Boston Fern Care || Fern Friday

In this week's fern friday I am talking about how to grow Boston Ferns! I love this fern so much as there are not a ton of houseplant ferns that grow so large so quickly and are relatively easy to grow. Boston ferns ( Nephrolepis exaltata 'bostoniensis' ) are a great easy to grow fern. These ferns need less water than most other houseplant ferns and like the majority of the others they are fine in low light. Fall through winter they can take more light than in spring in summer but still they do not need much. Boston ferns are a sword fern, or really, the sword fern and they are great in hanging baskets. I love how they look hanging on shady porch, patio or balcony.
Everything about the Boston ferns is easier than other ferns. Planting boston ferns, fertilizing boston ferns, watering boston ferns etc... it's all pretty simple with these guys. When repotting a boston fern an all purpose potting mix is fine, as long as it drains well and holds onto some moisture but not so much that it becomes soggy or takes multiple days to dry. Time of year to repot the Boston ferns varies. I like to repot mine in the early spring or late summer. Late summer is more risky and may result in the leaflet drop if the temperatures are too high. I like the late summer repottting because then they have more soil around the root mass to absorb moisture during the fall and winter when I bring them inside. Sometimes by the end of summer they have outgrown their pots and then keeping them hydrated in the fall and winter when they are indoors as houseplants is more of a challenge. ... I forgot to talk about this in the video, sorry! There are also plenty of sources that suggest repotting ferns in the winter beacause it will be the least stressful on them since they are not normally in active growth. I've found early spring work fine as it just a few weeks before the warm temps and longer days are arriving so they are just starting to wake up.
Fertilizing boston ferns is simple also. I like to fertilize my boston ferns twice a month ( april - september ) with a quarter to half strength all purpose fertilizer, but once a month with the same dilution is just fine. They also green up nicely with seaweed fertilizers.
Propagating boston ferns is very easy also. When repotting a boston fern you can cut out tons of new plants as they recover well from being divided. Dividing Boston ferns is very easy but I will still be sure to a video on fern and overall plant division when I do so with mine.
Wow that was a lengthy description! I could talk about ferns and houseplants all day! #FernFriday !
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[@trinasams3691]

Watched several videos and by far, the is THE BEST for the Boston Fern!

[@TropicalPlantParty]

Thank you Trina!

[@tiiti2003]

Agreed.

[@michelleseager9782]

Mine are in the back yard in huge pots, they are in full sun. (Texas heat) they get watered every night and sprayed down. They are 4 ft tall. It was originally bought at Lowe’s on clearance. I brought it home, cut it in half. The rest is history. Love my ferns!

[@TheLittlechicthings]

How do you water then? What soul do they have?

[@hugodesrosiers-plaisance3156]

Just bought a Boston Fern today, just hung it up 10 minutes ago. I have never owned a plant before, this is my first. I felt like my study room needed a little something more. This video is a big, big help, thank you! I'll make sure to mist it morning and evening!

[@TropicalPlantParty]

No problem and congrats on your first plant!

[@thatleafy_life]

I have a huge boston i have had for 10+ years and it has been in a relatively small pot kind of root bound and dryish soil, i water frequently and live in humid climate but it has done so amazingly well, love it

[@territrue]

i just bought a boston fern last weekend. i've had it 1 week now. this video is right on time. thank you!!!

[@TropicalPlantParty]

Perfect! They are fun and pretty plants!

[@antoniam7051]

Hard to listen to the information because I'm mesmerized by your fern ❤️it is absolutely majestic!

[@hollywaugh2572]

Always wanted one, finally bought a tiny little baby one, thanks for all the info in your video!

[@TropicalPlantParty]

Awesome! They are wonderful ferns!

[@brendatatum7009]

Great video on Boston Ferns!! I live in coastal NE Florida and have 2 Boston Ferns outside in containers. They are both beautiful and huge!! Today I noticed one has 2 flowers!!!??!!!! They are pale yellow and daisy shaped. I had no idea these ferns could flower!!!

[@LaurenHulton]

Just bought my first fern ever!! Love this video so much, you're so informative and also seem like such a funny and nice person😊 Subscribing right now for sure!! Now I need to care for my beautiful fern and give it at name! Haha

[@TropicalPlantParty]

Thank you!

[@amandamervine3467]

Love the Boston Ferns! Here in PA we actually get a bunch an use them outside for annuals outside during the spring/summer in hanging baskets and they get HUGE. As long as I can keep the birds from nesting in them and keep up with their water needs in the heat of the summer, they are so great.

[@TropicalPlantParty]

Omg the birds love nesting in them! Drives me crazy!

[@stephaniepayton6955]

Thank you so very much...i had no clue how I was going to care for my fern during the winter..

[@stephenohara3014]

I'll say they are forgiving! I am soon to move to a new place and am paring down my plants. I have two 'Fluffy Ruffles' versions of the Boston Fern. I've had mine for about a year. They were bought as 'starter plants' in 4 inch pots. Until March, they were kept under florescent lights and grew quite fast. I replanted them a few times until they ended up in 10" pots in the spring growing near a North-East facing window. At the end of September I decided to toss them. I never got around to actually doing that but left them in place, with no water, near a radiator for about 4 weeks. As they sit right beside large Peace Lilies that demand more frequent watering and have received more frequent watering, I was expecting to see the ferns turn to shriveled, brown, crunchy mulch. It didn't happen. They kept growing like nothing was wrong. Today, I gave in and watered them. Tough guys like that are worth hanging on to so they are coming with me.

[@ShadowNight-kt3dz]

Boston ferns are great. Here in Louisiana we use them around trees along with cast iron plants. They’re evergreen to the high 20s and ground hardy to at least zone 9a/8b.

[@TropicalPlantParty]

I think I have seen that before when I've been in southern Louisiana. Classic southern appeal!

[@kurrijhaj]

Watching this on Friday 😊

[@MS-fx5yf]

Catalina island (zone 10b), grown outdoors year around, grew 4’ fronds from spring through fall, but sulked in the winter. Preferred plastic hanging pots, peat based potting soil (peat & perlite mix) and fine orchid bark added for acidity (the island water is high in TDS). Fish fertilizer (5-1-1) used every two weeks during the growing season, and nothing during the winter. Had been growing well for 25+ years, when it was repotted around Christmas time, and was not able to recover (wrong time of year).

[@nicf8152]

your videos are fun to listen to

[@beautifulmemorieswithdrdeepti]

Beautiful fern plant.

[@esmeraldamiranda8163]

Loved your video! Very informative!! 🌿🌺🤗

[@TropicalPlantParty]

Thank you!

[@roseladd6402]

I think the Boston fern is one of the most popular fern plant because of the long branches. It reminds me of my new fern the Kimberly Queen. I tried the tip to mist it and I tried the bowl of water to the plant to get water, it worked great, the fern is thirsty.💚

[@TropicalPlantParty]

Lol! I agree, they have the classic stereotypical fern appearance that most people think of when they hear, "fern"... I'm glad yours are doing well!

[@chrisandrews6456]

I can't tell ferns apart... But I love them

[@ms_it_is]

Some of them are really different from what a fern usually is. Some don't have these feathery leaves, and have a very weird form

[@kathymacomber5115]

Love this series

[@sherrywalker4619]

Thanks! I almost bought one of these today!

[@ashfaq2004]

In my area they are sold as annuals in hanging baskets, I managed to save last years pot indoors. It is root bonded, I am thinking of dividing it in 4 pieces and planting all 4 pieces spaced apart in a bigger pot - hopefully in few weeks it will look like one giant piece again.

[@TropicalPlantParty]

Sold as annuals here as well. Kind of like the pointsettias of ferns. The divisions take off very quickly. These ferns are practically weeds!

[@SisiJemimahsRecipes]

Hi, I've recently gotten one of these plants. I've noticed some fronds without leaves on them, is this normal? I mean, is this part of the leaf growing process; bald fronds first, then leaves grow on them later? Please help. Thanks

[@TropicalPlantParty]

if they are unfurling from the center then it is normal, but otherwise those are just bad fronds that can be cut right off the plant. :)

[@SisiJemimahsRecipes]

@@TropicalPlantParty thank you so so much!

[@tlexification]

First time ever...catepillars on Boston fern. I have identified it as the Florida Fern Caterpillar. I am in w. Pa so it was probably shipped here with the fern. Some research shows it’s a growing problem, so I will have to treat ferns with BT spray as soon as I bring them home.

[@SeherSeven]

Just brought one home. She seemed instantly stressed. The humidifier is helping a lot. I also changed her grow medium. Will the limp leaves bounce back?? I do hope she likes it here 💚

[@kenjiro2676]

These can grow outside year around in California here, specifically more inland from the Bay Area. As long as they have frost protection and protection from intense sunlight they can grow outside year round in temps dipping in to low 30’s. Very hardy when acclimated.

[@moniquenguyen9476]

I live in Houston, Texas. This Boston Fern is planted all over in my apartment complex outside with direct sunlight or in the shade area. This Boston Fern is green. The temperature here in Houston can get down below 50 Fahrenheit and at height as 95 - 100 Fahrenheit. I just took few from the ground with root and I am planning to plant it in the pot for indoor. Hopefully it will turn out great. Thank you for your information.

[@Hairygranny]

here where i am in australia its pretty dry even in winter so i setup a shadehouse for my ferns while i wait for all my trees grow bigger :)

[@TropicalPlantParty]

Smart! I need to do that in the spring for when I move my tropicals outside.

[@tn5175]

So helpful! Thank you

[@michaelmccarthy4077]

why did the slo-mo misting @3:51 make me think of Carmen Electra running through the sprinklers in "Scary Movie"? All of the Nephrolepis are a nuisance outdoors in Florida, they spread uncontrollably. The builder had planted the Western Sword Fern (N. cordifolia) on the north side of the house under the Sabal palms. I think there were six original plants that became an ever spreading mat. I ended up having to use Roundup to get rid of it, pulling them was ineffective. I still find new ones sprouting in various places (like orchid pots) from spores.

[@TropicalPlantParty]

Lol... carmen electra!? There's a name I haven't heard in a long time. Haha... the fern gave you baywatch vibed!? Love that! 🤣😂🤣😂 I can see these being a burden down there. If the tiniest piece of rhizome gets left behind it will take off.

[@piotree53]

Should I split my Boston fern or repot

[@GotuJoy]

I got given a very sad boston fern, after clipping out all the dead foliage there are only 6 to 10 small sad fronds left. Do you think it can still bounce back? I am trying not to over water it and just keep it moist. Also is this this same fern that was small in the other boston fern video you posted?

[@mattdavenport1428]

I planted mine next to the AC and it would drip on it and it grew beautifully

[@ThisCallumPerson]

mine was unhappy until I started misting it.

[@lexygv]

I mist my indoor fern once (could do more, maybe) everyday and I noticed it definitely loves getting misted. If I miss a few day it starts getting crunchy.

[@clemsmith2253]

what are best ferns for green walls? indirect light, with daily watering but excellent draining.

[@superalex9402]

Hello sir, r the ferns dangeous at night and can we keep them in the bedroom?

[@dianehaining3894]

Hi, I’ve recently been gifted a Boston fern which hasn’t stopped growing and i don’t have room to move it so I want to perhaps trim it back. Should I do this to an indoor plant and is there a certain way to go about it. Thanks from 🇬🇧

[@alexdoe784]

I love my Boston Ferns...but my senior kitty likes to nibble them and it makes her shart.

[@2RILLz]

I live in a very windy city called Corpus Christi... it’s a very humid climate...so this plant won’t do well if it’s getting too much strong wind and drafts? I have 4 total right now... two of the biggest ones are hanging and getting hit by wind all the time... they chute out new green growth all the time but that growth seems to constantly be getting tangled within itself and it doesn’t get very long... is the wind possibly causing them trouble? Can you please tell me what kind of hanging plants tolerate strong wind and look attractive as well?

[@gailc1948]

When do you prune ferns back?

[@2013hondafit]

I’m wondering this too

[@theinvincible7511]

My house full of this plant almost jungle.

[@toddroy9558]

Can plant them in fabric wall pouches?

[@TheBubblepop5]

Just got a supermarket sale. It's been a rough week but I think I have got the hang of it. How do you prune it?

[@kathymacomber5115]

In our area they go outside and are beautiful till frost

[@marthelenada6197]

Same here. So sad to have to get rid of them in the fall :( I’m trying to keep them inside during the winter .

[@kathymacomber5115]

Kimberly Queen is elegant... Boston fern is your basic work horse... need a hanging basket get a Boston Fern.

[@TropicalPlantParty]

That's a great way to describe the difference!

[@tashabattaglino1887]

I wish i could sent you a picture. My fern just got moved from outside to in and its all but dead. Ive played around with daylight bulbs, humidifier, cutting the dead peices off(all but maybe 20 sprigs). But im thinking its a lost cause. Its still showing new growth but i dont know if it can make a full recovery. Maybe i need to replant? No clue.

[@TropicalPlantParty]

Hello! I'm on Instagram if you want to send me a picture there, or any of my social media, they are linked in the bottom of the videos description. Did it yellow at all? Any fowl smells from the soil?

[@tashabattaglino1887]

@@TropicalPlantParty i sent you a pic on insta. No smells that i can tell.

[@crystaljasmine5305]

Is there a recommended type of pot for the Boston fern?

[@hannan5666]

U should choose wide pots

[@makinMYway75]

My fern is huge it was given to me n I want to know if I can trim it?

[@troyhummel6092]

My fern has about a 7 foot wing span.

[@ghoulletteprojects1169]

is that a beautiful garden dripper with jewels??? I want!

[@TropicalPlantParty]

That is a candle holder/candle chandelier that i got on clearance from Peir One Imports a few years ago. I absolutely love that lantern so much!

[@nicolerola9201]

whats happennig if its browning from the center?

[@TropicalPlantParty]

Potentially too much water in the center?

[@matthewcondon1985]

Jeff! Do you grow Maranta leuconeura (prayer plant)?

[@TropicalPlantParty]

I do not, but I've had them on my list for awhile. I had a couple of them many years ago and loved them!

[@mossnmolasses2245]

I had mine for only a week, it didn’t look to hot, come to find out it’s infested with cabbage loopers! What a horrible day!

[@corinabillmire]

Can they do good outside?

[@marthelenada6197]

If the temperature is above 10°C, they will survive. I live in Canada and we have them as annuals during the summer. They make the porch and garden look ‘Victorianly’ beautiful. I want to bring them inside during the fall and winter but I’m not sure how to take care of them.

[@sheetalmudaliar]

hey! please talk about kangaroo's foot fern.thank you

[@TropicalPlantParty]

Hello! I have a video on them on the channel. 🙂

[@plantguy9]

Reasoning seems to have gone out the window with todays generation.

[@ralphsengco2585]

Aglonema how to care

[@SAMS2012SAMS]

Is the Boston fern the same plant as the sword fern?

[@TropicalPlantParty]

Sword fern is a common name given to several ferns and the Boston Fern is one of those ferns. 😊

[@SAMS2012SAMS]

The name of my fern is nephrolepis obliterata.

[@SAMS2012SAMS]

I have really enjoyed your fern Friday videos.

[@rosarioalston4986]

Annoying.