Ferns have been in existence for well over 350 Million years and almost as old as the first land based plant. Ferns are much older than the Dinosaurs. In the previous posts, you have seen that four major ingredients are most important for the thriving of ferns in any place namely Shade, Moisture in air as well as soil , Water & Fertilizer. In this post we shall see about the fertilizers, varieties of fertilizers and the optimum ways and levels, best suited period and quantity in one go. As compared to other vascular plants , ferns do not require sizeable quantity of fertilizers In fact, they prefer a optimum and balanced nutrient. The optimum micronutrients required for fern hovers at 200 ppm of nitrogen. Take care and exercise caution not to over-fertilize the fern. Too much of Fertilizer may cause the fern to burn out and never recover
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What is the best fertilizer for Ferns that are indoor ?
Ferns are amazing plants which thrive on innumerable soil and environmental conditions and with little care can adapt themselves to the changing conditions. Most of the ferns are well-suited as indoor plants on account of the shade and filtered light which is one of the major pre requisites for most of the ferns.
- Fertilizing indoor ferns is as simple as maintaining the moisture. But at the same time, any misfiring in the schedule or quantity may cost dearly to the extent of losing the plant itself.
- Two major things to be kept in mind with regard to fertilizing are, when to fertilize and what Fertilizer to use.
- Indoor plants do not need heavy dosage of fertilizer in one go. They draw most of their nourishment from dead and decaying foliage and other organic matter embedded in the soil.
- Ferns are relatively light feeders compared to many other foliage plants. They prefer a balanced fertilizer of Nitrogen – Phosphorus-Potassium (NPK) in the ratio 20-10-20 or 20-20-20. The fertilizer at the rate of 1/2 teaspoon / gallon of water may be applied to the soil every two weeks.
- Ensure that the fern is not over-fertilized as it may end up scorching the plant once for all.
- Fertilizer being a chemical will damage the fern roots if applied on a dry soil. Do water it regularly.
- Do Not fertilize any potted fern plant till it gets adjusted to the new environment. Allow 4-6 months for the newly potted plant before you start fertilizing. After that, fertilizing to be done every month through the growing season and alternate months during winter when the requirement is low.
What is the best fertilizer for Ferns that are outdoor ?
One easy symptom of knowing if the fern is undernourished is the appearance of fronds as pale and limp. This sounds the alarm that the plant needs to be fertilized immediately
- For smaller feeds and better results, add organic material like leaf mold , worm castings, peat around the root zone. If fern beds are clean, do top up the soil around the ferns with rich organic matter during each spring season.
- If it’s needed to nourish the garden ferns, use slow release type fertilizer of Nitrogen – Phosphorus-Potassium in the ratio 10-10-10. You can also use up to 15-15-15. The fertilizer can be applied at a rate of 1 tablespoon / gallon of water. One gallon will feed 10 square feet of soil and can be applied every seven to fourteen days.
- If the tips of the fronds turn brown, this is a sign of over fertilizing. Stop fertilizing immediately and water the fern well till the excess fertilizer is flushed out. Take care there is no water-logging.
- If you have the garden fern contained in a pot, use fertilizer only during spring and never do it during Fall. Adding fertilizer in fall will do more harm than good. .In case of potted garden fern, Fertilizer is leached out quicker than in case of garden soil.
- In case of fern crowns, they can be covered with mulch, straw or peat in late autumn too.
Care for Indoor & Outdoor Ferns
Indoor ferns thrive well in around 50% humidity. Periodical watering is required with well drain system. In case of potted house plants, the trays should also have a layer of pebbles /gravels. Ensure that the pot sits over the pebbles. you can also plant your fern in a clay pot contained in another container lined with peat moss.
Ferns prefer soil that is slightly acidic. Prepare the compost accordingly.
To plant a garden fern, the hole should be just as deep as the size of the plant’s Rhizome. Also ensure that the hole should be two times as wide as the root.
Add some organic compost to the hole and then put the fern in the ground. Additional ferns should be planted at least two feet apart. Additional two inches mulch to be added on top. The soil’s top should be always wet.
Can I use Epsom salt with water for fern ?
Outdoor garden ferns , like other similar foliage plants require intermittent care and supervision. Never allow the fern bed to dry out. Keep watering with minor and light feeding of fertilizer.
The ferns are likely to get benefitted from the addition of Epsom salt in their water. It can be applied once per month and ideally should be done when the fern is in growing stage.
Do coffee grounds help as Fertilizer to ferns?
Coffee grounds are NOT GOOD for ferns. The negative effects that coffee grounds have on Fern plants are many when they are used as a fertilizer. Ferns are easily susceptible to the negative effects on both indoor and outdoor plants.
- Coffee grounds add too much nitrogen to the soil for a fern. Even an iota of addition over the recommended nitrogen levels for fern soil can lead to tip burn and also result in dry leaves resulting in an unhealthy plant.
- It also promotes fungal growth and contains antimicrobial agents that kill beneficial microbes in the soil .These microbes convert the organic matter into nutrients which can be directly absorbed by the ferns. Hence it is detrimental to the overall well being of the fern plant..
- Coffee grounds affect the acidity level of the soil. It lowers the pH level. Ferns don’t prefer much acidic soil.
- Although there are some outdoor and indoor plants that love acidic soil, and that can therefore benefit from the acidic nature of coffee grounds, coffee grounds are not good as a long-term fertilizer on any plant.
- Coffee grounds come in handy while handling with pests in the garden But it is to be noted here that ferns are hardy plants that succumb to very few pests.
Fertilizer is one of the most important ingredients as far as the growth and well being of any fern plant is concerned. At the same time it is something that comes with the tag “Handle with Care” which is more apt for fern than any other plant. Any over doze or wrong doze will do more harm than any good. One needs to keep this in mind.
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