Propagation Of Ferns
by John Yazo
A fern is not a flowering plant. The only method of propagation is from spores produced by the plant. These spores are produced on the underside of the leaves of a mature a mature plant.
Collecting spores is simply done by placing a portion of a fern leaf on a piece of paper in a dry location. The ripe spores will fall from the leaf onto the paper. These spores are not like seeds, they are a powder and will be black, brown or yellow in color.
The method of germinating the spores is by sowing or sprinkling them on potting medium. To prepare the spores for planting you will need to sterilize them first. This is done by pouring boiling water over them. This process will kill off the spores of fungi and other plants that may of gotten mixed in with the spores you have saved from your ferns. The spores then should be lightly sprinkled onto the potting medium. A soulless potting mix is best to use for this process because it is sterile.
Once the spores are sprinkled over the potting medium they will need to be covered with plastic. Covering them with plastic will keep the moisture and humidity in the containers that they need to germinate. When covering the containers care should be taken not to seal of all the air from entering the container, place the plastic on loosely to allow for air space. The temperature needed to germinate spores is seventy to seventy five degrees Fahrenheit and they need to be keep in an area of indirect sunlight.
Spores
will take anywhere from two to six weeks to germinate and will look
like a mossy growth.
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