Ferns on the Menu in Latest Rabbit Attack

Curse you rabbits! The local cottontails struck again, once again hitting my ostrich fern [Matteuccia struthiopteris], Japanese forest grass [Hakonechloa macra], and this time the Japanese painted fern [Athyrium nipponicum 'Pictum'] on the other side of my house too.

A young Japanese painted fern with rabbit damage

My precious baby Japanese forest grass undergoing its third devastating attack

Tiny new ostrich fern sprout compromised by rabbit snacking

 The rabbits seem to come through in waves. They must have other places they patrol as well, because they aren't in my utility box planter during the day - although I know this is their home base in my yard because I scared one out of here one morning.

I know exactly where they hide at night, so it's my own fault I guess. This is the only brush in the whole neighborhood, so it makes sense they would be here and nibble on things close to this area.

I sprinkled more repellent in the brushy area and around a couple of the plants they seem to like. I'm not ready to start putting chicken wire cylinders around all my young fleshy sprouts just yet, but so far the repellents don't seem to be working too well.

Ostrich Fern Reverting to Baby Mode

Ok 'baby mode' may not be the technical term, but it looks like my ostrich fern (Matteuccia struthiopteris) is putting out little tiny fronds. Either this is a reflection of the size of the fronds that the new root system is able to support, or maybe the fern only puts out large fronds once a year and doesn't have enough juice in the tank for larger ones.

Tiny ostrich fern frond growing away from the main root crown

Now the tiny baby fronds aren't just coming out of the head/crown of the fern root system, but they're popping up a little ways away. Probably growing from roots further out. I think it's a good sign, but is it enough growth to last through the coming Fall and Winter?

This massive fern looks like it reverted to a juvenile form after being transplanted

Update 9/10/2015: New fern growth is opening up even more, nice!

Ostrich Fern Transplant Shock Adjustment Issues

I got two nice size clumps of Ostrich fern from my parents' house, and they are having a bit of a stressful adjustment to my side yard. The wind has already taken out a few of the tall fronds, and the roots are trying their best to take hold. The leaflets have lightened considerably from a dark green to light green.

Ostrich fern - Matteuccia struthiopteris 3 weeks after transplant

I trimmed off the dead and damaged fronds, and I noticed at the base growing from the crown at the bottom little baby fronds - but not the typical full sized fiddlehead of a mature frond unrolling. I wonder if the plant is reverting back to a juvenile stage before trying to put out new full size fronds?

Ostrich fern - Matteuccia struthiopteris damaged by wind and transplant shock

Ostrich fern - Matteuccia struthiopteris putting out little tiny sprouts after going through some transplant shock

Ostrich ferns have spore-bearing fronds and sterile fronds. Above, you can see the sprouting spore-bearing frond has small saw-toothed leaflets growing upright, and what I think is a very tiny immature sterile frond looks like parsley or some kind of tiny garnish to the right. I don't think it will put out a full sized fiddlehead until next year.

Say Hello: 4th of July New Additions

Welcome home new additions! I got a back seat full of plants coming home from my parents' house. Lots of new fun for the shade garden in the side yard, and some Shasta daisies to help hide the utility boxes in the front. I got up at 7am today and did 3 hours of yard work - whew!

Ostrich fern - Matteuccia struthiopteris

Ostrich fern - Matteuccia struthiopteris

Got a clump with 2 heads from my dad. I put them in my side yard in the place where a Hosta died last Fall. It's a little floppy, and I don't like that it touches the house, but hopefully when it puts up new fronds they are more upright. When a few more of these come in, it will definitely make the side yard look more like a nice forest floor.

Shasta Daisy - Leucanthemum × superbum 'Becky'

Shasta Daisy - Leucanthemum × superbum 'Becky'

Got 2 clumps from my dad to take home with me. I planted them on the neighbor's side of the utility box with their permission (they pretty much said I could do whatever I want). They are nice and tall and don't require staking. They spent the night in a garbage bag so hopefully they root in before the weather gets too hot. It should be upper 70's low 80's all week, so I think they've got a shot.

Japanese forest grass - Hakonechloa macra

Japanese forest grass - Hakonechloa macra

This little sprig doesn't look like much now, but hopefully by next year it will be a nice 3 foot wide bushy bamboo-ish grassy clump. I want to use Japanese forest grass in several places around my side yards, and it all starts with this bunch I got from my dad. It's not much to look at now, but it's alive!

European wild ginger - Asarum europaeum

European wild ginger - Asarum europaeum

I'm really excited to see what this European wild ginger does in a couple years. I got this clump from my parents' house. It was all over their side yard - I guess it pops up all over the place - here's hoping it naturalizes and mixes in well. So far my side yard plants are all neatly plopped down, and I'm trying to get used to the idea of them touching and overlapping and blending in to create an overall lush bed.


Shenandoah Switch Grass - Panicum virgatum 'Shenandoah'

Shenandoah Switch Grass - Panicum virgatum 'Shenandoah'

Got this for $1 from Lowe's sale table, looked like shit, fungus on leaves, only 4 stems, planted in part shade to hopefully hide electric meter. It's worth a shot for only a buck! I won't get too attached until I see that it's growing again. It probably should be planted in full sun, but if I can get it rooted and up to 3 feet it'll do wonders for hiding the meter. It's a little more out in the open right by the garage so not really deep shade. 

Cut a tiny piece off the larger of the two Karl Foerster for the back side and moved the iris to block the shorter Comcast box

Moved some more Siberian iris to the backyard for full sun rehab

Side yard looking much more lush with the fern. Just need a few coral bells to mix in. Thinking about hiding the AC with a boxwood.

Other side of the wet shade garden, hoping to add some astilbe next year