Sowing Asplenium ceterach in the garden ?

[lily-anne]

Is there  a simple way to sow Asplenium ceterach  in the garden  via spores
Tanks
Greetings
Lily-Anne

[Hoy]

I have never tried that species but several others.

Spores of woodland ferns I sow on top of moist soil/peat in a plastic box with the lid closed.
Other spores I sow on bricks/pieces of mortar etc standing in 2cm water in a plastic box also with the lid closed.

You will firstly get a lot of prothalli before the sporophytes germinate on the prothalli after fertilization.
Take care never let the spores/sporelings dry out! To enhance the chance of fertilization you can spray the prothalli with water. The sperm cells need water to swim to the ova.

They quickly germinate (in a couple of months) at about room temperature in the window-sill without direct sun. I have had ferns growing in an ice cream box with the lid closed for 6 years only with a little additional water.

[lily-anne]

Thanks Hoy,for your info,
 but I was looking for a simple , non sterile way to sow Asplenum ceterach in the garden
Gr. Lily-Anne

[Maggi Young]

Hi Lily-Anne - I can suggest the very simplest way - take Asplenium fronds,  cut them into pieces and peg these down on nice mossy patches or mossy stones in the garden - if there are viable spores in the fronds nature will do the rest.

[Hoy]

Thanks Hoy,for your info,
 but I was looking for a simple , non sterile way to sow Asplenum ceterach in the garden
Gr. Lily-Anne

Ys, I did forget to say that the small plants are easily transplanted and it is almost no work to grow them in a small container before you put them in place.
But what Maggi says is of course the simplest way to do it.

[Giles]

From BPS booklet by Dyce.

[lily-anne]

Thanks for the information Maggi Giles and Hoy
Gr.
Lily-Anne