How Much Watering Does a Spider Fern Need?

Watering

• Water your spider fern when the surface of its soil starts to dry out, aiming to keep the soil barely moist. Spider ferns need less water than many other ferns and are vulnerable to overwatering. Never leave your fern standing in a dish of water because this waterlogs the soil. Over-watered ferns develop yellow fronds and black root tips while under-watered specimens develop wilted leaves and brown leaf margins.

Type of Water

• Water your spider fern with rain water or low mineral bottled water, especially if you live in a hard water area. The high mineral content of hard water damages fern roots. Leave tap water standing for 24 hours to allow all chlorine to dissipate.

Humidity

• Spider ferns benefit from high local humidity levels when the air is dry due to artificial heating or hot summers. Spray your fern every day with rainwater or bottled water. Place the pot on a dish of damp gravel to further increase air humidity. Spider ferns thrive if grown in a bathroon with naturally high humidity levels.

Flushing

• Flush out your spider fern's soil every month with a volume of water equal to that of the pot they are in. This dissolves away any excess mineral salts that build up during watering and fertilizing. Do an additional flush if you see any sign of a white deposit on the surface of the soil.