Fern help needed

[Crankyshank]

My rocky slope is overgrown with ferns! I pulled up most of the thorny weeds and plants that were choking everything there, but I need to get rid of those darn ferns.
How early do ferns spore? I need to get in and weed whack and spread weed killer, but I want to make sure I'm no getting in too late.

[Snowwark]

Jenn, once the fronds are unfurled, the spore cases (sori) mature, and then the spores are released. When exactly this happens, late spring - early summer, I'm not sure, and it probably varies for different varieties.

Perhaps you can get your family and friends (bribe them with a bbq and beer? ;)) to help you out! Hand them some clippers for the fronds and shovels for the rhizomes, and put them to work! It sounds like you have a big job ahead of you :)

Is there something else you want to plant, to replace the ferns?

[Lebjwb]

You could also try to cover the ground where they grow with a dark colored tarp and leave it in place for at least 2 weeks.

[Crankyshank]

I have plenty of dark colored tarp!

We're going to change the area from a graduated field stone accented slope to a field stone wall and then plant things to replace the ferns probably in late fall or next year, depending on how big the work is. It's not too big of a job to kill the ferns- it's maybe a 4ft area they are growing in. Hubby can easily do the manual labor ;)

[FroggyinArk]

my granny says all you neeed is for me to come take care of your yard,, she believes i can kill any fern:) she had a bed full of ferns when i moved here andstarted taking care of her yard, and they have died out to just a few plants left now:)

[gina2000]

You may want to consider transplanting the ferns to a shady part of your garden. They look lovely with hostas and are the backbone of any shade garden.

Or you can send them to me! LOL LOL LOL

[grlpwrd]

I was going to say give them away or sell them. I had to buy ferns off of ebay while doing my backyard. You might want to ebay your fern corms. :)