Kimberly Queen Fern
Carol Asked
I have a fern which a green house assured me would grow here in zone 6. But since planting them this spring, which they are growing beautifully, I read my fern will die due to our cold weather. Is it true is you use an astronaut blanket over them they could survive?
The Gardener’s Answer
Hi Carol, Kimberly Queen Ferns are hardy in USDA hardiness zones 9-11. Kentucky ranges from zones 6b-7b which makes this fern a tropical for us. They will certainly grow during the warmer months, but they are not considered a hardy fern for Kentucky gardeners. They will not survive our winters without being brought indoors. There are products you can purchase for frost protection but they do not allow us to grow plants outside of our hardiness zone. If you want to over-winter the ferns, dig them up before the first frost and grow them in containers during the winter months. Keep them in a brightly lit room until the potential for frost has passed and then take them back outside for another growing season.
Angie Oakley
Kentucky Living-Ask the Gardener
