Ferns come in a variety of shapes and sizes and make excellent indoor houseplants plants.

 

The secret to growing ferns is to mimic their natural growing conditions. Among one of the oldest plants on earth they can be found growing in tropical forests. They need filtered light , high humidity, moisture, and average room temperatures. If these conditions are met, ferns can be grown very successfully in the home.

 

In the forest ferns grow under tree canopies in a filtered light. They do not do well with direct sun so a south window in the summer would not be a good place to place a fern. An east or west window would be ideal.

 

Humidity is a large part in the healthy growth of ferns. Most homes tend to have dry air so the humidity should be raised. Kitchens and bathrooms have higher humidity because of water being used in these rooms in the form of cooking, washing, and taking showers so these rooms would be ideal for ferns.

 

There are ways of raising the humidity around plants without purchasing a humidifier. Placing the plants on large rock filled saucers with added water works really well. Make sure that the water level is just below the rocks so that the ferns roots are not sitting in the water. Several plants grouped together on one saucer not only looks nice but it also helps with the humidity. Plants can also be misted daily with room temperature water but this is a bit more work and can become messy. Growing the smaller sized ferns in a terrarium also helps in creating a mini tropical forest setting.

 

Avoid areas where there are drafts and heating vents. This will only dry them out. Ferns prefer temperatures of 18-23 Celsius during the day, and ideally the temperatures are slightly lower at night, just like in nature. Sometimes ferns are used as hanging plants and these should not be kept too high near the ceiling as heat rises.

 

Water is a key element for any plant including ferns. Ferns prefer to be on the moist side. This does not mean that they should be kept too wet as this will cause the foliage to turn yellow and could cause root rot or other fungal diseases. But you also don’t want to let it dry out as this will cause it to wilt and loose its leaves. Touch the soil, and if it feels dry to the touch, it will need a drink of water, using room temperature water. During the summer months when the plant is actively growing it will require more water then in the winter.

 

Ferns do not like to be over fertilized. Fertilize with an all purpose 20-20-20 monthly during the spring/summer months at a diluted strength, and in the fall/winter when the plant slows down its growth fertilize once every 8-10 weeks.

 

There are hundreds of different ferns but not all of them are suitable to be grown indoors. A few of the favourites are the well known ‘Boston Fern’, ‘Maidenhair fern’, ‘Staghorn fern’, ‘Bird’s nest fern’, ‘Rabbits foot fern’, and ‘Button fern’.