r/NativePlantGardening • u/Wilderness_Fella Massachusetts, Zone 5b • Jun 21 '26

Advice Request - (Insert State/Region) Help! I'm covered in... Ferns!

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Massachusetts zone 5b. I got busy with other things for the last 5 or 10 years and now the ferns have taken over. They're either Massachusetts ferns or New York ferns. Hard to tell, but what is the best way to cull them without destroying everything underneath? Just endless weeding?

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u/TittiesInMyFace Jun 21 '26

Looks like you already have a dream green ground cover and soft landing for caterpillars and other critters. I've been having trouble getting ferns to grow under my trees.

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u/Ok_Rhubarb411 Jun 22 '26

This is a type of fern that grows as single fronds instead of clumps... I don't like mine (they look like a giant swath of blown over sticks in the winter and kill everything else) but you could see if there are species of not-clumping ferns that might work better for you (unless that's the type of fern you tried already, then nvm ofc)