Boston fern care
A lush fern with long arching fronds; lovely in a hanging basket. (Nephrolepis exaltata)
- Light
- Medium, indirect light
- Water
- Keep the soil lightly moist, never soggy and…
- Cats
- Non-toxic
- Dogs
- Non-toxic
Care card
Light
Medium, indirect light. No direct sun.
Water
Keep the soil lightly moist, never soggy and never bone dry.
Humidity
Loves humidity: a bathroom with a window, a pebble tray or a room humidifier helps.
Soil and pot
Rich, moisture-holding potting mix with drainage.
Feeding
Weak liquid feed once a month in spring and summer.
Through the year
Spring
Trim brown fronds and start light feeding.
Summer
Check the soil often; ferns dry out fast in warm weather.
Autumn
Move it away from heaters before they come on.
Winter
Dry indoor air is the hardest time: mist or use a pebble tray.
Common problems
Brown fronds
Crisp brown fronds mean the fern dried out or the air is too dry. Cut off fully dead fronds, water so the whole rootball is wet, and keep the next week more even. Do not leave it standing in a deep saucer afterward.
Watering a Boston fern
Check hanging ferns often. They can go from fine to crisp in a hot week. Water thoroughly, drain, and do not wait for every frond to brown before the next drink.
Leaf trouble?
Why houseplant leaves turn yellow
Several yellow leaves at once usually mean the roots are staying wet. Feel the…How often to water a houseplant
There is no single weekly schedule. Water when that plant's soil says so, then…Brown tips and crispy edges
Brown tips usually mean dry air, a pot that dried out too far, or minerals in…Drooping houseplant leaves
Droop can mean thirst or roots that are too rotten to drink. Feel the soil…Fungus gnats and other small pests
Fungus gnats breed in mix that never dries. Letting the top layer dry, and…Background
Nephrolepis exaltata, known as the sword fern or Boston fern, is a species of fern in the family Nephrolepidaceae. It is native to the Americas. This evergreen plant can reach as high as 40–90 centimetres (16–35 in), and in extreme cases up to 1.5 metres (4 ft 11 in).
From Wikipedia’s article Nephrolepis exaltata, by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
More fern plants
Sources
- ASPCA Animal Poison Control: toxic and non-toxic plants Pet safety
- Wikipedia: Nephrolepis exaltata Background