Fern Care Tips

These tips are for typical conditions for most ferns placed in the home. Place ferns in bright, indirect light for best success.  A room with no natural light will not allow a fern to thrive for very long.  Ferns also need humidity to live.  Most home environments lack the humidity for good fern growth, especially in the winter while the home is being heated.  Increase the humidity directly around ferns for best success.

Ferns like to be kept evenly moist all the time.  They do not like to be kept dry nor do they like to be kept saturated with water.  Too much water may kill the roots.  In the summer check plants daily for water as the heat and low humidity causes the fern to use lots of water.  Mist ferns often.

Healthy plants are less susceptible to mites, aphids and mealy bugs.  Prevent pests from attacking by keeping the humidity high and misting the plants frequently. 

Transplant ferns when the roots become pot bound.  Ferns will do fine in terra cotta or plastic containers, although the roots will probably increase faster in porous pots.