Asparagus Ferns and Diapers!

I love my Asparagus ferns. they don't need much water, don't care if the afternoon sun gets too hot on the front porch and they grow fast! I winter mine over under lights in my basement and about every other year I divide them. It is real easy to make several nice ferns from one overgrown clump of Asparagus fern.

After the last frost date, I drag the ferns out of the basement and dump them out of their pots. I get out my trusty root knife and start to work on them. I usually divide my hanging basket ones into three divisions or clumps and plant them in separate containers or share them with friends.

I love the way they look in those fiber hanging baskets but most plants grown in these need water more often than I have time to do. I've come up with a great way to keep them from drying out between normal watering times - disposable baby diapers! The liners of baby diapers can hold a bunch of water, they are cheap and light weight. I usually cut them in half, cut through the elastic leg openings to make them lay flat. Now I lay them in the bottom of my fiber pots, cover with a few inches soil. I used two diapers in the one pictured at right.

Now I place my fern in the pot and finish adding soil up to the edge of my container. I do leave about an inch of the rim exposed to keep water from washing out the soil. It won't be any time before this basket is full and pretty on my front porch.