When to Harvest Fiddlehead Ferns

Growing Fiddlehead Ferns

• The ostrich fern grows in moist wooded areas and is commonly found in the Pacific Northwest, as well as many places along the northern U.S. or Eastern Seaboard. This showy plant adapts well to moist shade gardens with rich soil and will produce many fiddleheads year after year.

Harvest Time

• Fiddlehead ferns are only available for a short span of time in early spring. For about three weeks in April or May, or just after the snow has melted, the ostrich fern will start to push up the small, tightly-curled shoots, or fiddleheads, of the fronds. This is the time to collect them, before they start to uncurl, as they become inedible as they grow.

How to Harvest Fiddlehead Ferns

• The tender young fiddleheads snap off easily once they appear, so they can be collected quickly. Do not take more than three tops from each plant, to avoid depleting the plant too much. However, if the plant is large, with dozens of new unfurling fronds, you can take up to a third of the total growth of the plant, even if that equates to far more than three.

The Rewards of the Harvest

• Fiddlehead ferns don’t keep for very long once they are harvested, so it is imperative to use them within a day of harvest. They can be cleaned and canned or frozen but are most delicious when eaten fresh. You can steam or sauté the fiddleheads with butter and shallots. They pair well with morel mushrooms or other mushrooms or stir-fry vegetables. The recipe possibilities are numerous and interesting, making this one perennial that is well worth cultivating.