How to grow maidenhair fern? A complete guide to its cultivation methods

The maidenhair fern is one of the more common and widely cultivated green plants. With elegant and varied stems and leaves and a compact plant shape, it is very suitable for growing in small pots to decorate home windowsills and other places. The maidenhair fern fears dryness and strong light, so it must be placed in a spot without direct sunlight for cultivation. Below, the editor will give you a detailed introduction to the cultivation methods for maidenhair fern.

The growing environment of maidenhair fern

It likes a relatively shady environment and should not be placed in direct sunlight (indoor fluorescent lighting intensity is already enough to meet its growth needs). Appropriately increasing air humidity can make ferns grow luxuriantly; the humidity requirement is generally up to 80%. The most suitable temperature for fern growth is 14-25°C, and the most suitable season for fern growth is spring.

Propagation methods for maidenhair fern

The propagation of maidenhair fern mainly uses division propagation and spore propagation. Below we explain these two propagation methods in more detail.

1. Division propagation

This can be done indoors in all four seasons, but is generally carried out in early spring together with repotting. Take the mother plant out of the pot, cut its rhizome so that each piece carries part of the rhizome and leaves, then plant them separately in small pots. Cover the rhizome with mixed soil, water it, and place it in a shady and humid environment for cultivation, and new plants can be obtained.

2. Spore propagation

Place peat and fine sand used as the substrate in an oven for high-temperature sterilization to kill pathogens and weed seeds. Then, put the sterilized soil into a shallow sowing pot. Cut off leaves with mature spores, collect the spores and evenly scatter them over the shallow sowing pot. No soil covering is needed. Cover it with a glass sheet, soak water from the bottom of the pot, keep the pot soil moist, and place it in a semi-shady environment at 20-25°C. After about 1 month, the spores can germinate into prothallia, and after they grow to fill the pot, they can be divided and planted. Note that 1-2 days before dividing and planting, the glass on the sowing pot should be removed for ventilation to avoid plant rot or the occurrence of pests and diseases. In addition, in a warm and humid environment, spores are very easily dispersed and reproduce on their own.

Cultivation techniques for maidenhair fern

When potting, light-colored glazed pots and clay pots can be chosen; the pot soil must have good water permeability and air permeability. Generally, peat soil or leaf mold rich in humus is used, with about 1/3 coarse sand and fine sand added, and some bone meal put in. The bottom of the pot should be lined with some broken tiles or coarse sand to facilitate drainage. The rhizome planting depth is 1.5-2.5 cm. Plant in spring or repot and change soil. For potting, commonly use culture soil mixed from humus soil or peat soil, plus a small amount of river sand and base fertilizer. Change the pot every spring; when repotting, do not damage the roots, avoid wind, and keep the pot soil moist and the air humidity relatively high. After new branches grow, normal management can begin.

Maidenhair fern likes a warm, humid and semi-shady environment. The suitable growth temperature is 21-25°C during the day and 12-15°C at night. In winter it should be moved into a greenhouse; at temperatures above 5°C the leaves can still remain fresh and green, but below 5°C the leaves will suffer cold damage. It likes bright scattered light and fears direct sunlight. In summer, appropriate shading can be provided; long-term strong direct light will cause most leaves to turn yellow and wither. Indoors, it should be placed in a bright place; even if placed for 1 year, it can still grow normally.

Maidenhair fern likes a humid environment. During the peak growth season, water thoroughly. In addition to keeping the pot soil moist, also pay attention to relatively high air humidity. When the air is dry, sprinkle water around the plant. Especially in summer, water 1-2 times a day; if water is lacking, the leaves will shrivel. Avoid alternating dry and wet pot soil when watering, as this easily turns the leaves yellow. Apply dilute liquid fertilizer 2-3 times a month. When fertilizing, do not stain the leaf surface, so as to avoid leaf rot. Because maidenhair fern likes calcium, the pot soil should be mixed with an appropriate amount of lime and crushed eggshells, and frequently applying calcium fertilizer will give better results. In winter, reduce watering and stop fertilizing.

Potted maidenhair fern often suffers from leaf blight. In the early stage, Bordeaux mixture can be used for control; in severe cases, 70% thiophanate-methyl 1000-1500 times solution can be used for control. If scale insects harm the plant, 40% omethoate 1000 times solution can be used for control.

Four-season management of maidenhair fern

The low-temperature period in winter and the high-temperature period in summer are its seasons of halted growth. Try not to fertilize, and in summer increase the frequency of spraying water on the leaves. Spring and autumn are the growing seasons for ferns, so an appropriate amount of fertilizer should be applied.

1. Spring and autumn management

Spring and autumn are the growing seasons for ferns. Apply thin fertilizer according to need and growth conditions. If you want to grow a large pot, after switching to a large pot, fertilize once a week. The fertilizer concentration should be low, for example 0.1% compound fertilizer (preferably imported or special fertilizer for flowers) or leaching solution. At the same time, maintain humidity, spray water on the leaf surface every other morning, and water thoroughly once a week.

2. Summer management

Maintain ventilation, spray water on the leaf surface once each morning and evening. If the leaf surface shrivels at noon, spray water on the leaf surface at any time or spray water on the surrounding environment to increase air humidity, so as to ensure good growth. Water thoroughly once every 5 days. Of course, you can decide the number of thorough waterings yourself according to the pot soil conditions.

3. Winter management

Try to maintain indoor temperature; keeping the room from freezing is best. From last year's situation, a short-term low temperature of -5°C will not cause major damage to it. Spray water on the leaf surface once every 2 days (if indoor humidity is sufficient, it is fine not to spray), and water thoroughly once every 10 days. In winter, keeping the pot soil moist is enough; it must not be too wet, otherwise it is easily damaged by freezing.

If water management is normal and temperature is normal, a small number of yellowing leaves at the base are normal old-leaf renewal and can simply be picked off or cut off. If most leaves turn yellow during the growing season, put 10 granules of compound fertilizer in the pot, once a month. If all leaves die due to improper management (for example, withering and dying), all dead leaves can be cut off, and the pot placed in a humid, cool environment; after about 2-3 months, its ornamental value can be restored.