How to Winterize Boston Ferns
According to the website Plant-Care, Boston ferns became a popular houseplant during the Victorian era. These plants enjoy temperatures between 65 and 72 degrees Fahrenheit. Numerous gardeners who live in temperate regions use Boston ferns as outdoor plants in patios. Autumn months, however, bring temperatures and changes in humidity that do not meet the growing requirements of the fern. Winterizing your Boston ferns is essential for maintaining their health and protecting them from freezing temperatures. Does this Spark an idea?
Other People Are Reading
Things You'll Need
- Garden hose
- Gloves
- Potting soil
- Clay pot
- Dish
- Pebbles
- Sheer curtain
- Fertilizer
Instructions
-
-
1
Spray your Boston fern with water to remove any insects before moving it in for the winter. Boston ferns commonly become invested with red spiders, aphids and mealy bugs. Wearing gloves, hand-pick insects from the plant. Taking a plant covered in pests indoors may spread the bugs to every houseplant.
-
2
Lift up your Boston fern from the pot to check to see if it is pot-bound. Pot-bound plants have a difficult time growing. If the fern is pot-bound, fill a clay pot up to 1/2 inch from the top with a soil-less potting mixture that contains peat moss. Choose a clay pot that is 1 to 2 inches wider than the fern. Place the fern in the pot and pack soil around the base. Set the pot on a dish that has a 1-inch layer of pebbles.
-
-
3
Place your fern next to a window that has a sheer curtain. Boston ferns need two weeks in reduced sunlight before moving them to a darker area of the home, such as a basement.
-
4
Mist your fern with water. Press your fingers into the first 3 inches of potting soil to see if it needs water. If the soil is dry, lift the fern over a sink and pour water at its base until it comes out of the drain holes. Set it back on its dish of pebbles.
-
5
Fertilize your fern with an all-purpose fertilizer that has been diluted by half with water. Pour the fertilizer around the outside of the pot.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
Keep your fern in the bathroom to provide it a high level of humidity.
Avoid allowing your fern to sit in water. Remove excess water from the dish of pebbles.
