How fern plants react towards humidity and placing them towards the sun

Ferns require a position that has high humidity if they are going to grow well. A green house, a glass case, an enclosed plant picture window and a bottle garden all have very humid conditions and thus ideal for the ferns.

Ferns indoor have the disadvantage of having to compete for moisture with humans, especially if a radiator is switched on. The radiator also emits dry air which is lethal for the ferns.

Placing plants close together is a good method of creating a mini-climate that has high humidity levels. Spray the plants with mist however do this carefully because other ferns such as Blenchnum and Platycerium react negatively to water if it's left on their leaves. Usually fungus develops.

Water evaporators placed on radiators or electric humidifiers can be used to ensure indirect humidity. You can stand the fern on top of an upside-down saucer in a dish filled with water.

Repotting

The roots of ferns grow rapidly and fill up the pot. The roots quickly consume all nutrients in the pot. Repotting should be done at least after every year. The fern should receive new compost regularly because salts tend to accumulate through watering and fertilizing. Water logging causes the compost to become acidic.

Repotting should be done in the spring when the ferns enter their growth phase. Repotting can be done in a plastic or clay container, a plastic container being more ideal because the fern will not dry out here. This is because plastic is not porous. Use a pot that has a diameter 2cm larger than the original pot.

Perfect compost for ferns

Compost houses the indoor ferns' roots and provides the fern with water, nutrients and oxygen. The compost must be water-permeable, allow air to freely circulate and contain nutrients in the right quantities and qualities. There are ready-made composts available from most garden centers and these are suitable for indoor ferns.

Standard compost that contains loam and peat are also widely available. Composts that have coarse bark compost are ideal for epiphytes. This is due to the fact that it has perfect drainage and ventilation properties.

How to repot

  • hold the pot on one hand and the base of the plant in the other, then turn the pot upside down

  • gently tap the base of the pot on the edge of a table, loosening the rootstock from the pot

  • loose compost is then removed

  • add in compost, ensuring that there is enough room available for the root stock

  • insert the plant in the center of the new pot and then add in fresh compost

  • live a watering gulley and gently press the compost down.

  • Irrigate the fern thoroughly.

Ferns in hydroculture

The fern is rotted in Hortag and receive water and nutrients by means of a nutrient solution. It is relatively easy to care for ferns in hydroculture as they do not require as much watering when compared to those propagated in compost.

There is less room for error regarding water supply due to a water reading gauge that is used in hydroculture. Do not use hard water and supply the fern with half a dose of the recommended fertilizer.