Fern type flower. What types of indoor ferns are there? To reduce the incidence of nephrolepis, it is necessary

fern care

Many people know the legend about the fern that blooms once a year on the feast of Ivan Kupala. Indeed, the fern is rightfully considered the most mysterious, with many legends associated with it. This is one of the most ancient plants on the ground. Millions of years ago, ferns adorned the earth, as evidenced by the finds of archaeologists.

The fern is able to survive in any conditions, survive the most difficult climatic disasters. However, only a small number of varieties of these plants can be grown at home. The most popular are Nephrolepis, Adiantum and Platicerium.

Homeland and appearance of the home fern

Ferns are among the most ancient plants on the planet. These amazing, openwork shrubs grew in forests and swamps when dinosaurs walked the earth. Science knows about 300 genera of ferns and more than ten thousand species.

You can find ferns anywhere in the world, in meadows, swamps, trees. However, the tropics are a favorite place for plants. Domestic species of ferns come from a group that grows in tropical forests. There are also winter-hardy species that gardeners are happy to grow on their plots.

The overwhelming majority of ferns have a rosette of openwork, feathery leaves. In botany, such leaf plates are called fronds. In most plants, the leaves are pinnately dissected, but can be found with solid plates. different size and forms. Each leaf consists of a petiole, a rod on which the leaves are located. Young leaves are snail-shaped and unwind as they grow. The reproductive organ is located on the lower part of the leaf plate.

The root system of a fern can be long or short.

Home fern - a unique ecology inspector

The main oddity of the fern is that the forest dwellers feel great in natural conditions without daily watering, transplanting, feeding, and at home the plant can die even if all growing conditions are met. This is due to the fact that the fern is called an indicator of air purity.

If the plant enters a polluted atmosphere with a lot of dust, it immediately reacts with leaf lethargy and may even die.

If the plant in the apartment or house begins to dry out, you should check if there is a gas leak in the room.

Watering mode

The house fern is a plant that needs a lot of water. Prolonged drying of the soil is contraindicated. The plant should be watered when the top layer of the earthy coma dries up. However, excess moisture is also detrimental to the roots of the fern, and, consequently, to the entire plant.

It is important to understand that a flower that has been dried out and watered again will not recover and will not come to life. The optimal watering regimen is several times a week. For irrigation, it is necessary to use settled, and even better, melt or rain water.

Light requirements

Many flower growers believe that house ferns belong to the category of shade-tolerant plants. However, such an opinion and growing shrubs in the shade leads to death. In order for the leaves to be green, healthy, large, bright, diffused light is needed. Optimal location for a flowerpot with a fern - a southwestern window.

An adult fern grows to large sizes, so in the future there may not be enough space on the windowsill. A shrub in a flower pot, on stands looks very impressive.

Temperature regime

The overwhelming majority of ferns prefer temperature regime within + 15- + 22 degrees. However, some types of domestic plants belong to certain groups that require a specific thermal regime.

• Heat-loving ferns - the air temperature in winter should not fall below +18 degrees. These species include maidenhair, nephrolepis, platicerium and asplenium.
• Ferns resistant to low temperatures - the air temperature in winter indoors can drop to +12 degrees. This category of ferns includes pellet and pimply polypodium.

All types of domestic ferns do not tolerate drafts and cold air, however, regular airing of the room is important for them. In summer, the flowerpot can be taken out to the balcony, but protect the leaves from direct sunlight.

Fertilizer and top dressing

As a rule, house fern grows quite quickly and grows well without additional nutrition. If you notice that the leaves of the plant have become pale and small, this may indicate a lack of nutrients in the soil. As fertilizers, it is better to use complex mineral fertilizers of a liquid consistency. Fertilizer should be diluted in accordance with the instructions.

Use organic fertilizers it is possible, but such top dressing, if handled carelessly, can harm the fern, causing a burn.

Soil for house ferns

In order to understand what kind of land a plant needs, it is necessary to remember what kind of soil prevails in the forest. Loose, with a high content of rotted leaves, a small amount of peat and needles. It is this earthen mixture that home ferns need for successful and healthy growth.

The acidity level of the soil should be slightly elevated. The soil must be well permeable to moisture and air. Otherwise, water will stagnate in the flowerpot, which will lead to decay of the root system.

The main symptom of waterlogging of the soil is yellow and brown spots on fern leaves. As a result, the leaves completely dry out.

Transplanting a house fern

House Fern Transplant Tips

Spring is the best time to transplant homemade ferns. Flower growers call the small size of the flowerpot the main reason for transplanting. If the plant is young, then it must be replanted annually, the difficulty lies in the fact that the plant painfully endures the procedure and can recover after it for several months.

In order to damage the plant in the least possible way, they use not the classical method, but the transshipment method. A bush with all the earth is transferred into a flowerpot of a larger diameter.

It is not necessary to clear the ground from the roots of the fern. Too delicate and fragile roots cannot be carefully cleaned without damaging them. The only exception is transplantation in case of plant disease, when it is necessary to identify damaged roots and cut them off.

For growing ferns, shallow and wide flowerpots are used. As for the earth mixture, you can choose a ready-made substrate in the store, the main thing is to take into account the acidity of the soil. The fern prefers acidic soil (acidity level from 5.0 to 6.6 pH).

If you prefer to make your own soil mixture, use this recipe:

• Leaf land - one part;
• Humus - one part;
• Peat - one part;
• Bone meal - one fifth.

Propagation of the house fern

The division of the fern bush

There are two ways to propagate ferns:

• disputes;
• The division of the bush.

The first way - with the help of spores - is very laborious and complicated. Even the most experienced flower growers do not use it at home, as the method is ineffective.

More popular and affordable is the method of dividing the bush. Despite the fact that this method, in fact, has no alternative, quite conflicting reviews can be heard among flower growers.

For division, it is better to use only young basal rosettes. In this case, you can count on a positive result. Special care must be taken when separating the socket so that mature plant not affected by the results of the procedure. If possible, save as much land as possible.

It is important for a young plant to provide sufficient air humidity (approximately 70%). During the period of rooting and adaptation of the fern, drying out the soil and air can become fatal.

Fern diseases and pests

If the conditions for growing a home fern are not regularly observed, the plant is in serious danger.

1. Watering cold water with a large amount of chlorine leads to the appearance of such an insect as a nematode. As a result, the leaves turn yellow, dry out and disappear. The only salvation of the plant is its transplant, however, and this measure may not help the fern. When transplanting, it is necessary to treat the bush with an insecticide.
2. Dry air is the cause of the appearance of scale insects, thrips and aphids. Only frequent spraying of the fern will help to avoid trouble. If insects appear, the bush is treated with an insecticide.

Note to florist

Questions most frequently asked by readers

Why do fern leaves dry?

Home fern is quite sensitive to improper conditions of detention, which is why the plant reacts to this with yellow and dry leaves. Here are some reasons why leaves dry up.

1. Keeping in a cold room.
2. drafts.
3. Watering with cold or hard water containing chlorine.
4. Too dry air, perhaps the plant is located near the heating system.
5. Keeping in a room where the temperature is too high (above +25 degrees).
6. If the leaves turn pale and the ends turn yellow, this is due to a lack of nutrients in the soil or growing in a cramped, small pot.
7. If the leaves wilt and then dry, the plant may be exposed to intense sunlight.

Brown dots, located on the underside of the leaf in a certain order, are mistaken by some novice flower growers for pests. However, these are spores and do not cause any harm to the plant.

fern care video

Indoor fern - ancient and amazing attractive plant. A special decorative effect is represented by its openwork leaves - wai. Ferns need good lighting, regular watering and daily spraying of the leaves. In addition, ferns need fresh air, but drafts are contraindicated. Plants are transplanted only by transshipment. Only with proper care can you grow a lush and healthy plant.

One of the most mysterious plants on Earth is the fern. This species has existed for millions of years. On the night of Ivan Kupala, many who want to find the flower of this plant go to the forest, but no one has yet found it. Everyone knows the fern, some know it only as a forest dweller, and for some, this green handsome man feels quite comfortable in the room. Do you want to settle in your room fern? Care at home for him is not at all difficult. You just need to familiarize yourself with some rules in order not to bring your green pet to death. Indoor fern nephrolepis is most often found among flower lovers. With the rich green color of its leaves, it gives the room coziness.

Indoor fern: home care

Among all ferns, nephrolepis is the best option for growing in rooms, as it is the most hardy representative of this species. Nephrolepis is a very beautiful ornamental plant with rich green leaves in dark and light shades. The color of the leaves depends entirely on the lighting and on the ground in the flowerpot.

How to care for indoor fern? The main thing is not to flood or overfeed the plant. In addition, there are some more features: you need to know what the fern likes, and why it starts to hurt and dry out. Basically, there are no difficulties, you just need to follow the rules outlined in this article. As a result, you will get a beautiful plant with luxurious green leaves.

Indoor flowers. Ferns: care and air atmosphere

Ferns are considered unpretentious plants, but still there are some conditions without which they will not delight the eyes with their green beauty. Take, for example, their forest counterparts: in natural conditions, ferns feel great without regular watering, without spraying and without fertilizers applied according to the norms and at the right time. At the same time, their indoor relatives, even if all the rules are observed, with timely transplantation and circumcision, can wither right before our eyes. What is the reason for the death of the plant?

In order for the indoor fern not to dry out, home care must comply with all the rules. In addition, the grower must take into account the fact that the fern is an accurate indicator of the atmosphere in the house or apartment. If the air in the room is too dry, gassed or smoky, the handsome green man will start to get sick. Thus, you will have an excellent adviser in the form of a fern: by its appearance you will be able to determine that the atmosphere in the house does not meet the standards and you need to look for the reason for this. There may be a gas leak - call the gas service and make sure everything is in order. There may be a lack of fresh air in the kitchen - install a hood. Maybe the air is too dry, very low humidity - buy a humidifier. As a result, you will ensure a normal existence for yourself and for the plants.

Where to put?

In order for indoor fern to grow and develop normally, home care must be correct. Think carefully about where to plant the plant. Nephrolepis can tolerate shadow, but it also needs light, though not direct, but slightly diffused and not in large quantities. Therefore, it is better to put it in a corner opposite the window. At the same time, he needs to provide access to fresh air.

It is necessary to take into account one more feature of plant growth. Nephrolepis grows quite large, its beautiful leaves grow both sideways and upwards. Based on this, there is definitely not enough space on the windowsill for him. The leaves will rest against the window glass and deform, the shape of the plant will be ugly.

Soil for ferns

To find out what kind of soil is needed for an indoor fern, just remember what kind of soil is in the forest. The earth there is very loose, with rotted leaves or needles, with the remains of peat. This is the basis for nephrolepis, then he will feel comfortable, like at home.

When filling a flower pot, remember that the fern soil mixture should be highly acidic, with the addition of leafy forest soil. Add sand and humus there, make sure that the soil freely passes water, is loose. If water stagnates in the flowerpot, then the roots of the fern will immediately begin to rot, the plant will get sick. Signs of this are brownish spots on the leaves. Sometimes it is very difficult to understand what is the reason that the room fern is withering. The leaves dry and become covered with brown spots even when the soil dries out. You just need to do everything according to the norms, water the plant on time, but do not overdo it.

How to transplant?

Indoor fern transplantation should be carried out every year. As mentioned earlier, nephrolepis is a large plant, so after a year it becomes cramped in its pot.

How to transplant an indoor fern so as not to injure the roots? The answer is simple: transfer it to a new flowerpot, so the roots will not be damaged. Transplantation is recommended in early spring, at a time when the growing season is just beginning. If you do not heed this advice and transplant the plant in the autumn sometimes, then it will take root for a long time and poorly, it may even die.

The new flowerpot should be three centimeters larger in diameter than the one that was previously used. Do not forget that the plant is gaining in growth, and it needs a bigger home. Then, very carefully, so as not to shake off the earth from the roots, transfer the plant to the prepared pot, after which you can add the earthen mixture prepared in advance according to all the rules. As you can see, there are no difficulties in this matter, you just need to do everything carefully and not rush.

reproduction

Ferns reproduce by dividing the bush. You can, of course, try to grow nephrolepis from seeds (spores), but this is practically impossible. It is much easier and more effective to divide the bush, it is recommended to do this during the spring transplant so as not to disturb the plant once again.

The division process itself is quite simple. Pulling the bush out of the flower pot, examine the base. You will see small basal rosettes there. So they need to be carefully separated from the parent bush, along with part of the rhizome. After separation from the bush, the small “babies” of the fern need to create greenhouse conditions so that they can endure the gap.

Proper watering

Once again, I want to remind you what you can expect if you water the indoor fern incorrectly: the leaves dry, the plant becomes covered with brown spots and eventually dies.

The main principle of watering ferns is moderation! The soil in the flower pot should not dry out, make sure that it is always slightly damp, while avoiding waterlogging. It is recommended to water the plant 3 times a week, but this is not a criterion at all, the timing of watering depends on the air temperature and on the place where the flower stands. Water Nephrolepis only with settled, preferably rainwater, it should be soft.

Mandatory spraying

Having found out that the fern can die without fresh air, measures must be taken to prevent such a sad ending. To do this, you need to regularly spray the bushes of indoor ferns. It is necessary to carry out such a procedure often, with an eye to what kind of atmosphere reigns in the room. If the air is too dry, then it is necessary to spray nephrolepis every day, but if the atmosphere is normal, then it is recommended to do this two to three times within seven days.

Fertilizers for the green handsome

If, when planting a fern, the soil was prepared according to all the rules with all the necessary additives, then it is often not necessary to feed the plant. It will be enough to feed twice a month so that it will continue to please with the rich and bright green color of its leaves.

For this purpose, a solution of mineral fertilizers of a weak consistency is used. In addition, organic fertilizers, such as mullein infusion, are suitable. Only by using organic matter, you can overdo it and overfeed the fern, this should not be allowed. The easiest way is to purchase ready-made mineral potash fertilizers, which are sold in every flower shop. There are instructions on the package. In accordance with it, fertilize the fern in spring and summer. As a result, thanks to the efforts of a caring grower, nephrolepis will delight you with the beauty of green, spreading leaves!

Fern is very popular among flower growers - beautiful plant with airy leaves often decorates our window sills and even front gardens. And although it will not be possible to see a fern flower, a plant planted in a decorative planter can transform a room. So let's talk about how to care for a fern.

microclimate requirements

Growing a home fern is not particularly difficult. However, in order to grow a lush and healthy plant, certain conditions will need to be met.

illumination

The culture pot must be placed in the right place - with diffused lighting, it is possible in partial shade. The window sill oriented to the north will be optimal. If this is not possible, it is better to put an indoor fern at a small distance from the window so that it does not suffer from excess light.

Air humidity

This culture prefers rooms with high humidity. There are two ways to achieve such conditions: plant a plant in a special pot with a double bottom or install an air humidifier in the room. It is quite possible to build a double pot on your own, which will require another container slightly larger than the one in which the bush is planted.

A larger pot is filled with well-moistened moss, a pot with a planted plant is placed inside, the top and edges of the pot are covered with the same wet moss. The latter should be regularly moisturized every few days.

If you prefer the option with a humidifier, it is better to install it near the plant. Or you can just spray the fern from a spray bottle, but not more often than 1 time in a few days.

Temperature regime

Given the tropical origin of ferns, they prefer quite high temperature air. Of course, we will not be able to create a real tropical climate, but it is necessary to maintain the temperature at +21 ° C. With a prolonged decrease in temperature, the culture feels bad.

A great option for culture would be a bathroom (provided it has a natural light source). Here, the fern is suitable for both temperature and humidity.

Video "Rules for caring for a fern"

From this video you will learn how to properly care for a fern at home.

Care rules

Caring for an indoor fern, although not laborious, requires compliance with several rules:

• grow a plant at home should be in those places where it will not be threatened by drafts and sudden changes in temperature;
• remember that the fern is extremely sensitive to air pollution: if the balcony of your house faces a busy street and you like to keep the windows open, your plant will most likely not like it.

Watering and feeding

Proper care for a healthy home fern involves abundant and frequent watering. Water it as soon as the top layer of the substrate dries out a little. The frequency of watering directly depends on the air temperature in the room: the hotter the room, the more moisture the crop will need.

Even a few days of drought can be detrimental to a fern. Being in dry soil for a long time, the plant may not recover even after watering. Excessive moisture is also unacceptable for the roots: with an excess of moisture, they begin to hurt, which negatively affects the general condition of the flowerpot.

It is important not to forget to fertilize the plant, especially during the period of its intensive growth: if the fern does not receive sufficient fertilizers, its foliage will first lose color intensity, and subsequently dry out completely.

You need to feed the culture weekly, using liquid complex formulations. The exception is the dormant period - the interval between the end of October and mid-February, at this time, feeding should be stopped.

pruning

If the leaves have begun to dry or turn yellow, do not expect them to return to their former strength. All damaged aerial parts of the fern should be cut off immediately.

Transplant and reproduction

Young shoots should be repotted annually, older plants as soon as the roots fill the free space of the pot. A certain difficulty lies in the fact that ferns do not tolerate transplanting well, so if you want to renew the container with the plant, it is better to transfer it by transshipment.

It is advisable to propagate ferns by dividing an overgrown bush, trying to carry out all the manipulations carefully, minimally injuring the root system.

Prevention of diseases and pests

The plant is prone to damage by aphids or scale insects if the air in the room is too dry. To prevent this, it is necessary to properly care for it: do not forget to regularly spray the fern.

Sometimes bushes can be affected by a nematode due to watering with cold water. The problem will be indicated by yellowing and drying of the foliage. To combat the pest, it is necessary to immediately treat the bush with an insecticide and transplant it into fresh soil.

Ferns are among the oldest representatives flora, they survived the dinosaurs, witnessed the evolution of man, and today they successfully grow not only in nature, but also indoors. Attention to the plant on the part of flower growers can be explained by the beauty of figuratively cut leaves and the fact that caring for an indoor fern at home is not at all difficult.

Around the planet today there are about 10 thousand species of ferns, but in the collections of indoor plant lovers, of course, there are fewer varieties. The most unpretentious fall on the window sills and at the same time ornamental plants. Among them are davallia, asplenium, pteris, nephrolepis and other species from different parts of the world.

The structure of ferns

Occupying an intermediate position between mosses, algae and gymnosperms, ferns have retained the features of the most ancient representatives of the flora and at the same time have successfully adapted to life in conditions that have changed over millions of years.

This feature becomes apparent when considering the structure of the fern. Leaves, or more correctly, fronds, make up the aerial part of plants and, as a rule, are distinguished by a curly, pinnate, or repeatedly dissected form. Young, not yet opened leaf plates of ferns are tightly folded into a spiral.

As they grow, they unwind, become darker and denser. Under a layer of soil are the rhizomes of ferns.

How to care for a fern at home?

When caring for indoor ferns at home, they try to create a microclimate that is as similar to natural as possible. This fully applies to:

• air temperature at different times of the year;
• environmental humidity;
• lighting;
• frequency and volume of watering;
• fertilizing;
• transplants.

Most of the indoor ferns grown indoors, as in the photo, come from the tropics or subtropical regions of the planet. But there are also indigenous inhabitants of temperate zones. To adapt to the needs of plants, all ferns are provided with protection from drafts and sudden changes in temperature, and are also protected from the scorching sun.

Depending on the species grown, they try to maintain an acceptable temperature. In the summer, plants can withstand temperatures up to 28–30 ° C, but subject to other conditions of care and increased attention from the owner.

How to care for a fern if this maximum is exceeded? The plant will need not only the usual protection from direct sunlight, but also frequent irrigation on especially hot days. It will help to fill the entire free volume of the pot with wet sphagnum or place the flower in a wet florarium. A useful solution would be to relocate the fern for the entire warm period under the open sky.

But with the onset of autumn, even before the first frosts, the grower will have to find a cool place under the roof for a green pet. Some species are content with keeping at normal room temperature not lower than 17 ° C. But there are those who are more comfortable being at 14-16 ° C. The minimum allowable content temperature is +10 ° C, if the air is colder, this threatens to overcool the rhizomes, which is especially dangerous in wet soil.

At home, indoor fern care will be greatly simplified if the pot is placed on the east or west window. Here the plants do not threaten sunburn, and the incoming lighting is sufficient for active growth and maintenance of decorative effect.

Do not forget that all members of the family react negatively to air pollution, smoke, car exhaust. Therefore, not the most the best place for a flower, it is a smoker's room or a balcony overlooking a noisy street with heavy traffic.

The frequency and intensity of watering varies depending on the season. When an indoor fern, as in the photo, is actively growing, it is watered more often, a decrease in growth rates signals the need to moisten the soil less often.

For ferns, both excessive and poor watering is harmful. The first case threatens with compaction and acidification of the soil, a decrease in the intensity of respiration and nutrition of the plant. Although the roots do not die, the flower quickly passes into an oppressed, weakened state.

The dryness of the substrate leads to the death of the leaves. You should not expect that the fronds that have lost turgor and bright color will come to life after the resumption of watering. Even when restarting proper care they die off, which negatively affects the appearance of the flower.

How to care for a fern that has lost its entire aerial part at home? It is possible to reanimate a plant affected by drought by knowing the intricacies of the development cycle of ferns. Both already dead and still green fronds are removed from the plant, after which the pot is transferred to a well-lit windowsill. With regular, but not too abundant watering, the fern will be able to recover quickly. And a sign of awakening will be tight green spirals of new foliage that have appeared above the substrate.

Complex top dressings with the inclusion of organic matter and minerals effectively help to maintain plants. They are carried out on a regular basis from mid-spring until autumn.

Transplanting an indoor fern

The best time to transplant indoor ferns is spring. Depending on the type of home plant, the procedure may have its own characteristics.

Since among the ferns there are not only terrestrial plants, but also epiphytes, you will have to prepare for this stage of caring for indoor ferns at home in advance. To do this, select:

• a suitable pot, basket or piece of wood for epiphytic varieties;
• a loose, necessarily light substrate that meets the needs of the culture.

Although stores offer ready-made mixes for most home-grown plants, it's best to ask your pet's needs further. For example, for epiphytes, it is preferable to add large fragments of fallen wood, steamed bark, moss to the soil, and people from the tropics require more nutrients to be included in the soil.

Fern reproduction

Everyone is well known folk tales about the fern flower that brings wealth and good luck. You can find an unprecedented miracle only during one, the shortest night of the year, when the fern blooms. And although the heroes of fairy tales managed to get a magic flower, in reality no one is destined to repeat their feat!

Due to their structure, ferns do not bloom. But how does a fern reproduce? The fact is that ferns have preserved one of the oldest methods of obtaining offspring with the help of spores.

At home, it is used extremely rarely due to the laboriousness and long wait for tiny plant primordia to hatch and mature. But reproduction by spores cannot be replaced when it comes to growing especially rare species.

Reproduction of ferns by spores begins with the formation of sporangia containing haploid spores on fronds. When ripe, they scatter on nearby soil areas, are carried by wind and animals, and, once in a favorable environment, germinate. After fertilization, the life of a new fern begins, but depending on the species, it can take up to several years before the formation of a self-feeding plant.

In room conditions, division of adult specimens is carried out. It is best to undertake a procedure that is rather unpleasant for the plant in the spring, combining it with transplanting into fresh soil.

The fern is divided into separate outlets so that each has:

• several leaves;
• own point of growth;
• sufficient area for growth of the rhizome.

There are many ways to propagate ferns. Individual varieties are easy to propagate by dividing underground shoots. Others give growth on a kind of mustache. And the third ferns, in order to accelerate growth and provide their offspring with a better chance of survival, became viviparous. They form child sockets right on the fronds. When the embryos are old enough to lead their own lives, they crumble and take root.

The subtleties of caring for a fern at home - video

It is not very difficult to take care of indoor fern at home, so many plant lovers choose this particular specimen among many. Of the large number of fern species, nephrolepis is the most popular. It has a beautiful and lush crown that can enliven even the most boring interior.

Indoor fern: growing nuances

Flower growers love the fern for its beauty and unpretentiousness. However, there are still growing features, and in order for the plant to look attractive, they should be observed.

The main feature of nephrolepis is its ability to detect dirty air, in which it immediately begins to wither.

Unsuitable conditions for him is being in a stuffy, smoky or dusty room. Fern "does not like" low humidity.

The flower can stoically endure the lack of regular watering, high or low temperatures. But if the air environment is not clean enough, its leaves will quickly turn yellow and dry.

Home care

Caring for indoor ferns is easy. Like any other home plant, it requires a certain soil, a suitable location in the apartment, watering and spraying. It does not do without periodic fertilization. In addition, you should know the features of a flower transplant, since you need to do this every year because of its rapid growth.

Ground Requirements

The plant prefers loose soil with lots of leaves and humus. Sometimes it may contain peat or needles. The earth should be very loose, airy. Through it, water will easily flow to the roots.

The roots of the plant can rot from overflow, so the pot needs good drainage.

Ready-made soil can be purchased at the store or prepared on your own if you have sufficient skills for this.

For cooking, you need to take in equal proportions:

• sod land;
• peat;
• leaf ground.

You should also add a little humus and sand. This recipe is the most suitable, forming the very soil conditions that an indoor fern requires.

However, clay tends to become covered with a fungus, which is subsequently very difficult to remove.

Plastic containers are also suitable. It should be remembered that this material does not allow air to pass through and does not have good stability. In order for the plant to feel great and not fall from the surface, it is necessary to choose a stable and large pot. Its diameter in diameter should be 2 times smaller than the size of the flower crown.

Lighting and temperature conditions

Nephrolepis leaves are large and green, so their need for a lot of diffused sunlight is quite logical. The plant can tolerate shade, but it will not look as impressive.

The direct rays of the sun will singe the sheets, leaving brown spots on them. Therefore, it is better to place the fern near the window, but not on the windowsill.

The optimum temperature for keeping is 15-22 degrees. The room can be warmer, especially during the heating season, so it is recommended to moisten the leaves more often by spraying during this period. The minimum temperature at which indoor fern survives is 5 degrees.

Watering and spraying

Fern should be watered with soft water, slightly warm. IN summer season this can be done 2 times more often than in winter. Otherwise, in winter period the plant will continue to grow and be too elongated with small leaves as there is not enough sunlight.

Watering should be such that the soil in the pot remains slightly moist. Excess water, like drought, are not the best conditions for indoor ferns.

Spraying the leaves must be done daily, especially during the heating period. Excessive dry air is not suitable for nephrolepis. You can also take care of suitable humidity in the room. To do this, it is recommended to purchase a humidifier or regularly hang a wet towel on the battery. Such a microclimate in the apartment is useful not only for the flower, but also for people.

It is better to take distilled or rain water, as tap water will leave white spots on the greenery.

Top dressing and fertilizer

It is recommended to fertilize indoor fern in spring and summer. You can do this with any ready solutions for feeding. They must be diluted according to the instructions on the package. Then add the same amount of pure water to the resulting solution. This feeding option is the most suitable for nephrolepis.

How to transplant?

One of the main steps in caring for green flower is his transplant. It is required to carry it out every year, as the rhizome of the plant grows rapidly. The crown also becomes larger, due to which the previous pot may not be able to withstand its weight. Choose a new container should be 2-3 cm larger in diameter.

To transplant an indoor fern, you will need:

1. Gently holding the flower by the base, pull it out of the container along with the earthy clod.
2. Shake off some of the old soil from the rhizome. If there are rotting roots, they must be removed.
3. Place the plant in a new container, cover the surface with fresh earth.

It is best to transplant in the spring. If this is done at another time of the year, the indoor fern will take root for a long time and will not look the best.

Reproduction of indoor fern

The most suitable way for reproduction of nephrolepis is the division of the mother bush. This action can be performed during the transplant period. The plant is examined for the presence of child outlets, after which they are separated with part of the roots from the common rhizome. They also need to be planted in advance prepared soil.

At the stage of growing a new fern, it is necessary to carefully monitor the microclimate in the room and strictly follow all the requirements for caring for the flower. Some of the outlets do not take root, which is the norm. However, dividing the indoor fern is the easiest method for its propagation.

Plant diseases and pests

The fern can get sick, like any other house plant. Most of the troubles are associated with improper care, as well as insufficient attention of the hostess at the stage of acquiring and transplanting a flower.

To reduce the incidence of nephrolepis, you must:

1. Refrain from self-preparation of the soil. Shop soil is carefully sterilized and does not contain pests.
2. Quarantine newly acquired plants.
3. Do not leave the flower in drafts, in direct sunlight, near the battery.
4. Monitor soil moisture, do not overfill the soil.

Possible diseases and how to deal with them:

• Anthracnose

Manifested by dark brown streaks at the ends of the sheet. It is recommended to remove the affected leaves from the plant, treat the crown with a fungicide. Watering for a while must be reduced, and the sheets should not be sprayed.

• Rotting rhizome

First the leaves turn yellow, then turn brown. The fern quickly dies. On initial stage It is important to monitor watering, do not overmoisten the soil.

• leaf spot

Appears wet brown spots. It is necessary to completely remove the affected areas, treat the plant with a fungicide and do not water for some time.

• Gray rot

Leaves, stems and soil are covered with a gray moldy coating. The fern should be quarantined, all affected leaves removed from it, treated with an anti-mold solution.

• Pests

The fern is affected by: whitefly, white podura, mealybug, nematodes, spider mites, aphids, thrips, mealybugs and others. Most pests start due to improper plant care. Affected areas should be removed by carefully treating the entire crown and rhizome with a suitable insect solution. The plant in this case requires quarantine, as pests quickly move on to healthy flowers.

The main problems in growing

All the problems that a florist may encounter are related to improper care of indoor ferns. On green leaves, the consequences of an inappropriate microclimate or watering immediately begin to appear.

Among them are:

• leaf fall is due to insufficient watering, darkening - the consequences of overflow;
• yellowness on the leaves indicates dry air;
• stunted growth and pale green foliage indicates insufficient nutrition.

If you follow all the conditions for keeping nephrolepis, he will decorate any room with the greenery of his lush crown. Therefore, all efforts to care for a flower are definitely worth the time spent.

Fern (Polypodiophyta) is one of the oldest representatives of the plant world, growing on our planet millions of years ago. In total, there are more than 10 thousand varieties of ferns belonging to 300 genera and united by one department. Plants are resistant to different weather conditions, but not many varieties are suitable for breeding at home - polypodium and pellet, nephrolepis fern, platicerium and maidenhair, and some others.

Ferns are one of the oldest plants on our planet.

Ferns grow in different climates and natural environments - in meadows and swamps, in forests, even on trees. But most of all they are common in the tropics. And it was tropical varieties that took root in home floriculture. There are also types that are resistant to frost. Their gardeners are happy to grow on personal plots.

All types of ferns consist of two parts: roots and openwork, pinnate, arched leaves called fronds. Most plants have pinnately dissected leaf blades, but there are species with whole leaves. various shapes and sizes.

Ferns are mysterious and mysterious plants that are mentioned in many legends. According to one of them, the fern blooms once a year - on the night of Ivan Kupala. Despite the legend, the plant does not appear flowers, fruits and seeds do not form. The fern reproduces by spores, like mushrooms, mosses and algae.

The fern has salient feature: the plant is very hardy in nature, but may not survive at home even with proper care and creation of optimal conditions. Plants are indicators of air purity: when it enters a polluted and dusty atmosphere, fern leaves quickly wither, it dies.

The fern purifies the air and has healing properties, helps with bleeding, eczema, abscesses, but at the same time, the rhizome of the fern is poisonous, and decoctions must be prepared strictly following the recipe.

Varieties

There are not so many species of ferns grown at home.

1. Maidenhair. A plant with thin but strong stems and graceful fronds loves warmth, shade and moisture. Adiantum is better to grow in winter gardens and terrariums than at home. The names of varieties of Adiantum are raddy, delicate, fine-haired, venus hair.
2. Asplenium. Likes shade and moist air. At home, several varieties of asplenium are bred, which, according to appearance completely different from each other. This asplenium is nesting and bulbous, viviparous.
3. Nephrolepis. The plant loves space and does not tolerate neighborhood. Nephrolepis fronds are strongly dissected, which creates a unique openwork effect. Most often, the sublime nephrolepis variety is grown, the care of which at home is quite simple. Nephrolepis also reproduces simply - by dividing a large bush or offspring shoots.
4. Blekhnum (otherwise derbyanka). The crown of the plant reaches a diameter of about 1 m, and hard fronds look like a palm tree. The most common varieties are humpback blehnum and Brazilian.
5. Davallia. A plant with a very thick rhizome. Because of this feature, he was given the popular name hare or squirrel legs.
6. Platicerium (otherwise plateau). The plateau is characterized by the presence of large, showy leaves divided into lobes, outwardly similar to deer antlers.
7. Disconia. A small young plant in adulthood can reach 3 m, suitable for spacious interiors.
8. Pelley. Pelleya likes dry habitats, which distinguishes it from other species. More than others, varieties of round-leaved and green pellets are common.
9. Polypodium (aka centipede). A plant with strongly dissected leaves has two features: a rhizome creeping along the surface and the ability to grow in places with dry air.

A large plant looks very impressive in hanging pots and stands, and its beautiful feathery leaves are used to decorate bouquets and flower arrangements- Fern recovers plucked fronds fairly quickly.

Features of care

The basic care of a fern at home involves regular watering and ensuring sufficient air humidity - most species do not tolerate drought. It is equally important, when caring for a fern at home, to ensure optimal temperature and lighting. It is necessary to properly transplant and propagate the fern. With illiterate maintenance, the indoor flower will quickly die.

If the plant is located next to other flowers, it is important to make sure that its delicate openwork leaves are not squeezed. Vayi are very fragile and require free space. If the leaves are damaged or dry, they must be removed in a timely manner, allowing young fronds to develop freely.

Watering

Indoor fern loves water very much. Prolonged drought can kill the plant. As soon as the top layer of the earth dries up, it needs to be watered. At the same time, excess moisture is harmful to the root system, and can lead to the death of the fern. With excessive moisture, the leaves become covered with yellow and brown spots, the root begins to rot, the plant dries completely. You need to water it several times a week with settled water.

It is important to remember that if the home fern is dried out and then watered, the plant will still not recover.

illumination

Indoor fern loves good lighting, in the shade it can die. It is best to place the plant on a window on the southwest side. With sufficient access to bright diffused light, the leaves of the plant will be large, green and healthy.

Temperature

The average optimum temperature for a fern flower is from 15 to 22 ° C. But more specifically, the temperature regime must be selected taking into account the plant variety. There are types:

1. heat-loving (nephrolepis, asplenium, platicerium) - should be kept in winter at a temperature not lower than 18 ° C;
2. resistant to low temperatures (polypodium pimply, pellet) - withstand temperatures down to 12 ° C.

All types of indoor fern-like plants do not tolerate drafts, while they love fresh air. The room with the flower should be regularly ventilated.

Priming

The soil for the fern must be loose, pass air and water well, otherwise the moisture will stagnate in the container, which will eventually lead to rotting of the roots. It is optimal that the soil contains a large number of rotted leaves, a little less needles and peat.

So that the water does not stagnate, a drainage layer of expanded clay is laid out on the bottom of the pot.

For a fern suitable soil with a little increased level acidity (pH value from 5.0 to 6.6). Soil acidity is easy to determine using litmus paper. To do this, 2 g of soil must be mixed with 10 ml of distilled water, shake well, let the sediment settle. Then drop a litmus test into the liquid above the sediment. At pH=5 it will turn yellow, and at pH=6 it will become greenish-yellow.

Fertilization

Indoor fern usually grows normally and feels good without additional feeding. But the fact that the leaves of the flower turned pale and became small indicates a lack of nutrients in the soil.

The need for top dressing often occurs during the active growth phase - in late spring and summer. You can fertilize the flower with liquid complex mineral fertilizers, for example, a solution, 1 liter of which contains:

• potassium salt - 1 g;
• superphosphate - 1.5 g;
• ammonium nitrate - 1.5 g.

With great care, organic matter is used for fern - it can cause a burn. Some flower growers periodically add tea leaves to the pot or water it with weakly brewed tea.

Transfer

The fern plant is a fast-growing plant, and therefore, at a young age, it is transplanted every year. Adult specimens are recommended to be transplanted every 2-3 years. Fern transplantation is carried out in the spring.

In order not to harm the plant, it is advised to transplant it into a larger pot by transshipment. During transplantation, the base of the rosette of leaves should not be deepened into the ground.

earth from roots indoor flower do not clean, so as not to damage the fragile roots. An exception is the disease of the indoor flower, in which it is necessary to detect damaged roots and remove them.

The fern takes the transplant procedure painfully, and its recovery can take several months.

To transplant a fern, you can buy a ready-made soil substrate with an acidic environment in the store or prepare the soil yourself. For this you need to take:

1. leaf land - 1 part;
2. humus - 1 part;
3. peat - 1 part;
4. bone meal - 1/5 part.

You can use another soil containing:

1. 3 parts of sheet soil and peat;
2. 2 parts of sod land;
3. 1 part of humus and sand;
4. 1/2 cup ash;
5. a handful of sphagnum moss.

reproduction

Ferns can breed:

• dividing the bush;
• disputes.

Fern propagation by spores is a very complex, time-consuming, and at the same time ineffective method. This method of reproduction of ferns is not used even by professional flower growers.

Brown dots on the lower surface of the leaf are not pests, but spores that the plant reproduces with.

At home, indoor plants reproduce by dividing. Only young basal rosettes are suitable for reproduction. They must be separated very carefully so as not to harm the adult plant. Division is best done in cold, cloudy weather.

Reproduction by division is carried out in the spring, and the day before the procedure, the fern should be watered abundantly.

How to care for a fern that has recently been planted? Be sure to create a suitable humidity (about 70%) and abundant watering for at least 2 weeks. Drying out of air and earth in a pot can destroy a home fern.

Growing problems

If you take care of the fern at home incorrectly, it gets sick, more often it is affected by pests.

• Nematode. It affects indoor ferns when watered with cold water containing a lot of chlorine. The leaves of the plant become yellow, dry. The only way to save it is to transplant it into a new pot, after treating it with insecticides. But the treatment is not always successful, in some cases the decorative fern dies.
• Shchitovka, thrips, aphids. More often they attack a fern flower contained in a room with excessively dry air. Frequent spraying, periodic warm showers will help prevent flower damage. If pests appear, the plant is treated with insecticides.

Diseases and pests for ferns are not the only problem. Florists who have a fern at home often face the problem of drying leaves. Home ferns are sensitive to unsuitable conditions of detention, which is manifested by yellowed, dry fronds.

There are many reasons why plants dry out. It could be:

1. low or, conversely, high (more than 25 ° C) air temperature;
2. use for irrigation of cold water;
3. watering with water containing a lot of chlorine;
4. dry air, the presence of heating devices near the indoor flower;
5. exposure to direct sunlight (leaves first wither, then dry out);
6. growing in a cramped pot or lack of nutrients in the soil (leaves become pale and their tips turn yellow).

Fern leaves can darken and dry out due to drafts.

Where can I buy?

You can buy a fern in greenhouses, specialized flower shops or on Internet portals. The cost of a plant depends on its variety and size:

• nephrolepis boston and asplenium nest height 25 cm - about 800 rubles;
• asplenium nest height 65 cm - 5,500 rubles;
• nephrolepis sublime 40 cm high - 2,100 rubles;
• nephrolepis vital and sonata - 3,200 rubles.

The fern perfectly decorates any interior. But he will look healthy and magnificent only in the case of constant proper care and the creation of suitable conditions. Only with good lighting, timely watering and frequent spraying, openwork flower fronds will delight with their beauty and grace.

A beautiful and mysterious plant, the fern, is becoming increasingly popular with many flower growers. Its extraordinary beauty is simply mesmerizing. Such a piece of exotic can be grown in your apartment, especially since caring for an indoor fern at home is not very difficult.

General information

Growing and caring for indoor fern flowers are based on creating a favorable microclimate for it, which should be as close to natural as possible.

To understand how to care for an indoor fern, you need to know some points in the features of growing this plant.

Points to pay attention to:

• creation of optimal air temperature in different seasons;
• constant monitoring of indoor humidity;
• providing the flower with suitable lighting;
• regular moderate watering;
• applying the necessary fertilizers to the soil;
• correct transplant.

The eagle instantly outcompetes other plants in areas of forest land in clearcut areas or areas affected by fires, despite the fact that this kind of aggression is not the best trait for plant characteristics. Thanks to the ferns, the soil does not lend itself to washing off and drying out, this saves forest land at the time of the summer heat or rising groundwater.

Many houseplants are so decorative look that seem artificial. If you want to have a real “corner of the forest” at home, you should get one of the oldest plants, whose ancestors still remember dinosaurs - a fern. External attractiveness and undemanding content made this plant the love of flower growers. And now we have an indoor fern, home care for which is not difficult.

In the homes of Russians from ferns, nephrolepis is most often found. It easily adapts to room conditions, looks spectacular. Saturated green color, elegant rosette, carved leaves - up to half a meter long. Even if the fern is the only plant in the house, after a while it will grow so much that it will look like a piece of the garden and will attract the eyes of the guests. But in order for the fern to live well, a number of conditions must be observed.

Ground Requirements

It would seem, what could be the care of a fern growing in the forest shade? Who waters it there, fertilizes it, carefully grows it? But no, there are requirements, and a lot.

First of all, it is worth remembering that it is for the forest land that flower growers go, trying to provide their plants with the best soil.

What land is in the forest? Fertile, peaty and light. That is, there are enough nutrients in it, and the water does not stagnate. If you purchased a fern and are going to transplant it, then you can add a little rotted foliage or old needles to the soil purchased at the store. No matter how the fern loves dampness, and stagnation of moisture is categorically contraindicated for it. The store-bought soil “clumps” over time, becomes dense, so the addition of foliage will be very helpful.

Lighting and temperature conditions

Have you ever seen a fern in a meadow? And you won't see. The plant does not like bright sunlight. Therefore, it is undesirable to place it on a window or loggia that faces south.

In general, since the fern grows large, the window sill is not its place. The best place to place the pot is a nightstand, which will be located - depending on the illumination of the room - closer to or further from the window.

As for the temperature, a person can offer a plant only that which is maintained in his home. But in the summer it is cool and damp in the forest. Therefore, it is good if during the hot season - in the room where the fern "settled", the air conditioner works, or at least there is a humidifier.

In winter, it is undesirable for the leaves of the fern to “burn” a draft from the window. Overdried, as a result of work steam heating, the air is also unfavorable for the plant. It is worth ventilating the room more often, you can cover the batteries with a damp cloth, or install several containers of water so that it evaporates, providing the fern with the necessary moisture. The optimum temperature for it is + 18-20 C.

Watering and spraying

Pet owners should get a small sprayer. Watering should be regular, but moderate, so that water does not stagnate in the pot. Depending on the air temperature in the room - watered 2-3 times a week. You can spray regularly, the plant is only good. You just need to look so that the wet leaves do not fall Sun rays, and the fern didn't get burned.

Consider a situation where, for some reason, the soil in the pot is completely dry, but the plant is still alive. It would be a big mistake in this case to immerse the pot in water, or water the earth abundantly - so that the water seeps out and fills the pan. With almost 100% probability, the roots of the fern will rot in this case.

It is better to moisten the ground from the sprayer several times in a row, and then gradually moisten the soil for several days. Treat the fern in this case as a starving person, who is also beginning to be fed a little.

It is best to use settled water for watering the plant. In winter, you can successfully use melted snow; in summer, if possible, it is worth collecting rain liquid.

Top dressing and fertilizers

It is also not worth overfeeding the fern with fertilizers. There is a popular belief that it is impossible to “re-manure” land. With regard to potatoes, this may be true, but it does not apply to ferns.

If cow dung is used as a fertilizer, it must be diluted and watered a little at a time, no more than 1 time in 2 months. More often, you can use fertilizers that are sold in the Priroda store: once every 3-4 weeks, diluting them according to the instructions. Another option is to add a little peat to the fern pot from time to time.

Plant transplant

The fern is transplanted, like other indoor plants, in the spring, picking up a pot for it 4-5 cm larger than the previous one. It is best to transfer the fern to a new place without clearing its roots from the old earth, but preserving, if possible, the entire earthen clod. That is, "transfer" it from place to place.

If the soil in the pot is damp, additional watering is not required. The fern is carefully removed, you can use a spatula designed to care for indoor plants, and, together with an earthy clod, are lowered into a new pot. Then the missing soil is poured on top and sides, slightly crushing it.

Transplantation is the right time to start propagating the plant.

Reproduction of indoor fern

If someone still believes in the beautiful fairy tale that the fern blooms one night of the year, and at that time he points out treasures, perhaps this “someone” can start looking for “fern seeds”.

In fact, the plant can reproduce by spores. The sporangia are found on the underside of the leaves. But if you do not have the persistence of Michurin, you are unlikely to succeed in mastering the most difficult process of fern reproduction using spores.

It is best to divide an adult bush during transplantation - that is, carefully separate young basal rosettes, “kids”, from it. They are planted in separate pots, or in a common container, under the film.

Kids need the most greenhouse conditions. But even in this case, not all "kids" can survive.

Diseases and pests

Of course, if ferns were sissies, they wouldn't have survived on Earth for millennia. So, diseases, in principle, are not characteristic of them. But in case of stagnant water - or, conversely, excessive drying out, the leaves become covered rusty spots and then they die.

On the contrary, when the air in the apartment is too dry, pests such as aphids or scale insects can choose the fern. A trusty sprayer will come to the rescue. The plant must be sprayed with a solution of karbofos.

Thus, with the advent of a fern in your home, the microclimate of the home will also change. The cool, humid and clean air that the plant requires will also be useful to humans. May the fern please you for many years.