Every plant in your yard has special needs. If this is your first time planting Japanese painted ferns in your yard or garden, use the guide below to help you meet the needs of this beautiful plant:

What Your Japanese Painted Ferns Will Look Like

The Japanese painted fern is considered to be a very elegant fern. It can add a lot of unique color to your yard. Typically, the Japanese painted fern is predominantly a soft grayish green color, with burgundy and silver accents throughout the plant. You don't often find burgundy and silver in nature, which is why many consider it a more elegant and unique looking fern.

It is a ground plant. It generally grows at least a foot tall, and does not exceed three feet tall. They don't spread out that much either, only about a foot or two. They like to stay close to the ground.

Where To Plant Your Japanese Painted Ferns

The Japanese painted fern does best in a shady environment. They also like soil that is constantly moist.

Look for shady places in your yard, or places that get lots of indirect sunshine, to plant your Japanese painted ferns.

If you have a group of trees all together that create a lot of shade, this is the perfect fern to plant underneath them. If you have a shady spot next to a pond or stream, which would also be an ideal place to plant your Japanese painted ferns.

How To Plant Your Japanese Painted Ferns

You do not generally pick up full-grown ferns at your nursery, nor do you pick up seeds. Instead, you purchase tubers. Tubers are basically the root system of the fern, that has been cultivated in the nursery. It kind of looks like a potato with roots growing out of it.

You will want to dig a hole about two inches deeper than the Japanese painted fern tubers that you picked up. Put the roots facing downwards into the hole. You should be able to see a little tip of the plant coming out on one side. That is the side you want to plant facing upwards.

Once you have positioned the tuber, fill the hole in. On top of the hole, you should add a little mulch. It will help the newly planted fern absorb water while it is growing.

Caring For Your Japanese Painted Ferns

Make sure that your fern gets enough water. If your ferns are not planted close to a water source, try to water them every few days when it is hot outside. The ground should always feel somewhat moist where your ferns are planted.

In the fall, you will notice that your fern will start to die. At that time, cut your fern down so it is only about an inch or two high. Then, put some mulch on top of your fern. This will help it survive the winter, and come back again next spring.

If you follow the planting and care advice in this guide, your Japanese Painted Ferns will thrive for years to come. To learn more, contact a company like Nakata James Landscaping LLC with any questions you have.