I once overhead someone ask “is this fern easy to care for,” and another person answered, “get a succulent.”
Ferns have a bad rap for requiring a lot of care and I agree. Outdoor, perennial ferns that live in shady, boggy areas, are easy to care for but, indoor ferns are another matter. Each variety has its own needs, but the number one care tip is water. Most houseplants thrive when watered from the bottom, by sitting in a large dish of water for an hour or so, and ferns are no exception. They also thrive when their environment is humid, and this is where most fern failures happen, because it is difficult to maintain humidity with air conditioning or heat in a home. To make it simple, ferns love to sit on a humidity tray, and a flowerpot with a hole in the bottom will allow the water to come up through the soil, then the fern thinks it’s sitting in a marshy environment. Ferns, again like houseplants, thrive when left alone, they do not want to be moved from a happy location, but unlike other houseplants they do not need pinching or pruning, though some deadheading may be needed for appearance. Light is also crucial in keeping ferns happy, some will tolerate more light than others, but in general ferns prefer low, indirect light. Grouping houseplants together makes care even more simple and helps create a humid environment and cleaner air.
I fertilize the ferns below 3 times a year with these Jobe’s fertilizer sticks by adding 2-3 sticks in each pot on the day I plan to water.
Fern Info…
About Ferns — American Fern Society (amerfernsoc.org)
I picked this Boston Fern in October 2020 and transplanted it from it’s hanging nursey pot to an old ceramic pot I had l laying around. Then, in January 2021, I chopped it back all the way and by Spring of that year I had a beautiful Boston Fern. It has not been cut back since and it’s longest fronds are almost to the floor.
The coolest ferns have feet…
But not all cool ferns have feet…
A Tiger Stripe Fern is a Boston Fern with variegated leaves. The pot it lives in was picked from the side of the road and is one of my favorites. Like any Boston Fern, these love to sit on a tray of stones, filled with water to just above the rocks.
