Whether you’re trekking through a tropical jungle or just taking a stroll through the local woods, ferns are undeniably beautiful. But let’s be real: most of us don’t want them taking over our own backyards. There are some pretty solid reasons why you’d want to clear them out—and luckily, there are a few effective ways to get rid of them for good.
A Beautiful but Toxic Guest
The biggest reason to kick ferns out of your garden is that they’re actually toxic. Just breathing in the spores can make you feel nauseous or even lead to vomiting. This applies to pretty much all of the 12,000 species found around the world. Because of this, it’s a smart move to tackle a fern problem as soon as you spot it. You’ve basically got three main options:
- Digging them up
- Mowing them down
- Using chemical controls
Digging Them Up
If you want to stay eco-friendly, digging them out is your best bet. The tricky part? Most ferns are deep-rooted. It gets even tougher with varieties like the Ostrich Fern, which sends out underground runners that can stretch for yards. Just a heads-up: you might need to grab your shovel again next year if the spores have already started the reproduction process.
Mowing
If ferns have started invading your lawn, you can actually use your lawnmower to fight back. Here’s the game plan:
- Give them their first trim in June.
- Do a second cut in mid-summer, right before the fronds have a chance to fully unfurl.
By doing this, you’re essentially starving the rhizomes (the underground stems) and weakening the whole plant. Just keep in mind that this method takes patience—you’ll likely have to repeat the process next season.
Chemical Solutions
If you’re still seeing green in year three, it might be time to bring out the big guns. Chemical herbicides usually get the job done quickly when other methods fail. Just a tip: use a light hand with the dosage. You want to be effective without hurting your other plants or letting too much runoff get into the groundwater.
