better to cut them off.
Make sure you have removed all the dead and brown fronds from the stems.
5. Pinch for Healthy Bushy Growth
After that, just pinch the top of the stems a little bit. Or you can cut the top of the stems slightly. It will definitely increase the growth.
Similarly, it will give you healthy bushy foxtail ferns in the upcoming seasons.
6. Cut Off the Entire Plant From the Bottom
Every three to four years later you need to cut off the plant entirely. Simply cut or trim from the bottom of the soil surface.
You can use a shear tool to cut the whole plant together from their base soil line in one go. This will lead your ferns to have enormous growth in the upcoming seasons.
Wrap up
In short, Foxtail ferns are one of the renowned decorated ferns that are used in many places as indoor and outdoor plants.
Having delicate fronds that resemble foxtails, these plants take a corner in every gardener and plant enthusiast’s place. However, these ferns need little maintenance during their growing phase.
In the early spring seasons just simply follow the above-mentioned steps in order to trim your foxtail fern. By giving them sufficient trimming and grooming you can have healthy bushy foxtail ferns in the upcoming seasons.
