Ferns

Garden Clippings for Feb 29, 2020

A word of wisdom:  think twice about getting into houseplants.  They’re addictive.

The problem starts with a few easy to grow tropical plants such as Golden Pothos or Snake Plant and soon the temptation is satisfied with Peace Lily, Yucca and Dracaena.  Soon to follow are Ferns, Pilea and Peperomia. Serious indoor gardeners might eventually find String of Hearts or String of Pearls too difficult to resist.

Growing tropical plants indoors is not a problem at all.  They improve your living environment, purify the air in your home, and add life and energy to brighten any room.  They require as much effort or as little effort as you’d like to give.

Ferns are my latest mini-obsession.  In recent months, we’ve added several ferns to our indoor gardens and put them on windowsills, on the coffee table and in the bathroom.  Ferns can’t be beat for their lush green foliage that quickly fill the container.

Ferns are not difficult to grow indoors provided you know and understand their need for humidity.  That’s easy to achieve in summer when our southwestern Ontario temperatures climb towards annoying levels. But humidity in winter is scarce.

Putting plants on a tray with pebbles and a thin layer of water will add moisture to the air immediately surrounding the plants.  Misting up to 3 or 4 times a day is a very good idea.  Dialing back the thermostat at night helps as well.  And keep in mind that humidity levels are automatically increased as you bring more tropical plants indoors.

The other critical issue for Ferns is soil moisture.  While most tropical plants prefer to dry out between waterings, Ferns want their soil to be consistently moist.  If soil level of Ferns becomes dry, they will tell you by turning slightly yellow.

I think my favorite Fern variety is Staghorn Fern.  Its’ weird and bold foliage leaps out from the plant base and stretches forward in the odd shape of antlers.  In the wild, Staghorn Fern grows on the bark of trees and catches its needed moisture from rain, dew and tree bark.  When growing indoors, Staghorn Fern can be attached to barnboard or a wood box filled with sphagnum moss.

Greenhouse growers of tropical ferns grow them in small hanging baskets because they are priced right and are easy to handle.

Rabbits Foot Fern is another fun plant with a quirky look.  Foliage is fine textured and delicate looking.  Kids love the fuzzy stems coming out of the plant’s base and cascade over the edge of the container.

Boston Fern is an easily recognized plant with lush green foliage that reaches the same width as height.  Long, arching branches give the plant a graceful characteristic.  Boston fern is a favorite hanging plant for summertime enjoyment.  Keep Boston Fern in a shady spot and water faithfully.   In winter bring the plant indoors and do your best to add humidity to your indoor environment.