Boston Fern: Detailed Guide to Planting Methods and Cultivation Techniques

Generally placed indoors in bright, indirect light for growing; it must not be exposed to direct strong sunlight, but it also should not be kept in a dark place. The optimal growing temperature is 15-25°C, and in winter it can overwinter safely at temperatures above 10°C.

Although it is drought-tolerant, it still needs plenty of moisture, 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 mist the leaf surfaces. It does not need much fertilizer; during the growing season, apply a dilute, well-rotted cake fertilizer once every 4 weeks. Do not use quick-release chemical fertilizers. When fertilizing, be careful not to contaminate the leaves, so as to avoid damage.

For potting, use a mixed growing medium of leaf mold, river sand and garden soil. If conditions permit, using sphagnum moss as the growing medium will produce even better growth. Repot once every other year in spring.

For outdoor cultivation of Boston fern, mix about half (by volume) of expanded plastic artificial soil into ordinary growing medium and stir well. For indoor potting, you can use entirely lightweight, clean and hygienic pure expanded plastic artificial soil. Boston fern is best grown in a shade shed, with a layer of shade cloth over the shed. Covering it with an additional layer of colorless film is even better, as it both prevents rain from soaking the plants and avoids direct sunlight. During the growing season, water once a day; drip irrigation is preferable, to prevent water droplets from settling on the leaves and causing them to turn yellow and rot.

In the heat of summer, you can also spray water around the potted plants to increase humidity. In winter, moisture should be appropriately controlled; keeping it moist is sufficient. During the growing season, nitrogen fertilizer must be applied as a top dressing. For outdoor cultivation, apply dilute organic fertilizer water twice a month, and never let it contaminate the leaves; for indoor cultivation, supplement with a nitrogen-based nutrient solution once every 2 months or so. To ensure an attractive plant shape and promote air circulation, dead and yellowed old leaves should be pruned away along with shaping.

How to plant Boston fern? Boston fern planting methods and cultivation techniques

Boston fern planting methods and cultivation techniques

Generally placed indoors in bright, indirect light for growing; it must not be exposed to direct strong sunlight, but it also should not be kept in a dark place. The optimal growing temperature is 15-25°C, and in winter it can overwinter safely at temperatures above 10°C.

Although it is drought-tolerant, it still needs plenty of moisture, 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 mist the leaf surfaces. It does not need much fertilizer; during the growing season, apply a dilute, well-rotted cake fertilizer once every 4 weeks. Do not use quick-release chemical fertilizers. When fertilizing, be careful not to contaminate the leaves, so as to avoid damage.

For potting, use a mixed growing medium of leaf mold, river sand and garden soil. If conditions permit, using sphagnum moss as the growing medium will produce even better growth. Repot once every other year in spring.

For outdoor cultivation of Boston fern, mix about half (by volume) of expanded plastic artificial soil into ordinary growing medium and stir well. For indoor potting, you can use entirely lightweight, clean and hygienic pure expanded plastic artificial soil. Boston fern is best grown in a shade shed, with a layer of shade cloth over the shed. Covering it with an additional layer of colorless film is even better, as it both prevents rain from soaking the plants and avoids direct sunlight. During the growing season, water once a day; drip irrigation is preferable, to prevent water droplets from settling on the leaves and causing them to turn yellow and rot. In the heat of summer, you can also spray water around the potted plants to increase humidity. In winter, moisture should be appropriately controlled; keeping it moist is sufficient. During the growing season, nitrogen fertilizer must be applied as a top dressing. For outdoor cultivation, apply dilute organic fertilizer water twice a month, and never let it contaminate the leaves; for indoor cultivation, supplement with a nitrogen-based nutrient solution once every 2 months or so. To ensure an attractive plant shape and promote air circulation, dead and yellowed old leaves should be pruned away along with shaping.

Cultivated Varieties

Fine-leaved high sword fern has slender leaves; coarse-split high sword fern has coarse serrations along the leaf margins; crown-leaved high sword fern.

Planting Techniques

Production standard: 18 cm pot, height 30-40 cm, crown spread about 60 cm, growth cycle 10 months.

Substrate preparation: Use loose, well-draining and well-aerated imported peat of the Klasmann 10-30 mm grade; crush the peat and mix with water until evenly blended (standard for adding water: after mixing with water, when you clench a handful of peat in your hand, water seeps out between your fingers). Then it is ready for potting. A 12 cm pot uses about 350 ml of peat per pot; one 300-liter package of imported peat can fill about 800 pots.

Potting requirements: Select high-quality professionally produced seedlings, 7-8 cm tall, with a crown spread of 4-5 cm, free of pests and diseases, and free of dead or yellow leaves.

Potting up: First plant in 12 cm pots, 1 clump per pot, and grow for 3-4 months. Then transfer to 18 cm pots and grow for 6-7 months before they are ready for shipping.

Routine Care

Water and fertilizer management: Boston fern should be kept with moist potting soil, and during the growing season water should be supplied abundantly. Although the soil should be kept moist, for Boston fern, if it is frequently allowed to dry out, the lower leaves will wither and drop off.

Temperature management: The suitable temperature for Boston fern is 18°C-35°C. Growth is poor above 35°C or below 15°C. In winter it must not go below 5°C. Winter care requires heating equipment; if no heating facilities are available, double-layer insulation facilities can be used. On winter afternoons, when the temperature drops to 22-24°C, the greenhouse should be sealed promptly. Summer care requires cooling equipment (exhaust fans and wet pads). If there is no heating or cooling equipment, shading and ventilation should be increased at midday in summer, and misting the leaves and watering the ground should be added to achieve cooling. At the same time, long-distance multi-span greenhouses should not be used; independent single-span sheds should be used instead.

Humidity management: It prefers a high-humidity environment and does not tolerate dryness. During care, mist the plants and growing environment frequently to increase humidity. The suitable humidity is around 75%-80%. Excessive dryness can cause the leaf margins to turn yellow, or even the entire leaf to turn yellow.

Light management: Boston fern prefers a warm, semi-shaded environment and is suited to indirect light. It must not be exposed to direct sunlight, otherwise it easily wilts and curls. For 15 days after planting, a light level of 2000-3000 Lux is more suitable for the growth of small seedlings. In the first month after planting, an overall light level of 3000-4000 Lux is more suitable. In the second month after planting, an overall light level of 5000-6000 Lux is more suitable. After that, an overall light level of around 7000-8000 Lux is more suitable. In winter, depending on actual conditions, it can be controlled at 10000-15000 Lux. Excessive light causes the leaf margins to scorch and drop off, the leaves to curl, and growth to be stunted.

Fertilizer: Use Peters 20-20-20 water-soluble fertilizer, calcium nitrate, and potassium nitrate.

Boston Fern Growing Methods | Cultivation Techniques | Morphological Characteristics | Origin and Habits

Boston fern is a terrestrial fern foliage plant in the family Nephrolepidaceae, genus Nephrolepis.