How Do You Care for a Boston Fern?

Question

I have two Boston ferns hanging outside on my porch. They did great last summer in that location. I brought them in for the winter (Canadian winter) and put them back outside a few weeks ago. They have a lot of dead stuff close to the pot, and some of the leaves are turning yellow. Can I cut the ferns right down and start again? Will they get new growth or die?

Answer 1

Your Boston Fern is a very hardy plant. Most people don’t know that. You can cut and split your fern and re-pot them even. I have done it (within Ohio winters). If the leaves are yellowing, the most common problem is over-watering.

However, if your fern is root-bound it may need split and transplanted to get new growth. When we buy the ferns at the local gardening centers they are usually almost maximized out within the pots. This creates larger ferns with more compact leaves and makes them look better to the “buyer”. No one wants a spindly fern.

So cut and split away in the Spring. Enjoy your fern til frost hits and bring back indoors to your bathroom if possible. Because the minute our furnaces turn on, it robs the moisture from our homes and from the fern. So if you can “winter” your fern in a bathroom it will flourish throughout the winter as well. Good luck and if you have any more questions just let me know!

Answer 2

It sounds like it is root bound and in need of a bigger pot and when transplanting it score the roots with a knife and loosen the roots up and when you bring it in for the winter get a bottle of water @ room temp. and mist it about once a week as it likes the humidity… Good luck