The Necessary Points to Fern Care
By Darren Lintern
One of the easiest houseplants to care for inside your home is the fern. They are able to survive on low light and require little care. They are a great addition to any home as they add light and interest to any room. There are literally thousands of different types of ferns to choose from. If the fern is arranged in a dramatic appearance it will provide a great conversational piece for the family room or living room.
As the ferns are able to do well in low lighting conditions, this will allow you to place the fern arrangement at any location throughout the home, even if the room does not have a window. Ferns will have no problem living on artificial light. In the event that the fern is placed in direct sunlight, this can cause the plant to dry out and for the leaves to burn. The room temperature for these plants at night will be acceptable at ten degrees or higher.
When it comes to watering the fern will require slightly more water than most plants. This is due to the plant soaking up all the moisture in their pots quickly. It is important to only water when necessary. Try not to over-water your plants, however, when it comes to the fern; you will really need to completely saturate it for it to die.
An indication of when to water is when the soil is dry to the touch. If you feel moisture whilst pressing on the surface of the soil, you do not need to water the fern yet. Wait until the soil feels dry before watering again. If you purchase any houseplants that you have not previously owned take a few extra moments to find out the care instructions while at the garden centre.
If you notice any signs that the fern is starting to wilt or leaves turning yellow, it would be a wise precaution to stop watering for a few days, as this is generally an indication of too much watering. When it gets to this stage the plant may be further affected by root rot or diseases.
It you are able to purchase a tropical fern, it will be necessary to keep them at a much higher temperature and in humidity. In fact, a great place to keep the fern would be in the bathroom, as the air is much different in most bathrooms. The room temperature is unlikely to cool as much as other rooms and the humidity will always be hotter in the bathroom. However, make sure to keep the fern away from drafts, such as air-conditioning, fans or ceiling vents.
The heat and humid levels for the houseplant can be increased by laying pebbles on top of the soil. This will enable the temperature to remain and your ferns will flourish from this. The humidity level for tropical fern care needs to be at least 30-50%, but will work better in higher humidity.
Darren Lintern is the author and owner of http://www.andAllGardening.com. For a wealth of information on Gardening, including Fern Care, Fern Plants and Tropical Ferns, visit Ferns and All Gardening.
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