I think ferns are somewhat resistant to herbicides, so that might not work either. I would keep cutting the leaves off , eventually it deplete its reserves and starve. I guess the thing would be to keep the spores from germinating in the first place. How to do that I'm not sure.

Or you can lovingly care for them, buy special fertilizers and display them prominently. That way they will die for sure, at least in my experience.

Jane, I don't know how large of a collection you have, though if you do like James says and cut off all the fern foliage and keep rubbing out any new growth that appears, they'll be forced to give up!

Just not fair. Orchids and beautiful plants should just appear without any cultivation or effort. And weeds and ferns should try to appear and die. But it is the opposite. The ones you like require effort that sometimes is not enough. And if you turn your back for a second the weeds and ferns take over. Just not fair...

Exactly, Harvey!

Froze, Pulling off the leaves doesn't work. I've been doing that for years and they reappear by the hundreds.

Until I knocked a large Catt out of its pot, I was shocked at the thick pad of fern roots. Totally encircled the pot with this thick, strong mat of roots. So thick I cannot see the orchid roots. I tried breaking it with my fingernail but its like a cloth.

I poured a little Round-up in a cup and used a small foam painting brush to coat the fern leaves. I stuck plastic between the ferns and the leaves of the orchid.

James, you are right. After coating the fern leaves, I expected to see some sign of their decline but it didn't happen. I then coated again and did it every day.

Today, they are starting to brown. A few leaves fell off.

My concern are the roots. Even if the Round-up kills the fern, I doubt the thick pad of roots will disappear. I think I will wait until Spring and tackle removing the roots from the orchid. This will be a real challenge.

Jane