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The use of Bracken as a packaging product in, (I think ) Rose plant delivery was stopped as it was carcinogenic. So not suitable for use as a dried mulch but could be composted. The best way to kill the plant is to damage but not actually cut off the fronds, if possible run it over. There is a bracken specific herbicide, useful where it’s growing through other plants, Asulox, containing asulam, also kills docks in grassland.
pete
The idea is to lightly scorch the foliage and the plant has an overreaction and poisons itself, so bigger is not necessarily better. Its tempting to dessicate the foliage, which would kill of annuals but perennials need the light scorch technique.
When I worked in Italy 20 yrs back farmers there grew lemons in enormous terracotta pots with the branches trained onto a willow frame like an ice cream cone. They would put the plants away into a dark unheated stone shed for the winter, most of the foliage would fall off, then in spring they would re-shoot. They did however have very hot summers to ripen the wood and they would wind in new growth or prune to keep them open at the center but tightly fitted to the cone frames.
If you look closely at the worm casts you often see that they have pulled a piece of leaf into the mouth of their hole, perhaps to keep it open for fresh air as the soil becomes more waterlogged? Or maybe for a snack later? If you tug it out it is often quite deeply inserted.
I planted those bulblets from a crop some years ago but none of mine germinated. But how many Elephant Garlics do you need. I found it had next to no flavour, I think I read that its a type of leek rather than a variety of garlic?