Captain Save a Fern

My fern is back!  After a long winter of neglect (I know bad bad bad!), my fern is going from having only one or two fronds to having full foliage.  I forgot to take a before picture, but truthfully, I think I would have been too embarrassed to even put it up.  I love saving sick plants, but unfortunately, this one was in intensive care because of me!  The fern pictured above is a Boston fern.  It’s very common down here in my zone as well as throughout the U.S.  The problem with these ferns is they usually don’t last through the winter outdoors unless you live in zone 9 or 10 and these ferns require humidity.  During the winter, most people take them inside to avoid the cold winter, but they end up dying anyway due to the lack of moisture in the air.  If you have a Boston fern, make sure you have a partially sunny window indoors and close the vent that is closest to the plant.  To help with humidity, some people set their ferns in a tray to catch the water, but add rocks to the water to keep the water from evaporating so quickly.  You can also add a humidifier in the same room if you don’t mind spending the money on a humidifier.  And of course, for most ferns, do not overwater them.  Make sure they stay damp, but not wet.  If you can do this, your fern can very well last through the winter.