Reproduction of ferns is a peculiar process of prolonging the life of an existing plant. There are many of its species that are kept at home or in the garden, since the plant has a high decorative effect and is not capricious in care.
What is fern
Ferns or cocks are among the oldest representatives of the plant world of planet Earth. Once they grew in the form of tall trees, but today they grow as low shrubs, about 1 meter high. Reproduction of fern-shaped, such as ostrich, horsetail, brackish, occurs using spores that form on the back of leaf plates.
Indoor fern - ornamental deciduous plant
How do ferns breed in nature?
The development and propagation of ferns in the wild takes a little longer than at home. The plant propagates through spores or brood buds. Every season, fern plants form spores and undergo cycles of sporophytes and gametophytes.
The scheme and description of the reproduction of ferns in a natural way independently in nature:
- the formation of sporangia on fern leaves, within which spores form;
- after their full formation, they are separated from the plates and carried in the water or in the area with the help of wind;
- under good climatic conditions, a sprout grows from them, which, with the help of its rhizoid, is fixed in the ground;
- on the underside of this growth, female and male germ cells appear, within which fertilization occurs;
- a zygote soon forms, which forms its root system and grows into the soil.
Note! Spores form only on spore leaves, and ferns also have sterile or asexual plates.
The main ways to get a new plant at home
At home in the garden, ferns can be propagated in many ways. As a rule, they relate to the vegetative and spore method. Vegetatively, clowns propagate by rooting lateral aerial shoots, planting brood buds and dividing the mother bush into several parts. The spore method involves the collection of formed spores and their sowing in the ground.
Which method is the most effective
All methods are widely used by fern-shaped owners, so it is difficult to say exactly which one is more effective. If you choose a method with a higher survival rate, then this is sowing a spore. However, it takes a long time.
The effectiveness of the method is determined by the type of fern, since each species differs in its morphological structure.
Separation of the root system of an adult bush
How and when to share a bush
One of the most productive and short vegetative methods of propagation of plunders is the division of an adult bush. Before carrying out this procedure, it is necessary to water the bush liberally with water at room temperature in order to easily pull it out of the ground without damaging the root system.
How to propagate indoor fern by dividing the bush:
- They dig holes in advance of 40-60 centimeters in advance. Their bottom is covered with drainage material, and sprinkled with soil mixture on top.
- They pull the plant out of the old soil and divide it into several equal parts.
- Each of them is planted in a separate hole or pot.
Once a week, thorough radical watering is carried out and two times watered from above using a watering can.
Important! You can not share a young bush with one root outlet.
Spores on the back of the leaves
How ferns breed by spores
This method is most effective in the spring after warming up the soil. Sowing in a pot is done in autumn or early spring.
How fern reproduces using spores at home:
- Moisturize the soil from the spray gun.
- Sprinkle on top of the spores.
- Sprinkle on top of the ground with a layer of 3 centimeters.
- They are covered with glass or plastic containers on top, since it is necessary to create a greenhouse effect.
- When the sprouts appear, you will need to remove the shelter daily for 2 hours.
How to root side shoots
Arrows in the form of antennae appear on the leaf plates of garden ferns, which can be rooted in the ground. Next to the plant in which this green arrow has formed, you need to put a separate container with a nutrient substrate. It is important that this container is either of the same height or slightly lower than the pot with the mother plant.
Two containers are placed side by side and a side shoot with a healthy and stable mustache is bent to the ground. Lightly drip it with soil. If necessary, fasten with a hairpin or wire. After that, it is thoroughly moistened and both containers are left in a well-lit place.
Interesting! After 1.5-2 months, the arrow will give roots and strengthen well in the soil. It can be separated from the main bush and rearranged to another place. If necessary, transplant a small seedling into another container.
Brood buds form on leaf plates
How to propagate fern brood buds
Another vegetative method by which fern can multiply at home is to plant the formed buds on leaves in the ground. Fern-shaped plants have the ability to grow lateral processes on the petioles of their leaf plates. You can not plant an unformed kidney, it should release small roots.
One process is carefully separated and planted in a box with a substrate. Moisturize the soil and put in a warm and bright place. It is necessary to create a moist microclimate for the growth of the kidneys, so at first they can be covered with a film.
As soon as 2-3 seedlings appear on the seedlings, you can remove the film and transplant them into separate containers.
Important! Do not immediately transplant the seedlings into a huge pot. In the early years of growth, the fern will still have to be moved every spring to larger containers.
Features of care for sprouted ferns
The subsequent care of fern after breeding consists of the following measures:
- Air humidity. Small seedlings after transplantation are especially sensitive to moisture. It is necessary to try to maintain it at high rates, especially in winter with additional heating of the room. Every day you need to spray the bushes from the spray gun, and if the air is especially dry, the procedure can be repeated several times a day.
- Regular watering on a schedule. You can not violate the regime and ignore this procedure, but you do not need to transfuse the plants. Young shoots are especially prone to rotting of the roots due to stagnation of water in the soil. When planting, it is recommended to first cover the drainage to the bottom of the pot and only then fill the substrate. Also, do not forget to drain excess fluid from the pan.
- Top dressing. Fertilizers are best applied in liquid form by dissolving the preparations in ordinary water and in a small concentration. The procedure is carried out once every two weeks. It is necessary to use complex mineral preparations for fern-shaped shrubs. During this period, all minerals are necessary for the normal development of the plant, especially nitrogen, which helps build green mass.
- Lighting should be long, but slightly diffused so as not to burn delicate leaves. It is necessary to put a box with seedlings on the south window in the winter and transfers it to the east or west side with the arrival of warm clear days.
- Temperature condition. The most optimal indicators in this period are considered - 22-25 ℃.
Domestic ferns easily take root after breeding at home
Indoor ferns are decorative deciduous evergreen shrubs that have a pleasant appearance and are able to refresh any nondescript interior. It is placed in offices and other premises to give comfort. Propagation of ferns is an easy and efficient process that can be done in many ways. The main thing is then to provide the seedlings with attentive and proper care so as not to completely lose all the planted planting material.
