How to Plant Bare Root Ferns in Your Garden

December 19, 2025

Bare root ferns are a popular choice for shaded gardens because they are cheap, healthy and tough. Bare root ferns are shipped dormant, unlike container grown plants. This lets the roots settle in quickly after planting. This way of planting helps plants grow strong, keeps their roots healthy and makes the garden last longer with less work.

Fern

This guide will show you how bare root ferns work, why they are a good choice for home gardens and how to plant and care for them the right way. This article uses Tennessee Wholesale Nursery's hands on growing experience to teach you how to plant, care for and place high quality wholesale ferns to make lush, low maintenance shade gardens.

Vibrant green bare root fern with feathery fronds on fallen leaves

Why Are Bare Root Ferns a Smart Choice for Home Gardens?

When they are dormant, bare root ferns are sold without any soil around their roots. This helps gardeners get plants that are healthier and don't have much transplant shock. Once planted, the roots quickly adapt to the soil conditions in the area, which helps them do better in the long run.

At Tennessee Wholesale Nursery, bare root plants are carefully picked and stored to keep their roots safe and healthy. This method helps roots grow quickly and stay healthy for a long time.

Planting bare root ferns has a number of benefits, such as:

Roots adapt to garden soil faster
Soil organisms get better support
They cost less than potted plants
They are easier to ship and plant

This method is often preferred by gardeners who want bare root native plants because native ferns naturally adapt to the climate and soil conditions in their area. You can also get a wider range of high quality bare root plants online that are grown just for landscaping.

Native Ferns As A Shade Solution – Tennessee Wholesale Nursery

Caring for Bare Root Ferns Care after Planting

Proper bare root ferns care during their first growing season is very important for their long term success as ferns don't need much care once they're established but giving them some early attention helps their roots settle and keeps them from getting stressed.
Tennessee Wholesale Nursery says that the most important things to do in the early stages of planting are to manage moisture and prepare the soil. Soil that is healthy and has a lot of organic matter supports a wide range of microbes which helps roots naturally absorb nutrients.

Some important care tips are:

Water deeply right after planting
Keep the soil moist, but not soggy
Add mulch to protect the roots and keep the soil moist

Don't use a lot of fertilizer in the first few weeks. Instead, let roots grow naturally with the help of compost and other organisms that are already in the soil. This method makes plants stronger and easier to care for over time.

Choosing the Right Location for Bare Root Ferns

Choosing the right place to plant ferns has a direct effect on their health and looks as most bare root ferns do best in areas that are mostly or completely shaded and have soil that stays moist and drains well also it helps them survive and grow better when you make their environment look like a natural forest.

Tennessee Wholesale Nursery experts say that ferns do best when planted near trees, along shaded edges, or in woodland gardens where the soil stays cool. Companion plants can help keep the soil moist and make the garden look better.

Suitable planting companions include:

Bracken Fern for naturalized shade areas
Lady Fern for moist woodland settings
Virginia Creeper for ground coverage and erosion control

Planting near trees like the River Birch Tree helps recreate natural forest conditions that keep roots healthy and help ferns grow over time.

Step by Step Guide to Planting Bare Root Ferns

If you learn how to plant bare root ferns the right way, they will grow quickly and stay healthy for a long time. Correct planting methods lower stress and let roots grow freely into the soil around them.

These steps are easy for beginners to follow:

Before planting, soak the roots in water for 1 to 2 hours
Dig a hole that is wide enough for the roots to spread out naturally
Place the crown at soil level, not buried

To add more organic matter and make the soil drain better, backfill with native soil mixed with compost. Firm the soil gently to get rid of air pockets and then water it well.
Mulching keeps the soil moist and controls the temperature of the soil and protects the organisms that live in it so these steps are very important when planting ferns in the fall because they let the roots settle in before the plants go dormant for the winter.

Designing Shade Gardens with Wholesale Ferns

A well planned garden design can make plants last longer and make it easier to care for them and when you buy ferns in bulk it is easier to care for them and make them look good by putting plants with similar light and moisture needs together.

Some design tips are:

Plant ferns in groups to make them look more natural
Mix ferns with shrubs like Spiraea Japonica to add depth
Use groundcovers to keep organic matter and soil moisture safe

Shade gardens that are well designed let air flow better, keep roots healthy and encourage a wide range of microbial diversity, the Missouri Botanical Garden has reliable educational materials that can help you learn about fern ecology and how to plant trees in the woods.

Conclusion

When gardeners plant bare root ferns the right way, they can make beautiful, strong shade gardens that get better every year. Bare root ferns grow strong roots and do well with little care if they are planted correctly, placed thoughtfully and cared for in simple ways.

Tennessee Wholesale Nursery has high quality bare root plants like Bracken Fern and Lady Fern, as well as plants that go well with them, like Virginia Creeper, Spiraea Japonica and River Birch Tree. Gardeners can have healthy, beautiful fern gardens for years to come if they plant with confidence and care.