Boston ferns (Nephrolepis exaltata) are popular houseplants and proper Boston fern care is essential to keeping this plant healthy. Learning how to take care of a Boston fern is not difficult, but it is specific. Below, we have listed a few care tips for a Boston fern so that you can provide everything your fern needs to be happy and beautiful.

How to Take Care of a Boston Fern

The first thing you need to do for proper Boston fern care is to make sure that it is in the right kind of environment. Boston ferns need a cool place with high humidity and indirect light.

 

When you care for Boston fern plants indoors, it is a good idea to provide additional humidity for them, especially in the winter. Most homes are rather dry, even more when heaters are running. For extra humidity care for Boston fern, try setting your fern’s pot on a tray of pebbles filled with water. You can also try lightly misting your fern one to two times a week to help it get the humidity it needs.

Another step in how to take care of a Boston fern is to make sure that the fern’s soil remains damp. Dry soil is one of the number one reasons that Boston ferns die. Check the soil daily and make sure to give it some water if the soil feels at all dry. Because Boston ferns tend to be planted in potting mixtures that are high in peat moss, it is a good idea to soak the pot of the Boston fern once a month or so to make sure the peat moss is fully hydrated. Be sure to let it drain thoroughly after this.

Boston fern leaves will turn yellow if the humidity is not high enough. If your Boston fern’s fronds are turning yellow, make sure to increase the humidity around the plant

One of the lesser known care tips for a Boston fern is that they do not need much fertilizer. Fertilizer should only be given to the plant a few times a year.

Boston ferns are susceptible to some pests, especially spider mites and mealybugs. If your plant becomes infested, make sure to treat the plant as quickly as possible to keep it healthy.

Boston fern care is as simple as making sure the plant is in the right environment. If you make sure that your fern is getting the right care for Boston fern plant, your plant will live for many years to come.