How to Split a Large Kimberly Queen Fern
The Kimberly Queen fern — also called the sword fern because of its straight, narrow fronds — is one of my favorite plants. These Australian natives handle more heat and drought than most ferns, which is exactly why they do so well here.
Kimberly Queen ferns are low maintenance (that’s why I love them). They grow well in containers and in the ground. They’re hardy in zones 9–11, but they don’t tolerate frost. Outside their zone, treat them as annuals, or move container-grown ferns indoors for the winter.
In tropical and subtropical areas like South Florida, this fern is an evergreen perennial. It tolerates full sun and medium sun — I’ve had success with both. In full sun, you’ll need to water more often than in medium sun. Keep the soil moist, and water when the top 25% of the soil is dry.
Splitting a large Kimberly Queen fern
The best time to split a fern is in spring. When you’re ready, remove the fern from its container and lay it on its side. I put a large garbage bag on the ground first to make cleanup easier.
Depending on the size of your fern, you can use a large pair of gardening scissors. Mine was very large and wild, so I used a machete. The black plastic pot had six holes at the bottom, and my fern had already outgrown the pot — it had pushed six new babies through those holes. I carefully worked the mother plant and the babies out of the pot, cutting the pot a few times to get everyone out safely. Then I cut off the six babies and split the large plant in half.
If you want to divide your fern into more than halves, you can — just visualize your cuts before you make them. The process is simple, and you won’t hurt the plant. If anything, dividing encourages the ferns to grow more. Once divided, pot each fern in a container sized for its new root ball, using a nutrient-rich potting mix, and water well. Keep the soil moist at this stage.
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