How to care for the Boston fern? These methods you need to master

The Boston fern, also known as comb fern. It is a perennial evergreen herbaceous plant of the Davalliaceae family. The fronds are deeply pinnatifid, lanceolate, bright green, and grow in dense clumps. The sori are borne at the tips of the upper veinlets on each side vein of the pinnae, and the indusium is kidney-shaped. Commonly cultivated plants of the same genus include the long-leaved Boston fern, the fine-leaved Boston fern, and the slender-leaved Boston fern. Native to the tropics and subtropics. Widely distributed in the provinces of South China and Southwest China.

It prefers a warm, humid and semi-shaded environment, and dislikes direct strong light. It is not drought-tolerant and does well in loose, fertile soil that drains freely and is rich in humus. To grow the Boston fern, the potting mix can be made up of 4 parts leaf mold, 4 parts vermiculite, and 2 parts river sand, or mainly leaf mold or peat soil mixed with a small amount of river sand. Because the Boston fern's root system is relatively shallow, it is best planted in a shallow pot.

The Boston fern likes bright indirect light. In spring, summer and autumn it can all be kept indoors near a north-facing window, but attention must be paid to ventilation. When kept outdoors, place it in dappled shade to avoid direct sunlight. If the light is too strong, the fronds very easily turn scorched yellow; if it is too shaded, the fronds often drop easily. In summer, besides keeping the potting soil moist at all times, you also need to spray clean water on the fronds 2~3 times a day to increase air humidity, and only then can the fronds stay emerald green. When the air is dry, the fronds easily curl at the edges and scorch, reducing their ornamental value. But do not water too much either; if the potting soil becomes waterlogged, the fronds easily turn yellow and drop.

During the peak growing season, generally apply a dilute well-rotted cake fertilizer solution or compound fertilizer once every half month, and be careful to prune away dead fronds at any time to keep the plant's shape neat. In winter, keeping the room temperature above 10°C is enough for it to overwinter safely.

The Boston fern grows vigorously, and its root system will quickly fill the bottom of the pot, so it needs to be repotted once every spring. When repotting, cut off the old fronds and divide the plant.

The humidity requirements for growing Boston fern

Although the Boston fern is one of the more drought-tolerant plants among ferns, it is still not suitable to be exposed to a dry environment for long periods. So when it is dry, water or mist it appropriately to keep its growing environment humid. Of course, do not overwater either; if there are heavy rains or a waterlogged season, it should be placed indoors for growing.

Dividing and splitting the Boston fern

The Boston fern grows quickly. Basically, after a year of growth it needs to be divided. The best season for dividing is spring, when injured roots heal easily. At the same time as dividing the pot, you can divide the plant, so that one pot becomes two or even more pots.

The above is an introduction to the growing methods for the Boston fern. Now let's look at how to propagate the Boston fern!

Cultivation techniques for the Boston fern, tips for growing the Boston fern, what are the growing methods and precautions for the Boston fern

When it comes to the Boston fern, I believe everyone is familiar with it. Because it looks like a centipede, the Boston fern is also known by the alias centipede fern. The Boston fern not only has extremely high ornamental value but also has certain medicinal value. Therefore, it is deeply loved by everyone. So, do you know what the precautions for cultivating the Boston fern are? Does the Boston fern have any requirements for growing environment, water, and fertilizer? Today, the editor will give you a detailed introduction to knowledge related to the Boston fern. Let's learn about it together with the editor.

1. Growing environment

The centipede fern often grows on the ground and epiphytically in stone crevices and on tree trunks under forests beside streams. It likes a warm, moist and semi-shaded environment. The optimum growing temperature is 16~24°C from March to September, and 13~16°C from September to March of the following year. In winter, the temperature should not be lower than 8°C, but it can withstand a low of 0°C for a short time. It can also tolerate high temperatures above 30°C.

2. Watering

Because the centipede fern likes moist soil and relatively high air humidity. In spring and autumn it needs sufficient watering to keep the potting soil from drying out, but do not water too much, otherwise the fronds easily turn yellow and drop. In summer, besides watering, it also needs to be misted several times a day. Especially for hanging cultivation, the air humidity needs to be a bit higher, otherwise, when the air is dry, the small pinnate fronds easily develop curled edges and scorching. The centipede fern likes bright indirect light, but it can also tolerate relatively low light. Direct sunlight must be strictly avoided. For large-scale cultivation, a shade net should be installed, with a shade rate of 50%~60% being suitable.

3. Fertilizing

For potted centipede fern, use loose, fertile, airy neutral or slightly acidic soil. A mixed substrate of leaf mold or peat soil, potting soil, or coarse sand is commonly used. Line the bottom of the pot with plenty of broken tiles and broken bricks, which helps drainage and aeration. During the growing season, fertilize once every ten days, and you can also use "Huiyou" 20-20-20 general-purpose fertilizer or 20-8-20 four-season high potassium nitrate fertilizer.

4. Pruning

During the growing season, remove dead and yellow fronds at any time to keep the fronds fresh and emerald green. When grown in hanging baskets, mist more, apply more foliar topdressing, and prune to adjust the plant's shape, and pay attention to ventilation.

5. Pest and disease control

When grown indoors, if ventilation is poor, it is easily harmed by aphids and red spider mites, which can be controlled by spraying soapy water or a 1000-fold dilution of 40% omethoate emulsifiable concentrate. When watered too much or when air humidity is too high, the Boston fern easily develops physiological leaf blight; note that the potting soil should not be too wet, and spray with a 600-fold dilution of 65% zineb wettable powder.

The above is all the content I have learned about the Boston fern today. I hope flower lovers will find it helpful after reading this article. If you want to learn more about the Boston fern, please keep following Duorou Huapu, and we will provide you with more related knowledge!