Green & Growing

Foliage plants such as Ferns prefer well-drained ferns are a pleasing con- soil with organic matter. trast to the blooming plants Most prefer moist shady and trees in our gardens. locations, in the forest or Their leaves are quite dif- the north side of buildings. ferent from many of our Some species, like the cinplants, like the broad leaves namon, royal and southern of hostas and others. shield ferns, will grow in Fern fossils show that they have existed for more than 70 million years. Now they are the second-most full sun if there is enough moisture. They also like slow-release fertilizer and mulch. diverse group of vascular plants, with Ferns may be divided in the same only flowering plants having more. A manner as iris or hostas. When the vascular plant has specialized cells center of a group of ferns appears that move water and nutrients up dead, cut between the living rhizomes from the roots to the leaves. Trees are and replant the sections in a new locaa common example of vascular plants. tion. Rhizome sections may also be Perennial vascular plants store sugar removed from the outer edges of fern in their roots over winter and can rhizomes. grow multiple years. Ferns do not have flowers and repro-

Ferns grow as single stems emerging duce from spores found on the bottom from rhizomes. They emerge with the of the leaf fronds. The spores are the leaves coiled in a circle often referred brown spots or dots found on the botto as a fiddlehead. The fiddlehead tom of most leaves. The American opens and expands as it grows. The Fern Society web site has some excelleaf stalk or stem, together with the lent pictures of the spores on the botattached leaves, are called fronds. tom of fern leaves. They may also While the above-ground growth dies reproduce by cloning, also called vegedown each winter, the rhizomes tative reproduction. Some species have remain and send up new fronds each bulblets which grow on the fronds. If spring. they fall off from, or are placed on the There is a great variety of fern sizes and leaf patterns. Some are natives and may appear in our gardens on their own. Ferns are both cold and heat tolerant and so there are species that grow all over the north and south. Most grow between one and three feet tall, but the resurrection fern is only a few inches tall while royal and ostrich ferns may reach six feet tall. ground, they will germinate and grow. The Walking Fern has long pointed tips that produce new plants when those tips touch the ground. The name comes from the appearance that the fern is walking across the ground. The Brooklyn Botanical Garden web site “bbg.org/gardening/article/growing_ferns_from_spores” has a detailed article on collecting spores from existing plants and growing new plants.

GREEN AND GROWING By Linda G. Tenneson

The American Agri-Women Foundation is now accepting applications for the 2022 Daughters of American Agriculture Scholarships. An application can be found at https:// americanagriwomen.org/scholarships. The application deadline is March 1.

The Jean Ibendahl Scholarship is for individuals age 18-23) and the Sister Thomas More Bertels Scholarship for ages 24 and over.

These scholarships are available to any farm, ranch, or agri-business woman to pursue accredited courses in agriculture leadership, communications, rural sociology, medicine or other college-level studies directly related to agriculture. American Agri-Women members and affiliates maintain the scholarships.

Completed applications should be sent to American Agri-Women Foundation, P.O. Box 103, Baileyville, IL, 61007; or emailed to foundation@ americanagriwomen.org.

This article was submitted by the American Agri-Women. v Once they germinate, they may take as much as six months to produce new fronds.

Ferns suffer from few pest problems. Slugs may eat the young fronds and insecticidal soap may eliminate scale insects.

The website “minnesotawildflowers. info/page/ferns-and-fern-allies” shows pictures of several dozen ferns that will grow in this state. Linda G. Tenneson is a University of Minnesota master gardener and tree care advisor. v USDA organic listening session

The U.S. Department of Agriculture seeks stakeholder feedback on regulatory priorities for the development of clear organic standards that support a level playing field and market development. USDA intends to use information received through public comments to guide the prioritization of future organic standards development.

The virtual meeting is scheduled for March 21 from noon to 2 p.m. Eastern Time. Details on how to sign up to make oral comments, submit written comments, and the meeting link (via Zoom) can be found at https://www. ams.usda.gov/event/national-organicprogram-priorities-listening-session.

The deadline to submit written comments is March 30.

This article was submitted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. v

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