By Betty J. Magnan
Beltrami County Master Gardener
“Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower” –
Albert Camus
Camus is right about the flowers of autumn being the bright and
beautiful leaves that are beginning to decorate our landscapes but
when they have all fluttered down to the forest floor we seem to need
some greenery in our homes to remind us of the gentler seasons.
Dr. Leonard Perry, Extension Professor at the University of Vermont
suggests a low-care houseplant to do just that – ferns. Not only do
ferns require little care but they thrive in low-light conditions and
add visual interest to a room with foliage ranging from delicate to
dramatic. Some of his care tips for ferns follow:
Light levels: A north-facing window is ideal during the winter
months but an east window will do as well.
Moisture: Most ferns like an average room temperature of 65 degrees
to 75 degrees F during the day and up to 10 degrees cooler at night.
If temperatures are warmer than 75 degrees F, you may need to water
oftener. Below 60 degrees, add water only when the soil is dry to the
touch. Consistent watering, keeping the soil evenly moist, not wet,
is also key to the health and well-being of the ferns.
Humidity: Because many ferns are native to the tropics, they like
high humidity. For this reason they do well in bathrooms, provided
they also have the required light levels. You can increase humidity
around the ferns by placing the pots on a pebble-lined tray. Add
water to the pebbles, making sure the bottoms of the pots do not
touch the water. The evaporation will add extra humidity.
Nutrients: Fertilize only when the plants are actively putting on
new growth of if the foliage appears a paler green than normal. Over-
fertilizing will result in browning and drying that begins at the
tips, then works its way back into the rest of the fronds.
Pests: Check at least weekly to catch pests early (scale, mealy bugs
and mites). Hand-picking or spraying with water are the best options
for control as pesticide spray may injure ferns. For scale, cut off
the affected fronds.
Repotting: This is best done in the spring. Every few years should
be sufficient. Remove the plant from the pot, cut carefully between
the rhizomes (fleshy roots). Keep as many leaves as possible per
division and repot.
Easy-to-grown fern favorites include: Birdsnest (Asplenium) with
broad, light green, leathery, undivided fronds that grow upwards,
giving the plant the look of a bird’s nest; Boston Fern
(Nephrolepsis), also known as the ladder or sword fern , with long,
delicate fronds and light green foliage – ideal for hanging
baskets – the newer dwarf compact cultivars are an excellent choice;
Button Fern (Pellaea) is a good fern for small places growing to only
12 to 18 inches tall, with round, slightly leathery “button-like”
leaves attached to slender stems; Holly Fern (Cyrtomium), also known
as “fishtail” fern, requires less humidity than most ferns but its
bright, glossy, leathery leaves are rather unfernlike in appearance.
So now when Camus’s “autumn flowers” are long gone and are
covered in a blanket of white, we can still have some greenery in our
homes by adding a low-care fern to our indoor landscape. I especially
like the “low-care” part! The short-growing Button Fern sounds
like a good candidate for my riverside room but maybe one of the
dwarf compact cultivars of the Boston Fern would work, too. Hmmm,
which shall it be?
