This Spring , I planted ferns on the South side of my house. It gets an average of 4-5 hours of full sun. It has been very hot and muggy in July. Lately, the core of the stems has turned brown with a rubbery texture. I generously water all my outside plants and bushes (lots of them on my land) once a week. Have I overwatered them? What could have caused this? I am not a very experienced gardener
The good news is that those new brown fronds are perfectly normal. Here’s a description of how Ostrich ferns grow, from the University of Minnesota, including a relevant image!
However, most ferns prefer shade or part shade, and those that tolerate some sun till will not be happy in a full sun condition, such as your South facing garden bed. Your ferns would be much happier if you move them to a shady or partially shade bed this fall when the temperatures are cooler.
For more information on how to care for your ferns, here is our Gardening Guide on ferns.
Thanks for getting in touch and of course, we are always here to help both new and experienced gardeners.