boston fern indoor care

Situate Boston ferns indoors in bright, indirect sunlight away from drafty doors and heating vents. Provide as much humidity as possible and carefully monitor the soil to ensure plants stay consistently moist. You can set the plants on pebble trays filled with water, so long as the pot does not sit in standing water.

1. How often do you water a Boston fern inside?
2. How much light does a Boston fern need indoors?
3. How do you take care of a Boston fern indoors in the winter?
4. Why are the leaves on my Boston fern turning brown?
5. Should you mist Boston ferns?
6. Should you mist ferns?
7. Are coffee grounds good for ferns?
8. Where should I place my Boston fern?
9. Why is my indoor fern dying?
10. How do you make Boston ferns bushy?
11. Do Boston ferns die in winter?
12. Can you overwater a Boston fern?
13. Should I cut the dead leaves off my fern?
14. Can you overwater a fern?
15. What to do if Boston fern is dying?

How often do you water a Boston fern inside?

Water the fern when the soil becomes damp. Do not allow the soil to dry out. This may mean watering twice a week or daily in hot weather. The frequency will change depending on the temperature and moisture in your home.

How much light does a Boston fern need indoors?

The plant benefits from bright, indirect light during fall and winter. A location where the plant gets at least two hours of indirect sunlight per day, preferably in the morning or late afternoon, is ideal. Boston fern light conditions must change when sunlight is more intense in spring and summer.

How do you take care of a Boston fern indoors in the winter?

The plant needs cool nighttime temps and lots of bright, indirect light like that from a south window not blocked by trees or buildings. Daytime temperatures should not be over 75 F. (24 C.). High humidity is necessary to keep the Boston fern as a houseplant.

Why are the leaves on my Boston fern turning brown?

Why is My Boston Fern Turning Brown? Boston fern browning may be caused by poor soil, inadequate drainage, lack of water or humidity, too much light, excess salt or simply mechanical injury. If your cat tends to chew on the leaves, the tips will turn brown and die.

Should you mist Boston ferns?

Boston ferns need a cool place with high humidity and indirect light. When you care for Boston fern plants indoors, it's a good idea to provide additional humidity for them, especially in the winter. ... You can also try lightly misting your fern once or twice a week to help it get the humidity it needs.

Should you mist ferns?

Misting is good for broad-leaf ferns and those of simple-leaf forms. Use less spray on crinkled varieties, which tend to collect moisture and hold it, contributing to development of fungus. Humidity can be increased in the vicinity of the plants when pots are set on trays of moist pebles or on damp sand.

Are coffee grounds good for ferns?

In most cases, the grounds are too acidic to be used directly on soil, even for acid-loving plants like blueberries, azaleas and hollies. Coffee grounds inhibit the growth of some plants, including geranium, asparagus fern, Chinese mustard and Italian ryegrass.

Where should I place my Boston fern?

Boston ferns do best in bright, indirect light. Too much shade can result in sparse fronds that aren't their typical bright color. And too much sun can burn the fronds. So both outdoors and indoors, make sure direct sunlight won't hit your plant.

Why is my indoor fern dying?

Watering Indoor Ferns

Some ferns prefer very wet soil while others like less moisture, but all need good drainage and slightly dried out soil between watering. Too much water and the plant will develop yellowing or droopy fronds, a sign of root rot. Too little water, and the fern's fronds will also begin to droop.

How do you make Boston ferns bushy?

An ideal time for pruning is during repotting, when plants can be dramatically cut back. In fact, Boston fern responds well to severe pruning, which encourages more prolific, bushy growth and corrects dull, leggy growth. When pruning Boston fern always use clean, sharp pruning shears or scissors.

Do Boston ferns die in winter?

Deciduous ferns enter a state of dormancy and lose their fronds in winter. Their roots remain alive, and their feathery top growth returns in spring. Evergreen ferns such as Boston fern, however, keep their fronds in winter and continue to grow year round, never entering a state of dormancy.

Can you overwater a Boston fern?

Although Boston fern prefers slightly moist soil, it is likely to develop rot and other fungal diseases in soggy, waterlogged soil. The first sign that a fern is overwatered is usually yellowing or wilted leaves. ... Boston fern watering is enhanced if you provide a humid environment.

Should I cut the dead leaves off my fern?

To improve their appearance, you should prune out any brown or yellow fronds from indoor ferns. Pruning out these dead fronds also improves airflow around the plant, which helps reduce fungal or mold problems. If you find your indoor fern's fronds frequently die back, check the soil.

Can you overwater a fern?

Over-watered ferns may drop their leaves or the foliage may yellow. You may notice a green, mossy growth on the top of the soil or gray fungi may form. Over-watering ferns poses the risk of root rot and other fungal diseases.

What to do if Boston fern is dying?

If your Boston fern needs a larger pot, wait until it has recovered and is actively growing midspring. Trim the drooping fronds back to about 2 inches long and leave any healthy upright fronds in the center of the plant intact. If all fronds are drying and dying, trim them all to 2 inches.