A Complete Guide to the Latest Boston Fern Growing Methods
The Boston fern is a type of drooping fern foliage plant, a perennial evergreen herb in the family Nephrolepidaceae, genus Nephrolepis, native to the tropics and subtropics, and distributed in Taiwan Province, China. It has very high ornamental value and is suitable for indoor hanging displays in pots, pot cultivation and vertical greening. Its stolons can also be cut off and used as decorative arrangement material. Now let us take a look at the growing methods for the Boston fern!
Growth Habits of the Boston Fern
The Boston fern likes warm, humid and semi-shaded environments, and also likes ventilation; it dislikes intense heat. It is generally placed indoors in a spot with bright scattered light for cultivation, and must not be exposed to direct strong light, but it also must not be cultivated in a dark place. The suitable growth temperature is 15-25°C, and in winter it can overwinter safely above 10°C. It is drought-tolerant, but still needs sufficient water, and should not be too wet or too dry; the potting soil should be kept constantly moist. In summer, water 1-2 times a day and frequently spray water on the leaves. It does not need much fertilizer; during the growing season, applying a thin, well-rotted cake fertilizer once every 4 weeks is sufficient. Quick-acting chemical fertilizers should not be used. When fertilizing, be sure not to let it contaminate the leaves, so as to avoid damage.
Propagation Methods of the Boston Fern
The Boston fern does not produce spore leaves, so it can only be propagated by division or runners. Division propagation can be done in spring, summer or autumn. Cut off the small rooted plantlets growing from the stolons of vigorous plants and plant them separately. Water the divided plants thoroughly, place them in a shaded spot for about a week, and then they can be returned to normal care.
⟦NL>Growing Methods of the Boston Fern
1. Substrate: The growing substrate for the Boston fern is loose imported peat with good drainage and aeration, in the 10-30 mm grade. Break up the peat, add water and mix well. After mixing with water, squeeze a handful of peat tightly and water should seep out from between the fingers; then it is ready for potting. A 12 cm pot uses about 350 ml of peat per pot, and one 300-liter package of imported peat can fill about 800 cups.
2. Potting up: For potting up the Boston fern, choose high-quality professionally produced seedlings, with a seedling height of 7-8 cm and a crown width of 4-5 cm, free of pests and diseases, and free of dead or yellow leaves. First plant in 12 cm pots, 1 clump per pot, and grow for 3-4 months. Then transfer to 18 cm pots, and after 6-7 months of growth they can be shipped.
3. Temperature: The suitable temperature for the Boston fern is 18-35°C. It grows poorly above 35°C or below 15°C, and in winter it must not go below 5°C. Winter care requires heating equipment. If there is no heating facility, double-layer insulation facilities can be used. On winter afternoons, when the temperature drops to 22-24°C, the greenhouse should be sealed in time. Summer care requires cooling equipment (exhaust fan and water curtain).
4. Light: The Boston fern likes bright scattered light. In spring and summer, it should be placed indoors in a spot with bright scattered light. When the sunlight is strong, it must not be placed in direct sunlight; direct sunlight turns the leaves yellow. In winter, light should be appropriately increased, otherwise the leaf color easily turns yellow or the leaf edges dry up.
5. Water: The Boston fern likes a humid environment and requires relatively high soil moisture and air humidity. Because the roots of the Boston fern are adventitious roots, their ability to absorb and retain water is relatively poor, so water must be supplied in time; otherwise, if it stays dry for too long, the leaves easily turn yellow and fall off. In spring and summer, the potting soil should always remain moist, but there should be no water accumulation, and it should not be too wet; it is best to keep the potting soil in a constantly moist state. In summer, in addition to timely watering, also frequently spray water on the leaves. When the indoor temperature is low in winter, reduce watering and just keep the soil slightly moist.
6. Fertilizing: The fertilizer concentration for the Boston fern should not be too high, otherwise it easily damages the roots. The best fertilizing method is to first add well-rotted manure when potting (repot once every 1 year in spring), and during the peak growing season, apply additional fertilizer with a thin liquid fertilizer. When fertilizing, avoid letting the fertilizer solution contaminate the leaves; if it is accidentally contaminated, immediately spray clean water to rinse it off.