Ferns
With their arching, often feathery fronds, ferns seem to make the room more healthy and outdoorsy. A broad range of types is suitable as houseplants, including the Victorian Era Boston Fern, as well as delicate-looking yet deceptively rugged Maidenhair Fern, and, delightful to the child in us all, the Rabbit’s foot fern with its furry, eminently pettable rhizomes.
Light - Medium to high indirect light.
Temperature - 60-75º F days; 55-65º F nights.
Watering - Let surface just dry between watering Avoid overwatering, which kills the roots, and raise the humidity.
Feeding - Fish emulsion fertilizer once in early spring and again in early summer.
Potting Mix - All-purpose potting mix with good drainage, in small pots or baskets.
Tips - Placing ferns on trays of water filled with pebbles will add humidity around them, and is a better idea than misting them, which can cause brown spotting on the fronds.
Written by Graham Rice