If Store Ferns Under House, Basement, Or In Shed Do They Need To Be Pruned First?

Question

I was told that you could put your Boston ferns in a garbage bag in crawlspace under house and they would come back. Would this work as well with Kimberly Queen ferns and should they be pruned before store?

Answer 1

Unless you get a really hard, prolonged freeze, this should work, but be aware that they won't tolerate too much cold. The Kimberly Queen is an evergreen, but it will lose some fronds and middle leaves over the winter. Trim away any dead fronds and prune them back a bit before putting them in the dark. When you bring them out in the spring, they'll probably need more trimming, and should perk up and be fine. Here's a helpful article: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/houseplants/boston-fern/overwintering-boston-ferns.htm