- high margin fern for health if processed to powder
- perfect clump
- height: 50–100 cm
- diameter of clump: 40–80 cm, dense rhizome base with multiple crowns
- number of fronds: 12–20 healthy fronds
- 3–5 young curled fiddleheads ready for harvest
- 5–7 mature functional fronds
- harvest
- only the young fiddleheads at 10–20 cm length
- max 2 fronds per harvest
- prune
- leave at least 3-4 mature fronds per plant for photosynthesis and root health
- remove brown/drying fronds to prevent pest/fungal buildup
- frequency: every 15–20 days in rainy season, 30 days in dry season
- surrounding
- avoid aggressive root competitors like ginger or taro
- gotu kola, lamtoro, mentha
- spacing plants 1 m apart to allow air flow
- grows best in family clusters
- plant-to-plant spacing inside a cluster: 20–30 cm apart center to center
- cluster size: typically 3 to 5 plants per cluster
- cluster diameter: about 60–80 cm total
- between clusters: 1 meter
- yield max
- biochar + shade + nitrogen-fixing + family clumping
- can double production per square meter from ~0.2 kg/month to 0.4–0.5 kg/month