What's the Deal with Ferns?

[l008com]

I'm a mountain biker and when it comes to trail building, controlling erosion is always the most important thing.
It's always said that ferns are great at reducing erosion. But is this true?

See here's the thing about ferns. I've seen tons of areas where they grow big and wild. But even there, the stems of the individual plants seem to be pretty spread out. Are these things really doing that much to hold the soil together? It looks like they aren't but I can't see what's going on underground.

Also how do these plants seed? I can't think of ever seeing anything that looked seed-like on them. Just those long leaves.

I'm hopfully doing a stepped retaining wall holding back a long sloped path in my back yard. And above the path, I'm thinking I could put a layer of fresh dirt and plant a ton of these from seed. It would be a fairly steep hill. I'd want something that can hold the hill together, but not encroach on the lawn atop the hill. Or at least, be very easy to control if it does start to encroach.

Note that the image is just a stock google image. They don't typically grow that dense around new england. Not most of the patches of it I come across anyway.

 

[Twigs]

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[Tetters]

Quite a while ago we watched a fascinating account from an Australian lady showing how to propagate ferns from spores. I just mentioned it to Zigs, and he is having a look for it for you.
Although my job used to be propagation, this was never something I had the time or opportunity to have a go at.
When it comes to steep banks, there are loads of plants to fit the bill, like Ajuga, Sedums, prostrate Junipers and similarly prostrate Cotoneaster and Persicaria, but the beauty of ferns is that they enjoy being in the shade, whereas most of the other plants I can think of - like at least some sunshine.
There are so many different ferns too, and it is a subject that is worth specialising in.
We have a shade tunnel, and it houses mostly soft fruit, but at one end we keep a few ferns because we like them so much.
We haven't found the video yet, but will keep looking.

 

[l008com]

The slope I would be growing these on is north facing, so they wouldn't be getting much direct sun. So this may be a good fit. As far as species, I guess whatever is growing locally in all the woods I mountain bike in are probably the 'right' species to plant myself.

 

[Tetters]

Well those would be the toughest ones, and you would probably find they will propagate themselves very well. Our back garden is also facing North, and they grow out there between the cracks in the paving.

Edit... you could put some Hostas there too inter-planted, they would still fill the spaces when the ferns go over.

 

[Tetters]

The Hostas flower as well

I pinched the photos too.

 

[l008com]

Not a fan of the hostas at all. I used to like popping the purple flowers as a kid I wouldn't want those now. I'd try to grow normal grass on the steel slope before i grew those things.

 

[pepper]

I love ferns. When I go hiking and spend a week or two in the woods I look for ferns to find my happy place to set up camp. Early season fiddle heads are delicious with the brook trout pools they grow beside.

 

[l008com]

Ferns come back every year, right?

 

[pepper]

Ferns come back every year, right?

Yes, they are a perennial and will come back every year.

 

[Avocado]

Also how do these plants seed? I can't think of ever seeing anything that looked seed-like on them. Just those long leaves.

Few weeks back, I was looking for the same question/answer. I found this video that best answered my curiosity.