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Cultivation

How to grow ferns is a tricky proposition indeed.  There are various methods of growing ferns, however ultimately the only person who knows what's best for your ferns is you.

When trying to start a fern collection, keep several things in mind.  First, ferns generally require some shade.  There are only a few species that will tolerate full sun.  In order to look their best they should be grown in dappled lighting.  Second, be sure that your ferns will be able to be watered at least once a week, no matter where you decide to put them.  Whether growing them in slat baskets, wire baskets, plastic pots, terracotta pots or planted in the ground, they will require a regular schedule of  watering.  Occasional applications of a fertilizer to your ferns enhances vigor and growth.  Any commercial fertilizer will do just fine.  Peter’s 20-20-20, is an excellent all purpose fertilizer.  As you grow more ferns, then you can experiment with different types of fertilizers.  One that is particularly effective is Fish Emulsion.  However, this particular fertilizer, while highly effective tends to smell like, well, dead fish!!!  Many fern growers also use time release fertilizers such as Osmocote or Nutricote, this way bypassing the need to apply fertilizers every two weeks.

These are general rules in trying to keep ferns alive.  Another important ingredient is humidity--particularly for tropical ferns.  These ferns rely on humidity probably more than anything else to sustain them.  If you are growing tropical ferns, they will generally tend to want to be outside plants rather than inside plants.  However, there are exceptions.  Many of the Boston Ferns, Nephrolepis, will do very well inside and with less humidity.  Many of the cultivars of this group, particularly the fine leafed Boston Ferns, prefer a less humid and more exposed situation.

Asplenium nidus, one of the bird's best ferns also will do well indoors.  In South Florida, we humans prefer to have our air conditioners turned on from March to November, and subsequently, some ferns  will suffer if left indoors for extended periods without humidity.

If you are planning to keep ferns in the house, it is a good idea to make sure that they are in brightly lit situations, but out of direct sunlight.  For small potted plants, keeping them on a water-filled saucer with the pot resting on pebbles will keep humidity near the fern.

Some growers like to keep their ferns in a bathroom, or near in a kitchen window near the sink so that they may take advantage of the moisture in the air.