7 Tips For Boston Fern Indoor Plants
Boston ferns also known by their common name, nephrolepis exaltata, are popular houseplants and for good reason. These indoor ferns are one of the oldest indoor hardy plants in the world and they can thrive even with minimal effort on your end.
Making them one of the most popular indoor plants. They love full shade, they don’t need any dead-heading, truly, they are a busy gardener’s dream plant and make a good idea for a new plant.
The nephrolepsis exaltata goes by the more common names of Boston fern and Sword fern and are native to Florida, Mexico, West Indies, South and Central America, Africa, and Polynesia.
So you can imagine that they come from a dry climate and require additional humidity. They are used to humid environments in humid climates with lots of indirect light and higher humidity levels.
Get the point? For tips on how to care for Boston ferns, they need plenty of water, extra humidity, dry air, shady areas and possibly a humidity tray to thrive.
While taking care of Boston fern plants is straight-forward, there are certain things you need to keep in mind for best results and to make sure that they have happy and healthy new growth. Today, we’ll be talking about seven simple care tips to keep these ferns beautiful.
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Boston Fern Plant Benefits
Boston fern benefits not only include improving the indoor air quality but growing Boston ferns also improves the humidity levels by bringing moisture back into the air. The air-purifying properties provide relief to people with dry skin, dry noses, and sore throats.
Tips for Growing Fabulous Boston Ferns at Home
- Grow them in proper soil. They thrive in rain forests and in tropical regions so you need to make sure that the moist soil you use at home mimics their natural habitat. You can do this by adding peat to the compost or fern’s new soil. Make sure as well to use a well-draining potting mix and to prevent waterlogging from your new fern and Boston fern root rot.
2. Don’t expose them to too much direct sunlight. For tips on Boston fern light requirements, they don’t need full sun to thrive. Indirect sunlight works better for them. This is one of the many reasons why they make great house plants.
You can expose them to the early morning sun or late afternoon sun but anything in between can burn the tips of the upright fronds. Keep them in shared areas indoors, this plant does not require a bright spot so putting them facing windows may not be a good choice.
3. Place them in a humid area. Boston ferns are a type of fern that loves humid conditions, humid environment, moist air, and high levels of humidity so if you have a sunroom, definitely place them there.
If you don’t have an area like this in your house, place them in room temperature warm area and mist them once a week to create much-needed high humidity.
4. Be smart about fertilizing. For Boston fern fertilize tips: fertilize these ferns every three to four weeks. It is also advisable to use fertilizer for Boston ferns such as liquid houseplant fertilizer, a water-soluble fertilizer, or slow-release fertilizer to prevent shocking or burning the plant.
5. Remove damaged fronds. Beautiful green fronds and lush foliage can get damaged and discolored due to uneven watering or too much fertilizer and then you’re left with dead fronds or cause drooping fronds.
It can also be caused by compacted soil, overcrowding, or even from too much contact with the plant. When brown leaves appear, prune them at the base as they appear.
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6. Put them in proper containers. You can definitely put them in containers and pots and even a hanging basket, but make sure that they have enough space for the Boston fern roots to spread and not become root bound.
Use peat moss based potting soil. You can use a plastic pot or a ceramic pot, either will do. You can also use a new larger pot or old pot, just make sure it is cleaned out, rinsed well and has plenty of good drainage holes as proper drainage is key to raising a healthy Boston fern.
7. Check your home’s temperature. Ferns like warm and humid areas and they will thrive in temperatures of around 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Keep these ferns in a warm spot with enough water in their new home to keep them happy and healthy and you’ll be thrilled with your plant’s growth.
Below is a helpful video from Kevin over at Epic Gardening
Proper Boston fern care indoors is not hard, they are easy to grow, you just need to know what makes them happy. Have you ever had one before? Share your experience and tips in the comments below.
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