How to Grow Staghorn Ferns? A Detailed Guide to Care Precautions

Staghorn ferns prefer warm, humid and semi-shaded environments. To grow staghorn ferns well, note the following points:

Staghorn ferns should be planted in a specially made pot (that is, drill several small round holes in the pot wall, each with a diameter of 3-5 cm). When planting, first fill the gaps at the holes in the pot wall and bottom with fresh palm fiber, then add leaf mold, brown peat soil and slightly moist sawdust, then plant the fern into the pot, water thoroughly, and place it in a cool place. You can also use a small amount of fern roots, moss or leaf mold plus decomposed cake fertilizer as the growing medium, tie the plant onto a section of stem with bark, and hang it in a shaded, humid place. After the plant resumes growth, hang it under a ceiling or on a bookshelf where it can receive scattered light. Try to avoid touching the staghorn fern with your hands, otherwise the white fuzz on its leaf surface will easily fall off.

During the peak growing season, water more and spray water frequently to maintain high air humidity. During the peak growing period in summer, water more, watering in the early morning or evening when temperatures are low, and spray water frequently to keep the growing environment at high air humidity, which is beneficial to the growth and development of the fertile fronds and spore-bearing fronds. In winter when temperatures are low, water less to prevent root rot. Try to schedule watering at noon on sunny days when the temperature is relatively high.

During the growing season, spray diluted cake fertilizer water every ten days, or spray quick-acting diluted urea on the leaf surface, to keep the leaves tender green and thick. Every year, add leaf mold or moss to the basket of a mature staghorn fern to facilitate the growth and development of new sporelings. It is most afraid of indiscriminate fertilizing, concentrated fertilizer and one-sided application of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium fertilizers; follow the fertilizing (watering) principle of "light fertilizer applied frequently, small amounts with more applications, complete nutrition."

The optimum growing temperature is 18°C-30°C. It fears cold and frost, and the overwintering temperature needs to be kept above 10°C. In winter, when the air temperature drops below 4°C, it enters a dormant state. If the ambient temperature approaches 0°C, it will die from frost damage.

Staghorn ferns fear strong light, so avoid direct strong light or dry wind. When grown outdoors, place them in tree shade or under a shade shed, and also pay attention to spraying water on the leaves frequently. For outdoor care, they can be hung under a shade shed, avoiding direct sunlight so the leaves do not turn yellow or get scorched, which would affect the staghorn fern's ornamental value. Every one or two months, move it outdoors to a semi-shaded spot or keep it in shade for a month, so it can accumulate nutrients and recover its vigor.

Follow WeChat ID: xiaobency, shared every day around 9 o'clock, listened to by ten thousand people