Boston Ferns

.Keep in Bathroom so they get Damper atmosphere

I brought mine in 4 weeks ago because the temp at night dropped to 38. Mine has shed some leaves but it also has dozens of new fonds. Just give it less water and plenty of natural light. And turn it halfway every week when u water it. I fluff it from underneath to knock off the old leaves.

I have kept one fern over winter once. I was vacuuming daily, and then I started to shake it outside to get all the dead leaves off. It does need a sunny spot and less water. Put it back out in the spring and it will come to life. It does drop too many leaves for me.

Before you bring them in, gently, but thoroughly hose them including underneath the fronds where insects can hide. If you have any indoor plants, you don’t want them infected. Then give them lots of light for the Winter and mist them well once (or preferably twice) a week as ferns love humidity.

Someone suggested putting them in the bathroom which is fine BUT only if there’s lots of light. If you place them in a southerly or westerly facing window, make sure the sunlight isn’t too hot on the fronds as they can burn. Just use common sense and check the fronds ... if they look “bleached”, move them to a window with less heat and direct sunlight. I usually water my ferns once a week.

In the mid to late Spring, start “hardening” them off. This means, gradually exposing the ferns to outside daylight a LITTLE at a time. Too much and too fast, will definitely bleach and burn the fronds. Put them outside for say, an hour in a well-lit (but not direct) sun - for example, under a shady tree. Then increase the time a little (each day or two) until they have adapted to being outside for a full day. By then, your weather should be warm enough for the ferns to stay outside for another Summer.

I love ferns, have very good luck with them and by the way, have enjoyed vacationing in your pretty Province. Each year, usually in the Spring or Fall, I gently ease the ferns out of their pots and give them new potting soil so they have fresh nutrients on which to feed for another year. A plant grows better with fresh, new soil once a year or so.

One final note: another reader mentions “fluffing them up“ but I have read that the less you touch the fronds, the better. I have no idea if this is true or not but I try to avoid handling ferns except when gently misting them. I mist the tops and the underneath parts, let them stop dripping on the kitchen counter then put them back in my living room. Good luck!

thank U

You’re very welcome, Sue. Re watering, at first, feel the soil with your finger then when almost dry on top, I always water a plant well and by that, I mean ... water until it comes out the drainage holes. Wait for the dripping to stop and put the plant back in its decorative pot, assuming it has one. You will soon start to see a “pattern” - whether it’s every 7 days, (the fern needs water) or it might be 9 days. If you watered say, every week when it was outside, it might go a few more days inside the house because it isn’t getting the stronger light. You can’t kill a fern! When changing the soil, I always stir in (with my finger or a stick) a good handful or two of Vermiculite to keep the soil “light and airy”. Vermiculite is sold at nurseries, Walmart, some grocery stores, etc. and is very, very cheap.