Home Garden

How to Grow Young Ferns in the House

Ferns are leafy, flowerless plants that belong to the Pteridophyta botanical group. Ferns are often grown outdoors to decorate gardens or other landscaped areas, but they can also be grown indoors. Growing a young fern in your home is not difficult, and a few basic supplies, like a drainage tray and fertilizer, will help you complete the task.

Things You'll Need

  • Fertilizer
  • Drainage Tray
  • Growing Medium
  • Gravel
Show More

Instructions

    • 1

      Position the young potted fern so that it sits in or close to a north facing window. This will allow the fern to receive indirect light, which is optimal for its growth.

    • 2

      Maintain a constant daytime room temperature between 65 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit. During the evening, maintain a temperature within the range of 55 to 65 degrees. Degrees that fall to far below or above these ranges can inhibit proper growth of your young fern, or possibly kill it.

    • 3

      Fill a drainage tray with gravel. Place the tray directly beneath the fern pot. The fern pot should have drainage holes, which will allow any water that drains from the fern pot to seep into the tray. This will provide extra humidity for the fern. Ferns thrive in humidity conditions that fall within the range of 50 to 70 percent. Many homes have an average humidity level of between 5 to 10 percent humidity.

    • 4

      Purchase a 10-10-10 formula fertilizer for your fern. Dilute the fertilizer by adding 1 part water to 2 parts fertilizer. Apply the fertilizer solution according to the fertilizer manufacturer's instructions. Repeat this process once a month to properly fertilize your young fern.

    • 5

      Repot your indoor fern every three years using fresh potting mix containing at least a 50 percent ratio of peat moss. Replace the fern's old pot with a fresh pot every 3 years, since an old pot can leak or crack over time.