I wanted to know how to care for fern plants...

Allow them to establish more before putting them in pots.Use a good potting soil when you plant.Do not allow the ferns to dry out.Keep evenly moist not saturated and place in a shaded area.

They grow wild in the neighborhood I live in. When we took out the straggly shrubs out front I put a bunch of small ones in a pot and planted some in a bare area by my neighbors planter. So far they are coming up on their own in the ground and the pot. The ones that come back every year by our garage are about three feet high.

Be patient, it may take some time before you see them full size. When I transplanted the ones from the front of the house they were small and spindley. A few of them got about 18 inches high, I don't know how long it will take them to recover from being moved to a different area. I know right know the ones in the pot are over crowded, but they are already about eight inches high versus six inches high in the ground. I think the soil in the pot warmed up faster than the soil in the ground. How they will grow is up in the air as it is so early. Good luck with your planting. By the way, I don't do anything to the ferns around the house, I don't amend the soil or fertilize. The are mixed in with Hostas for the most part.