Fern Care

Most ferns want bright indirect light, potting mix that stays lightly moist, and more humidity than a Perth home usually has. Keep them out of direct sun and away from air conditioners and heaters. Ferns differ in how much water they need, though: a Boston fern should never dry out, while a bird's nest fern or rabbit's foot fern can dry a little between waterings.

Our ferns

Boston ferns have long, arching, feathery fronds in a fountain shape, in a pot or a hanging basket. They are the thirstiest of our ferns, and the one most affected by dry indoor air.

Lemon button fern is a compact, upright relative of the Boston fern, with small round leaflets along narrow fronds and a faint lemon scent when crushed. It is the most forgiving fern we grow, and suits a shelf or desk.

Bird's nest fern grows broad, glossy, strap-like fronds from a central rosette, like a nest. It suits a table, a hanging basket or a shaded garden.

Rabbit's foot fern has fine, lacy fronds over furry rhizomes that creep over the edge of the pot. It looks best in a hanging basket or a raised pot where the rhizomes can hang down.

Blechnum Silver Lady grows soft, arching fronds from a rosette, and in time develops a short black trunk.

Elkhorn fern is an Australian native with forked, antler-like fronds. Ours are grown in hanging baskets, and an elkhorn can also be mounted on timber.

Australian tree fern is a native for the garden, growing a clear trunk topped with large, arching fronds.

Browse the full range in our Ferns collection.

Light

Give ferns bright indirect light, out of direct sun, which scorches the fronds. A bright bathroom or kitchen suits most of them, since the air there is more humid. In Perth, keep them away from windows that take hot afternoon sun.

Bird's nest ferns want more light than most: very bright, but never direct sun. In too little light the plant weakens and mealybug moves in.

Watering

How often to water depends on the fern:

• Boston ferns: keep the potting mix moist at all times, and never let it dry out. In a Perth summer that can mean checking every day or two.
• Lemon button fern: keep the potting mix lightly moist.
• Bird's nest fern: let the top of the potting mix dry a little between waterings. Water around the base of the plant, never into the centre of the rosette, where water sitting in the crown causes rot. Water often in summer and sparingly in winter.
• Rabbit's foot fern: let the potting mix partly dry between waterings. It is more drought tolerant than most ferns.

For all ferns, water until it runs from the drainage holes, let it drain, and never leave the pot standing in water. Water less in winter.

Humidity

Ferns come from humid forests, and dry indoor air is the main reason they struggle in Perth. Mist Boston ferns regularly, group ferns with other indoor plants, or stand the pot on a tray of wet pebbles with the base clear of the water. Rabbit's foot and lemon button ferns cope with drier air better than the rest.

Air conditioning and heaters

Keep ferns well away from the airflow from air conditioners and heaters. Refrigerated air conditioning dries both the air and the potting mix, so a fern in an air-conditioned room needs checking more often through summer.

Brown fronds

Brown, crisp fronds usually mean the potting mix dried out or the air is too dry. Cut damaged fronds off at the base, water more consistently, and mist more often. A Boston fern that dried out badly can be cut back hard and will regrow if the potting mix is kept moist.

An older frond browning at the base of the plant now and then is normal.

Feeding

Ferns need less feeding than most indoor plants, and too much fertiliser burns the fronds. Feed in spring and summer with a liquid fertiliser at half strength, about once a month. We recommend Growth Technology Foliage Focus or Plant Runner Indoor Plant Food.

Pots and potting mix

Ferns need a light potting mix that holds moisture without staying wet. We recommend a specialised indoor potting mix, such as The Home Plant Co Indoor Potting Mix or Searles Indoor Potting Mix. For a large Boston fern, use a well-draining premium potting mix, such as Waldecks Premium Potting Mix.

When repotting a rabbit's foot fern, sit the furry rhizomes on top of the potting mix and never bury them.

Keep the fern in its nursery pot inside a decorative pot, where water can drain away from the roots. For a fern in a nursery pot of 175mm or smaller, our Trio pots are the range to look at.

Cleaning the leaves

Wipe the broad fronds of a bird's nest fern with a soft damp cloth to keep the dust off. Leaf Love Gloves make it quicker. Don't wipe or polish the fine fronds of Boston and rabbit's foot ferns.

Elkhorn fern

An elkhorn fern grows on trees in the wild, and takes its water through the fronds and the backing it grows on. Ours are grown in hanging baskets, which suit it indoors in bright indirect light or outdoors in semi-shade. You can also mount one on a timber board. Mist it regularly, and water it by soaking the basket or board, or take it down and water it in the sink, then let it drain before hanging it back up.

Ferns outdoors

Most of our indoor ferns can go outside in a shaded, sheltered spot, such as a covered patio, in a pot or hanging basket, away from hot sun and drying wind. Bring them back inside before the weather turns cold.

For the Australian tree fern, plant it in part to full shade, keep the soil consistently moist, and shelter it from hot afternoon sun and drying winds.

Pests

Mealybug, scale and spider mite are the pests found on ferns, and fungus gnats breed in potting mix that stays wet. If you find anything, bring a photo into one of our garden centres, or a frond sealed in a zip-lock bag or container, and our team will tell you what it is and what to do.

Pets

Boston ferns and bird's nest fern are non-toxic, so they are a good choice for a home with cats or dogs.