Question
Two questions please:  First, I bought an adorable "Button Fern" in a 4-in pot 3 mos ago.  It is surviving, but not thriving.  I water it only when it is dry on the surface, have placed it on a humidity (pebble) tray, and even have it in my bathroom for gosh sakes!  Still, no thriving.  The center has a few new fronds growing out of it, but most of them are brownish.  The older leaves, though, remain green and healthy.  (By the way, it gets curtain-filtered light).  I've given this fern more attention than my 5-year old lately!!  What else can I do?  I've never had luck with ferns; I thought this time I'd do everything right and have success.

Also, my daughter has a syngonium (Arrow plant) which is 6-7 years old.  Though it is in bright light, it is not thriving, either.  What can she, or I do for it?  I would like to see lovely green arrow-shaped green leaves sprouting, with some bushiness, if possible.  One thing Amy has done wrong, I suppose, is to never prune or cut back the plant when it starts to "branch out".  Rather, the branches grow long and even "root" themselves at some point. Some are 5 feet long!  In other words, she has too many BRANCHES and not enough ARROWS.  Many thanks for reading my long questions, and thanks in advance for your kind suggestions.

Answer
Without seeing the plants, I have difficulty telling you exactly what is wrong. To help you, I am going to tell you the things that these plants require. You might be able to spot the problem from this information.
Both plants have very simular requirements.
The Button fern or Pellaea rotundifolia, requires very bright light, but not direct sun. Keep moist at all times, but do not allow to stand in water. Requires moist air. Warm temperatures. 55 degrees to 60 degrees at night and 70 to 75 in day. Fertilize lightly only when it is growing. Do not fertilize in the winter or when the temperature is over 90 degrees. Leaves will scorch if the plant is in a draft or dry air.
To that I add, try putting it in another window. Then when it warms enough, put it outside, for the summer, in a bright, cool place. I say this because, the bathroom isn't always a good place for plants, because of the soap chemicals in the steam. I don't know if that is the problem, but if it does better in another room, then that may be it. Some plants are more sensitive to the chemicals.
If you can't get enough light from your windows, try using an artifical lighting system, to make it brighter. Make sure the plant is not able to pull water from the pebble tray water, and become waterlogged.

The arrowhead plant or Syngonium podophyllum, do best in warm, moist environment, protected from direct sunlight.
Older climbing stems require support, a moss stick works well. It is a climber not a hanging plant. So to show it at it's best, let it climb.To retain the juvenile leaf form and variegation, prune the climbing stems and aerial roots as they appear.
Keep moist during growth, other times allow to dry between waterings. Requires moist air. Keep to desired height and shape with light pruning or clipping at any time. So to answer you question, pruning and climbing will make her arrow head stay attractive.

bakerplanter