How to prune dryopteris filix-mas 'linearis polydactyla'

Late winter to early spring, before new fronds unfurl. Cut all old fronds back to the crown using garden shears or scissors in late winter. Remove any dead or tatty fronds during the growing season as they appear. Do not cut into the crown itself.

Annually in late winter; dead fronds removed as needed through the season. Dryopteris filix-mas 'Linearis Polydactyla' is a deciduous to semi-evergreen fern. It benefits from a once-yearly tidy: cut back the previous year's fronds in late winter or early spring before new croziers emerge. This keeps the crown clean and allows light to reach the new growth. No summer pruning is needed.

Cut all old fronds back to the crown using garden shears or scissors in late winter. Remove any dead or tatty fronds during the growing season as they appear. Do not cut into the crown itself.