How to overwinter dryopteris filix-mas 'linearis polydactyla'

Dryopteris filix-mas 'Linearis Polydactyla' is hardy to roughly USDA zone 4 — winter lows around -34°C. That means it can stay outside all winter in most temperate gardens. Dryopteris filix-mas 'Linearis Polydactyla' is properly hardy and overwinters outside without fuss. Tidy away anything dead or diseased, apply a mulch over the crown to steady soil temperatures, and otherwise leave it alone — many hardy plants actually need a cold period to flower and grow well the following year. Save hard pruning for the right season rather than doing it in autumn.

Tidy and mulch in late autumn; leave the plant undisturbed until spring.

No winter watering needed in open ground. Containers only need water in long dry, frost-free spells.

Cutting dryopteris filix-mas 'linearis polydactyla' hard back in autumn "to tidy up". That removes the growth that shelters the crown, and on some plants removes next season's flower buds entirely.