Ferns - collecting and sowing spores

I am not a great expert at growing and raising ferns from spores but we do grow an increasing number of species in the garden and they are fascinating to propagate. Early autumn is a good time to collect spores and this is an example from a frond of Polystichum acrostichoides left to dry out for a day or two between two sheets of paper. This fern has sori running all the way along the pinnae (which is what gives it its name) and hence the spores have been deposited in lines. When sori are more familiarly distributed discreetly on the underside of the pinnae you can get a beautiful impression of the frond from the released spores. I am particularly keen on many of the smaller alpine genus like Woodsia and Asplenium so hope to get success in raising some of these.