How to Take Care of a Fern in India | Growing Ferns

Learn everything about How to Take Care of a Fern in detail and grow this lush plant in your home and garden for a tropical look all year round!

Ferns are popular for their resilient, easy to care nature and stunning fronds. If you too want to include this plant in your collection, then here’s everything you need to know about How to Take Care of a Fern!

Have a look at the best types of ferns here

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What are Ferns?

Ferns are native to tropical, humid, and temperate climatic regions. Their leaves are called fronds, and each one consists of multiple tiny leaflets or leaf blades. They are the easiest plants to grow and look fantastic in gardens, pots, and hanging baskets.

Check out the best types of ferns you can grow indoors here

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Growing Requirements of Ferns

Sunlight

In tropical forests, ferns grow under the canopy of trees, hence, do best in indirect sunlight. Keep them where they are protected from the harsh afternoon sun. The best location would be east-facing.

Soil

The plant grows best in moist, fertile, and well-draining soil with slightly acidic to neutral pH ranging from 4 to 7. However, there are some exceptions, like maidenhair fern, which requires somewhat alkaline soil.

You can prepare a potting medium by mixing an equal amount of peat moss or sphagnum, sand or gravel, manure or humus, garden loamy soil, or regular potting soil.

Watering

Keep the growing medium slightly moist all the time but also avoid overwatering. Water the plant only when the topsoil feels a bit dry to touch.

Climate

Ferns perform well in the warm and humid tropical climate of India. Just make sure that the plant is not exposed to the harsh afternoon Indian sun for longer periods.

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How to Take Care of a Fern?

Fertilizer

Feed ferns with a balanced fertilizer like 20-20-20 or 10-10-10, diluted to a quarter of its strength, once in 4-6 weeks. Avoid feeding the plant during winters.

Humidity

Elevate the humidity around ferns to make them thrive. The best way to do this is to place the pot on a tray filled with water and pebbles. Misting the fronds or using a humidifier will also help in this regard.

Pruning

Snip off the dead, diseased, or yellow fronds periodically to encourage new growth.

Re-potting

Re-pot ferns during early summers when the plant starts to outgrow the current pot. Go for a pot one size bigger than the old one.  Also, use a fresh growing medium while re-potting.

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Problems in Ferns

1. Brown Leaves

Exposure to too much direct sunlight and underwatering is the main reason. On the contrary, if the leaves are getting brown from the center, it indicates overwatering.

Solution: Do not expose the plant to the scorching sun—water when the topsoil feels dry.

2. Yellowing of Leaf Tips

If the tip of the leaves is getting yellow, it can be due to the low humidity.

Solution: Mist the plant periodically or use a humidifier.

3. Leaves Dropping

Ferns drop leaves sometimes, but if you are witnessing too much leaves shedding, the reason can be underwatering.

Tip: When the topsoil feels a bit dry, water the plant deeply and thoroughly until it starts coming out of the drainage holes.