Hi I am in Invercargill, and love maiden heir ferns, the trouble is that I keep buying them as I keep killing them off. Any tips that I can keep them alive longer then 6 week or so. Cheers
cleoplatra,
Sep 30, 1:50am
Oh and I keep them inside, I thought the bathroom was a good place, maybe not!
speights40,
Sep 30, 2:29am
There's a lot of help on google if you search maiden hair fern, here is just a wee snippet I found:
How to Grow a Maidenhair Fern
Learning how to grow maidenhair fern in the garden, or even indoors, is not difficult. The plant typically grows in partial to full shade and prefers moist but well-draining soil amended with organic matter, much like in its natural habitat in humus-rich woods. These ferns do not tolerate dry soil. Most types also grow best in slightly acidic soils. Adding lime rock to potting soil will help increase the acidity of container grown plants.
When growing maidenhair fern indoors, the plant prefers small containers and dislikes repotting. Maidenhair is also intolerant of low humidity or dry air from heating or cooling vents when grown in the home. Therefore, you will either need to mist the plant daily or set it on a water-filled pebble tray.
katelin1,
Sep 30, 8:39am
I kept mine in the bathroom - just keep it away from the window as they don't like a draft. When mine started looking sad, I cut all the stems back to about 5cm tall then it resprouted. Don't over or under water as well. I was quite slack, maybe once or twice/week?
oh_hunnihunni,
Sep 30, 8:49am
They absolutely hate drafts. My gran grew magnificent specimens - inside and out and she swore the thing that killed them stone dead fastest was a draft. Or should that be draught., lol.
cleoplatra,
Sep 30, 9:49am
Thank you for you advice
needy,
Sep 30, 10:06am
If you grow them outside I throw them my banana skins cut up. My ferns grow much better outside tucked up against a wall that hel;ps to keep them moist
koru67,
Sep 30, 6:30pm
Anyone else give them cold weak tea?. My Aunt does and hers are fabulous.
summersunnz,
Oct 1, 1:41am
I planted my last almost-dying plant out in a shady spot in my garden, it now covers an area of about 40mm x 40mm, with lovely growth year round.
maclad,
Oct 1, 3:50am
Keep them in an area where temperature is constant. EG if on top of a fridge or TV then they are subject to constantly changing temps and don't like that.
anne1955,
Oct 1, 4:35am
Read my bottom / last reply in growing Tomatoes. Which is where I found out as a young flatting person about using the pill in / with plants. Also spray misting them helps. But on pill in plant each 6 months is enough. My flats where like the land of the triphids (sp) or likes. lol If you have plants like spider plants or babies tears same works :) and as I said in that thread don't even need to be within current use by time fact I use to ask friends for expired ones. 1 per plant is ample.
rita197,
Sep 15, 11:58am
The common reason indoor plants die is that they are over watered. if the fern is in the bathroom out of direct sunshine. Llet it almost dry out and the put the pot in a bucket of water until it has soaked up as much water as it can. You probably won't need to water for 6 weeks.
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