Do Boston ferns like sun or shade?
Outdoors, Boston fern does best in a spot with partial to full shade. That usually means all-day shade or a spot that get some morning sun, but is shaded during the hot afternoon hours. Water Boston fern as the potting mix starts to dry. In especially hot or windy weather, that may mean daily waterings. Boston fern is considered auspicious in Feng Shui due to its air-purifying properties and vibrant energy. Facing East, it encourages growth and new beginnings by reinvigorating stagnant chi. However, personal circumstances will impact its suitability; tune in with your intuition when placing this plant.Temperature and Humidity:Boston ferns require high humidity and warm temperatures. To provide them with plenty of humidity, place near the bathroom or kitchen inside or pot them outside. To double pot, place the container with the fern inside a larger pot lined with moist sphagnum moss.Perk Up a Porch Hanging Boston ferns add lovely lushness to summer porches. Just keep an eye on them in windy weather and make sure they don’t dry out. It’s helpful to protect your ferns in especially windy weather by taking them down out of the breeze.Pruning. Boston fern responds well to drastic pruning which encourages bushy growth and corrects legginess. The best time to prune an indoor plant is when it’s repotted. Remove all browning leaves and clip back leafless runners.Don’t wait until the pot is badly root bound. If the potting mix is so root-compacted that water runs straight through the pot, or if the roots are growing in a tangled mass on top of the soil, it’s definitely time to repot the plant. Boston fern repotting is best done when the plant is actively growing in spring.
Is Boston fern an indoor plant?
Boston ferns are low-maintenance plants that thrive outdoors and indoors. Ferns in general work well in the bathroom as they love humid conditions, but the Boston fern is one of the best when it comes to absorbing moisture. If it’s not getting enough moisture, its leaves will turn yellow, so keep it nearby when you take a shower and give it a mist in between if it looks like it needs it.Comfortable temperature and humidity So keep yours in one of your warmer rooms to keep it happy. They also need high humidity to really thrive. Putting your fern in the bathroom so it can happily bask in the steam is ideal! You can also place your fern’s pot on a tray of pebbles filled with water to help too.Boston Fern: One of the original NASA-tested plants, these ferns have a long-standing reputation for their air-purifying qualities. They help you out by sucking up formaldehyde and raising the relative humidity in the room, which is great news for your indoor tropicals.Misting your Fern daily is a good idea if the air in your home is usually dry. But make sure not to soak the leaves to prevent fungal issues. Use a fine spray and mist in the morning so the leaves can dry during the day. On the other hand, daily misting isn’t required if the air has enough moisture.
What are the benefits of the Boston fern?
Boston Fern is known for its lush, feathery fronds and excellent air-purifying properties. This houseplant’s benefits include removing pollutants like formaldehyde and xylene from the air. This can be beneficial in dry indoor spaces. Boston Ferns are also known to reduce stress and improve mental well-being. Boston Ferns prefer bright, indirect light. Direct sunlight can scorch their delicate fronds. A north or east-facing window is ideal. If you’re growing them outdoors, ensure they are in a shaded or partially shaded area.Grow Boston ferns indoors in bright, indirect sunlight or outside in filtered shade. Plant outdoor Boston ferns in Miracle-Gro® Moisture Control® Potting Mix and indoor Boston ferns in Miracle-Gro® Indoor Potting Mix. Water frequently to keep the soil evenly moist.As houseplants, they only grow to a size of 2 to 3 feet, which is less than a third of the size they reach in their natural habitat. Boston fern is often moved outdoors during the warm summer months. With the right care, these last for years.Ferns do best in humid environments, so it may suffer – the tips and edges of the pinnae may turn brown – in dry interiors, especially in the winter. Boston fern has few pests but scales and mealybugs can be a problem indoors and slugs may damage plants outdoors.
Where is the best place to put a Boston fern?
Boston fern is easily grown as a houseplant in medium bright light. This plant does best in a well-drained but moisture-retaining soil or soilless potting medium (such as a mixture of peat and vermiculite). Rigorous pruning is great for a Boston fern, helping you keep it bushy and prevent leggy growth. Trim off the side fronds at the base, rather than stems in the center. Larger ferns, kept outdoors, can be cut back even more drastically. You can crop it down to 4” above the ground for the winter.If the ends of the fronds become brown or yellow, you can trim them away. It’s normal for the fronds to turn brown as they age, so pruning is a great way to tidy the plant and expose the younger, greener growth. You can also give your Boston Fern a prune if it becomes a bit too bushy and out of control.Trimming Boston Ferns Older leaves often get shaded out by new growth. The plant may also have leafless runners dangling down from the plant. These are all good indications that trimming may be needed. Unsightly plants with erratic growth can always benefit from pruning to maintain an attractive shape as well.Pick up fronds and spray the underside of the leaves and down in the canopy. This will remove any insects or loose leaves before bringing inside. Leave to dry completely. Give it a Trim: There is no need to give a fern a hard prune, unless you have a small space to place it indoors.To keep your fern lush and healthy, feed it once a month with a water-soluble houseplant fertilizer. Boston ferns love high humidity, so a little misting can’t hurt outdoors in summer or indoors in winter. Mature Size: Up to 3′ fronds, when mature.
How often should you water a Boston fern?
One thing to remember when caring for your Boston fern is that they love attention! So, twice-weekly waterings and regular misting are a must. What does an overwatered Fern look like? A Fern that’s getting more water than required will show the following signs of stress: Yellowing fronds. Droopy leaves.Identifying Unhealthy Red Fern Start by looking for yellowing leaves, which often indicate a nutrient deficiency or water-related issues. Another common symptom is wilting fronds. This can suggest either overwatering or underwatering, both of which can stress your plant.Signs of Unhealthy Boston Fern Wilting and drooping fronds are the Boston Fern’s silent scream for help, often a distress signal due to dehydration. A quick soil check is crucial—too dry or too wet, both are no-gos.Signs of overwatering They include brown spots on the leaves, general wilting, mushy stems.