17
Drove 45 minutes for a rare fern and it died in 3 days
I compared two methods of potting a crispy wave fern I picked up from a specialty nursery in Portland. The first one I did the classic way with regular potting soil and a standard terra cotta pot, just like I'd done with every other houseplant. The second one I actually researched first and used a mix with extra perlite and bark in a plastic nursery pot inside a decorative one. The first fern started drooping by day two and the fronds went brown and crispy. The second one is still perky and pushing out new growth a month later. It's just frustrating because nobody tells you that "well draining soil" actually means something specific for these plants. Has anyone else had trouble with finicky ferns and found a soil mix that actually works?
2 comments
Log in to join the discussion
Log In2 Comments
the_sandra29d ago
Wait, are you SURE it was the soil that killed it and not something else like overwatering or the shock of being moved? I mean, I've killed plenty of ferns in my time and it was ALMOST always because I gave them too much water or not enough humidity, not because the soil was wrong. Regular potting soil works fine for most ferns as long as you let the top dry out a bit between waterings. Plus, that first fern went from a nursery environment to your home in just a few days, that's a HUGE stress. So maybe give that first method another try but with better watering habits before you blame the dirt.
4