Boston Fern Care: How To Care For Boston Fern

With its lush green leaves, the Boston fern (Nephrolepis exaltata) is a very popular indoor houseplant. They can look like they are on death’s door, and then come back to life quickly with a bit of care. This species of fern is a part of the Nephrolepis genus, popular after its discovery in 1894 within a batch of Sword ferns. Ferns might have a reputation for being fussy, but they are truly very hardy plants.

Boston Fern Care

Boston ferns appreciate a little TLC. They like warm and humid conditions. And they don’t enjoy temperature extremes, either outside or from drafts, air conditioners, and heating vents indoors. It’s important to maintain stable growing conditions for Boston ferns, as an element to their care that’s out of whack can quickly damage the plant.

Light

Boston ferns do best in bright, indirect light. Too much shade can result in sparse fronds that aren’t their typical bright color. And too much sun can burn the fronds. So both outdoors and indoors, make sure direct sunlight won’t hit your plant.

Soil

Boston ferns prefer soils that are light, loamy, and airy. We recommend adding amendments to your potting mix or compost for the best results.

Add some peat moss and perlite to the soil to improve airflow to the roots and ensure proper drainage after watering. Look to get a good balance in your soil amendments, and don’t use too much peat moss.

Humidity

Since Boston ferns come from tropical places, they are used to living in high humidity. If you have a bright bathroom, your Boston fern will be very happy there. The steam from the shower will provide your plant with the humidity it loves.
If you don’t have a bathroom with a window, you can increase moisture levels with a humidifier, or set up a humidity tray for your fern. Fill a shallow tray or saucer with water and pebbles, and put the pot on it. Don’t let the water touch the bottom of the pot. You don’t want the water to get into the drainage holes. You want the water to evaporate around the plant.
Misting will only up the humidity for a short time, but if you like, you can treat your fern to a daily spritz.

Temperature

The ideal room temperature for Boston ferns is between 60-75ºF (16-24ºC). No lower than 55ºF (13ºC). Avoid warm air from indoor heating and cold drafts.

Water

To successfully grow Boston ferns, it is key to keep the soil lightly moist (but not soggy) at all times. If the soil begins to dry out, the fern’s foliage can quickly dry out and drop off the plant. During the fall and winter months, slightly reduce watering, as the plant is not actively growing. But if you notice the fronds getting dry, increase the amount of water you are giving the plant.

Fertilizer

Mix an all-purpose liquid fertilizer at half-strength, and feed your Boston ferns every other week. Start your fertilizing protocol in April, and keep feeding the plant through to September. Don’t feed your fern after repotting until the roots have time to establish themselves.

For a great organic fertilizer that brings your fern to life in the early springtime, mix 2-tablespoons of Epsom salts with a gallon of water, and feed it to your fern. The magnesium and effervescence of the salts boost the plant’s growth.

Repot Boston ferns

Repot Boston ferns when the roots have filled the container. If you're planning to grow Boston ferns indoors, replant in late summer or early fall.

How to Repot

Fill a container one-third to the top with a regular commercial potting mixture. Remove the fern carefully from its pot and place it in the center of the new pot, on top of the potting mixture. If the top of the plant's root ball isn't approximately 1 inch below the rim of the pot, remove the plant from the pot and adjust the level of potting soil. Once the plant is in place, add potting soil around the roots. If the lower fronds look straggly, trim them to keep the newly repotted fern tidy.

Propagation

These are propagated either by division or separating runners. The runners are small plantlets that grow from the mother plant that you will have to look out for and remove once they have grown enough to separate from the mother plant and survive independently. Dividing the plant into sections is the most popular propagation method carried out during spring. You can divide the fern into how many new plants you want by cutting through the root system for the section you require.