Sword fern mutilation, really?
It’s not often that Red Seal Vas gets mad. I’ve seen lots of crazy stuff as a landscape supervisor. Things can go sideways, which is why I patiently train people. But I also expect great, world-class work from well-paid senior staff. They must be held accountable.
Now, I invite you to take a brief pause from reading (I know, time is precious!) and study the picture below.
Sadly, this is the finished work of experienced landscapers; and it makes my blood boil. Why? Because they power sheared native sword ferns (Polystichum munitum) in half and they did it at the wrong time. Shockingly, they walked away from this mess, done for the day!? Really?
This is a spectacular failure on the part of the foreman, who is paid to run the day and check on the quality of work performed.
Slow down
The workers missed a huge chance here to slow down and carefully hand snip any brown fronds from the ferns. Never use power shears on ferns because they’re not shrubs. I find this is a common thing in landscaping where dudes run around with power shears and level everything in sight. Why the rush? Take out your snips and have some fun without noise or air pollution.
In spring, ferns push out new “fiddleheads”, or furled fronds. They don’t grow from the mutilated edges. Which is why we leave ferns alone until new fiddleheads emerge in spring.
Beheading ferns now in early winter means we’ll have to look at this mess all winter. And consider, too, that these ferns are situated near an entrance and a busy parking lot.
Red Seal Vas shows you the way
So, let’s put aside my anger and recap. Our native ferns, Polystichum munitum, should be left alone until spring when new fiddleheads emerge. Then you can snip out any old or brown fronds so the new fronds stand out nicely. Never use power shears on native ferns.
Machine gunning ferns is an insult. Ferns first emerged 360 million years ago in the late Devonian. Let’s show them some respect.
If the brown showing in this fern bothers you, then just snip it out. Carefully. Keep your power shears away.
This is my Red Seal certified work and I’m proud of it. I cut out all brown fronds and anything touching the ground and I will check on it in spring.
This is our native sword fern in its native habitat. (Port Moody, BC).
Conclusion
Prune native sword ferns (Polystichum munitum) in spring, if at all. Carefully snip out all brown fronds once the new fiddleheads emerge in spring. Never power shear ferns. And hold your experienced staff accountable. They should be aiming for world class work. Nothing less.
