Ferns can be a beautiful addition to any room, adding luscious green tones and leafy shapes to hard corners or bare spaces. They do vary in growing conditions so make sure your aware which ones need what to grow their best in. Sub tropical ferns can survive well in a temperate climate and not so well in a well heated house.
However, if you pick a tropical fern and place in a warm, humid environment and it will thrive.
Humidity – Most ferns prefer humid conditions, so when planting your ferns stand the pots in a tray of damp pebbles or clay granules. Spray them with a mist of tepid warm water each day or keep them in the bathroom, where the regular steam and damp conditions will be ideal.
Compost/soil – Ferns are woodland plants so have adapted to the type of soil you would find in a forest – soil that is rich is leaf mould and decaying vegetation. They have delicate roots and love to kept damp at all times. Pick a compost or soil which contains peat or a substitute for fibrous peat that will allow water to flow freely and not water-log the plant. When handling compost, remember to be in a well ventilate environment and wear gloves.
Light – Although most ferns can survive in low light conditions, like us they do need some sunlight. Keeping ferns on a window will allow some morning or evening sunshine without it being too direct, as the heat can cause the fronds to go yellow and growth will diminish.
Temperature – Ferns prefer the heat, so as a general rule if you cannot provide a warm or moderate indoor climate pick a different plant to grow! Ferns from tropical regions love heat between 15-21 degrees Celsius. Where as ferns from more temperate regions enjoy anywhere between 10-16 degrees Celsius.
Re-potting – You can re-pot your indoor ferns if the root systems become too big for the pots. If they are fine, then just the top layer of soil can be removed and replaced by fresh. You can also encourage the growth by cutting off any damaged or yellow wilting fronds.
Enjoy your flourishing ferns indoors as well as out!