Light: Ferns are understory plants that prefer low to medium light levels depending on species. Try to find a naturally lit east or north room for your fern to thrive in.

No east or north space? Try to find a west or south room with light that is obstructed in some way, perhaps by a tree, awning or blinds.

Temperature: 55-75 F

Humidity: medium to high; avoid drafty areas

Water: Ferns need consistently moist but not soggy potting mix. Water when the top inch of potting mix dries.

When watering, avoid watering overhead. Wetting the leaves repeatedly can cause browning and eventual plant decay. Instead, try watering from the bottom by placing your fern in a tray of water. The potting mix will soak the water up via the container drainage holes.

You can also aim to water with the spout of your watering can underneath foliage.

Repotting: Repot every 2-3 years to freshen and loosen potting mix. You may or may not need to repot into a slightly larger container (1-2” increased diameter or depth). Use a general purpose potting mix.

Fertilizing: Either…

1. Water Application: Incorporate fertilizer into your watering cycle once per month March through September. Dilute an all purpose fertilizer (20-20-20) by half OR use your favorite fertilizer rated for houseplant use in your water.

2. Slow Release: Incorporate slow release fertilizer pellets into the top inch of potting soil every 6 months. Apply the rate indicated for indoor plants on the label. If no recommendation for houseplants is present, apply 1/4 to 1/2 the listed rate.

Cleaning: Some ferns have simple fronds that are smooth and can be wiped with a damp microfiber cloth. Others have compound or fuzzy fronds that cannot be cleaned in that way. In that case, shower thoroughly every 6-12 months in the tub or sink to remove dust. Afterward, be sure to place your fern in an area with good air circulation to dry the leaves to avoid brown foliage.

There are over 10,000 species of ferns! Only a few are cultivated for our indoor enjoyment. The main simple-leaf (or lobed) ferns that you may have seen around include:

• Asplenium (bird’s nest fern)

• Microsorum (crocodile fern, green flame fern, etc.)

• Phlebodium (blue star fern)

• Platycerium (staghorn fern)

The main compound-leaf ferns you may have seen around include:

• Athyrium (painted fern)

• Davallia (rabbit’s foot fern)

• Nephrolepsis (Boston fern)

• Pellaea (button fern)

There are many more out there! These are just a few. :)

(Listed in order of commonality…)

• Root decay caused by overwatering

• Fungus gnats

• Crown rot and/or leaf decay from overhead watering

• Leaf edge burn/leaf littering from infrequent watering and/or dry air

Are ferns pet safe?

True ferns are safe for animals, but fern look-alikes such as asparagus fern and plumosa fern are in the Asparagaceae family and are not safe for pets. Know your plant’s classification!

Do ferns grow in ground or in trees in nature?

Both! Some ferns are terrestrial (earth-bound) and some ferns are epiphytic (grow upon trees). A well known epiphytic fern is staghorn fern (Platycerium). Indoors, staghorn ferns can ironically be mounted on walls or also grown in pots.

What are these stems or roots growing outside of the pot? It looks like the Stranger Things monster.

Those are rhizomes! Ferns have two ways of spreading. They either spread via spores or via crawling rhizomes. Most of the time, you don’t see a fern’s rhizomes, but in some cases (as in the case of rabbit’s foot fern) they are quite conspicuous and hairy.

What are the round parts at the base of my staghorn fern called?

Those are the basal fronds (a.k.a. the shields). They help staghorn ferns collect nutrients and water in their native habitats.

Unlike other ferns, staghorn ferns (Platycerium species) grow epiphytically in nature—meaning that they grow on tree branches rather in the earth. You can grow them in a container or mounted on the wall!

To mount, choose a board or plate onto which a plant can be wired. Gather other supplies:

1. General purpose potting mix

2. Moss

3. Clear plastic

4. Floral wire

5. Wire cutters and needle nose pliers

When mounting, you will need to ball extra potting mix around the fern’s root ball, next wrap in plastic leaving space at the top to add water as needed, followed by moss for a forest aesthetic. Wrap in wire to mount to the plate and to secure the moss. Hang with a reinforced hook on the wall to avoid accidents.

Because mounted plants are often in better air circulation, I recommend checking in with your plant’s moisture twice weekly.

I will be doing a tutorial video on fern mounting soon! So stay tuned.