They cannot survive temperatures below 40 degrees F. Keep a pair of scissors handy for pruning the leaves, which inevitably turn brown during the winter. Deciduous ferns enter a state of dormancy and lose their fronds in winter. Its roots remain alive and its feathery growth returns in spring.
However, evergreen ferns, such as Boston fern, maintain their fronds in winter and continue to grow throughout the year, without going into a state of dormancy. They require that their care, watering and feeding remain the same throughout the year. Boston ferns (Nephrolepis exaltata), also known as sword ferns, are prized for their masses of attractive tropical-looking foliage and easier to grow nature than other ferns. This fern survives outdoors all year round in the US.
UU. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 8b to 11, although grown indoors as a houseplant all or part of the year in a much wider range. Even if you live in an area where winter weather is probably not cold enough to damage the fern, bringing the fern indoors can brighten the interior of the house and encourage plant vigor. Frequent outdoor rains during winter can also contribute to fungal disease problems.
Spray the foliage of the Boston fern with a strong, though not harmful, stream of water to remove pests from the plant. Inspect Boston fern closely for remaining pests such as slugs, scales, and mites. Rinse or remove pests or cut off portions of Boston fern that are infested with motionless scale insects, which look like small lumps where they feed. Keep Boston fern away from other houseplants to prevent accidental spread of pests.
If the fern was in a much brighter position outside than inside, gradually decrease the amount of light that the fern receives over several weeks to allow gradual acclimatization and avoid bumps and leaflets falling. Place the Boston fern indoors in a place where it gets about two hours of indirect sunlight each day during the winter and where the temperature stays between 65 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit during the day and about 10 degrees cooler at night. Spray Boston fern occasionally with room temperature water, or place Boston fern in an area with high relative humidity, such as in a bathroom with a shower. If the relative humidity is too low, the tips of the Boston fern fronds will turn brown or die, and the leaflets will fall off the plant.
Water only when the top inch of soil is dry to the touch. Inspect the fern regularly, or whenever you water or spray the plant, for pests. Cut infested portions of Boston fern or address pests as soon as you notice them. Stop any application of fertilizers in autumn and winter, unless the fern is actively growing.
If it continues to produce new growth, a diluted liquid fertilizer for indoor plants applied once every two months is sufficient to keep the fern until spring arrives and regular fertilizing practices can be resumed without risk of damaging the plant. Angela Ryczkowski is a professional writer who has served as a greenhouse manager and certified forest firefighter. She has a degree in Urban and Regional Studies. The Boston fern (Nephrolepis exaltata) is a very common and popular variety of fern that originated in swamps and humid forests.
Although the Boston fern in winter does not go dormant, watering and moisture problems can cause its fronds to dry out and turn brown, making the plant look like it has entered a dormant state. An indoor Boston fern grows best in a place near a south or west-facing window, just outside the direct rays of the sun. Many people simply buy new Boston ferns in the spring, keep them through the summer, and then slaughter them in the fall. In USDA hardiness zones 8b to 11, it is possible to provide outdoor winter care for Boston fern.
Winter care for Boston fern in dormancy does not include providing light; a dark place is fine for the plant in the sleep stage. Relax; throwing them out is not necessary and it is really a waste considering that the process of wintering Boston ferns is not too complicated. There are a couple of things you can do to help your fern survive in a drier climate, whether inside or outside. Keeping the temperature cooler at night is one way to prevent fungi from forming in Boston fern.
Keeping your Boston fern full of vitality in winter is difficult if you grow it outdoors permanently. . .
