Ferns are one of the most popular houseplants. They’re easy to care for, have beautiful and luxuriant foliage, and can be found in all sorts of shapes, sizes, and colors.
However, there’s a lot of debate for first-time fern owners over how often do you water ferns. The answer isn’t as clear-cut as some people may believe. So let’s take a look at some common questions surrounding fern watering.
Do I Need to Water My Fern Every Day?
No way! In fact, if you water your fern every day—or even every other day—you could be doing more harm than good. Ferns prefer to be kept on the dry side during their growing season (spring through fall).
Although changing seasons will also change the needs of your fern, the basic rule to follow is to keep your fern out of direct sunlight, and water it only once or twice a week. That too, after checking if it actually needs water.
Do this by digging a hole with your finger up to about an inch deep in the soil; if it feels dry, give your plant some water. If it’s still moist, then no need to water your fern.
How Long Should I Wait After Watering Before I Fertilize?
Fertilizing is another important part of caring for ferns. It helps ensure they grow strong roots and produce healthy new leaves each year. However, you should also remember while fertilizer is good for your ferns, you should also be careful about when, and how often you feed your ferns.
As a general rule, you should apply both chemical and organic fertilizer immediately after watering. Fertilizers can cause root damage if you apply them to dry soil.
Should I Let My Fern Dry Out in Between Watering?
You should never let your ferns dry out before watering them. These plants like moist soil. However, you should also be careful not to overwater them.
A good rule of thumb to follow is to check your fern’s soil regularly. Take your finger and push it into your plant’s soil. The soil should be moist, but not sopping wet. If it is, then you should wait until the soil dries out before watering again.
How Often Should I Water My Ferns?
It’s best to check your plant daily for signs of dehydration. If there are none and your fern’s soil feels dry, then water it with a light spray from a mister or watering can.
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During the summer months, it’s a good idea to water your ferns every day. This will help your ferns stay healthy and prevent them from drying out too quickly. However, during winter, you should only water your ferns about once a week.
This will also ensure that they don’t get too much water at once and cause problems like root rot or root fungi.
You should also make sure that ferns are watered in a place where they can drain well. It’s important not to leave standing water in their pots as this will cause them to rot and die.
If you’re going on vacation, it’s best to move the plants indoors or bring them into a greenhouse so that they don’t dry out or get damaged by extreme weather conditions.
How Should I Water My Ferns?
It’s important to use a watering can or hose that has a fine nozzle. This will ensure that you don’t over-water your ferns. You should aim for the soil around your ferns to be damp but not soggy.
If there is water standing on top of the soil after you’ve watered it, then it’s too wet and needs some time for draining before you water again.
If you’re growing your ferns in pots, make sure that they have drainage holes at the bottom. If they don’t, you should place a layer of gravel or stones at the bottom of the pot so that when water is added to it, it drains out.
The Takeaway
The key to watering ferns is to water them regularly and deeply. If you’re growing your ferns outside, make sure that it’s not too dry in your region before you begin watering them. If there is adequate rainfall, then you can skip watering for a couple of weeks before resuming again.
If you notice signs of distress, like yellowing leaves or drooping fronds, it’s a good idea to stop watering your ferns until the problem clears up.