How to grow indoor fern - home care
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About 400 million years ago, planet Earth was almost completely overgrown with tall tree-shaped ferns. Now most of them are terrestrial species, others grow on branches, like epiphytes, there are even aquatic species. Not surprisingly, ferns also exist as houseplants.
Types of indoor ferns
The main decorative types:
Ferns in nature
- Nephrolepis exaltata is the most famous home-grown fern. The most common varieties are Pulmosa with dark glossy leaves and Rooseveltia with lobed leaves. Noteworthy varieties are Can Can with corrugated leaves, Norwoodii with double pinnate and frill leaves, Whitmanii with very thin curly leaves;
Nephrolepis exaltata
- Maidenhair. It is a graceful fern with a fine structure, the height of which reaches 30-40 cm. Its leaves are bright green, resembling those of the leaves of the Gingkobiloba plant. It is characterized by very fast growth (doubles its size in one season) and fast regeneration. It is not as popular as Nephrolepis, also because it is highly sensitive to a change of place, it quickly fades in case of uncomfortable conditions of detention;
Fern maidenhair
- Platycerium alcicorne is a domestic fern with the most exotic species. The leaves grow up to 70 cm in length, have a gray-green color and are similar in shape to the antlers of an elk. This plant is an epiphyte. The lower leaves are large, rounded, with a brownish tint. Under natural conditions, they, clinging to the branches of the host tree, act as a kind of container in which water from precipitation accumulates. Gradually, old leaves die off, forming humus, also contained in these containers and serving for root nutrition of the plant;
Platycerium alcicorne
- Round-leaved pellet (Pellaea rotundifolia). Her homeland is New Zealand, where the soil in the undergrowth is rich in limestone. The leaves are round, dark green, leathery. The plant is small in size, up to 30 cm in height;
Pellaea rotundifolia
- Asplenium nidus (Asplenium nidus). It is characterized by shiny, bright green leaves forming a funnel-shaped rosette. Depending on the variety, they can be wavy, jagged, narrow or wide, up to 1 m long.
Asplenium nidus
Advantages and disadvantages of keeping in homes
Indoor fern is ideal for growing in homes. Cultivating it does not present any particular problems. In addition, the original shapes of the leaves bring a magical exotic atmosphere to the apartment.
Decorative value
The ability to decorate the interior of the house determines the ornamental value of the plant; various varieties of fern give a wide choice for florists to use one or another species. Each of them has its own distinctive features, expressed in the shape and size of stems and leaves. Street fern is effectively used in landscape design, decoration of gardens and personal plots.
Benefits and harms for the inhabitants of the house
Numerous legends and superstitions are associated with this plant. There are scientifically proven beneficial and harmful properties of the plant.
Benefits that a fern can bring at home:
- Effectively absorbs toxins. For example, Nephrolepis purifies the air from formaldehyde and xylene;
- Due to intensive transpiration (movement of water through the plant), it humidifies the air.
In addition to being beneficial, ferns can harm humans:
- They can provoke headaches if they are in the bedroom, due to the release of carbon dioxide at night;
- Allergy sufferers sometimes experience a negative reaction to plant spores.
Poisonous properties of certain species
The poisonous properties of the fern are manifested when the plant is used for food or for the manufacture of medicines. The fact is that street and wild varieties are used in cooking and medicine, including many folk recipes that use different parts of the fern.
The toxic effect is exerted by substances found in the rhizome of the Shitovnik and Ostrich. Poisonous is Orlyak, young shoots of which people eat. Moreover, a toxic effect on humans can be exerted even through milk, if the animal ate the plant.
To exclude poisoning with fern and preparations made from it, you need to know the rules for its preparation and accurately observe the dosage of medicines.
Is it possible to keep a fern in an apartment
The esoteric fame of the plant raises doubts whether it is safe to keep a fern at home? According to mystical beliefs, it carries with it a negative and positive impact on a person.
Eating ferns
Especially mysterious are the legends about the fern flower, which is very difficult to find because of a few moments of flowering, but unprecedented luck will smile upon the one who finds it.
Mystical powers attributed to the plant:
- Promotes favorable family relationships, especially between different generations;
- Strengthens vital energy, harmonizes the state of mind. Depending on the habitat, it can, on the contrary, take away energy, contribute to the appearance of ailments;
- Protects the inhabitants of the house from negative influences, damage, etc.;
- Reduces the tendency to financial wastefulness.
Doubtful people may be wary of planting a fern at home, believing that the plant attracts troubles and misfortunes. However, for most florists, esoteric myths are not an obstacle to growing a plant in an apartment, enjoying its exotic appearance.
Planting a fern in a pot
Fern roots grow quickly, and the pot becomes small for them, so the plant needs to be transplanted annually. Stems and leaves are also characterized by intense growth. At the same time, the soil rapidly loses nutrients, which is the second reason for frequent replantations.
The formed plant stops intensive growth, the frequency of transplanting is reduced to one in 3 years. The optimal time for the procedure is spring, immediately after the rest period.
Most ferns are forest dwellers, which is why they prefer moist, humus-rich soil. The best solution is to purchase a special fern soil. If it is prepared on its own, then it is necessary to mix deciduous compost there, increasing the amount of humus. The soil should be light, airy, and absorb moisture well, but not prevent it from seeping.
To grow a fern, an acidic substrate is used; plants cannot tolerate an alkaline environment. When self-preparing the soil, leaf and sod land is mixed with peat, coarse sand, leaf compost. The prepared substrate is placed in a preheated oven for 1-1.5 hours. This will serve as prophylaxis against pests.
Fern transplant
A good plant pot is heavy, better ceramic, capable of absorbing and releasing moisture. Light containers can tip over when the fern grows asymmetrically.
Transplant stages:
- Immerse the fern directly in the pot in a container filled with water, wait 15-20 minutes, then turn the flower container over and remove the plant with an earthen clod;
- Lay a drainage layer at the bottom of the pot (small pebbles, brick chips, etc.);
- The container is filled up to the middle with ready-made soil;
- The plant should be planted carefully, gradually sprinkling it with soil, leaving the root collar free;
- Watering generously after planting is very important. The next irrigation cannot be carried out without waiting for the soil to dry out from above.
After 15 days, when the fern has taken root, care resumes as usual.
Fern care
Ferns have an unfair reputation for being difficult and troublesome to grow. In fact, after a period of adaptation, this is one of the most unpretentious plants. Most species are woodland, they prefer a shady and humid warm environment. An ideal place in an apartment is an east or west window, a bright kitchen. If the window faces south, the plant should be shaded in the spring and summer afternoon.
Watering and feeding
An important part of fern care is regular leaf spraying and frequent watering. The plant is sensitive to the drying out of the substrate, but at the same time it does not like waterlogged soil.
Fern watering
During the growth period, irrigation should be done every 2-3 days with soft water at room temperature. Tap water is too hard and contains a lot of calcium carbonate. The ideal watering fluid is settled rainwater.
From March to August, the fern needs regular feeding, but not more often than once a month. It is better to use specialized fern fertilizers containing a lower concentration of nutrients than universal fertilizers.
Temperature and humidity
The optimum temperature during the growing season is 18-21 ° С, during the winter rest period it should be slightly lower, within 15-18 ° С.
At home, caring for indoor fern requires the creation of high humidity - over 60%. It should not be placed near radiators or other heat sources. The plant likes regular spraying. Humidifying the air next to it gives a good effect. For example, installing ceramic dishes filled with water.
Reproduction
Even experienced growers avoid fern propagation by sowing spores. Although it is interesting to observe the individual developmental stages of young plants, they place high demands on the environment and require a long growing time.
Fern can reproduce, in addition to disputes, in three ways more acceptable for flower growers:
- By division. The method is suitable for all species with widely branched rhizomes.The rhizome is simply divided into several parts containing the heads (attachment points for the leaves). Areas with at least two shoots are separated. Then the resulting parts are seated in separate containers;
Fern propagation by division
- The plant has arrow-shaped shoots. They bend to the soil in adjacent containers and are thus fixed. After a while, the shoot takes root, and it is time to separate it from the old individual;
- Lateral kidneys. Brood buds are detached when roots are formed on them. Young shoots are transplanted into greenhouse conditions with high humidity and a temperature of at least 23 ° C. They can be crafted in a plastic container. After the appearance of new leaves, the sprouts are transplanted into separate containers.
Why do the leaves dry up and turn yellow
Most often, plants suffer from physiological diseases, which are the result of inadequate care of the house fern. What should you pay attention to?
In particular, it should be of concern when the tips of the leaves start to turn yellow, the rest of the leaf takes on a bad color. Watering too much, causing root rot, or low air humidity may be the cause.
In the event of such alarming symptoms, diseased leaves are removed at the very base. After pruning, you need to eliminate the mistakes made, allow the plant to recover and continue to care for it properly.
Dying leaves on a fern
The fern can also dry out due to the attack of pests or diseases, but they do not play a big role in the life of these plants. If ferns are kept at low temperatures for a long time and the air humidity is high, they can become infected with a fungus. At the same time, round or oval gray-brown spots appear on the leaves, sometimes surrounded by a border. Leaves infected with the fungus should be removed and destroyed, then the plant should be sprayed with fungicides.
Of the pests, the scabbards are considered the most common; they feed on the underside of the leaf, sucking juice from it. The leaves become covered with yellow spots, then turn yellow completely and die off. Damaged leaves should be cut off, the whole plant is treated with insecticides.
Another reason for the drying out of the fern is poor watering. In this case, it can be revived by immersing the pot in a large container filled with water and leaving it there for 15-20 minutes. Repeat the procedure for several days.
The fern and its species are popular as houseplants because of their easy care and excellent decorative possibilities. Although there is no flowering, they grow very quickly, and the mistakes of novice florists can do little harm.
