In the last decades of the last century, the fern was more of a trend plant, but from the beginning of the 21st century it has become an indispensable part of our gardens, living rooms and even bathrooms. A relatively easy plant to keep, at least if you stick to the conditions. The fern is popular both indoors and outdoors, it can be found in many interiors and always attracts attention because of the separate leaves and the fanning of the leaves. Where does the fern come from and can you keep the fern well?
Boating, general
The fern belongs to the so-called vascular plants. Vascular plants are land plants with vascular bundles, which is a kind of means of transport for water. Ferns have roots that draw the necessary water from the soil, as most plants do. However, they can also tap straight from the water. There are many hundreds of species of fern, which multiply via spores, and these all have leaves that sprout from the rhizome. They cannot, of course, be compared to seed plants. There are ferns that have fertile leaves, but there are also ferns without spores. Most ferns are herbaceous plants.
The fern is a very old plant group. We find the fern in origin mainly in tropical and subtropical areas. The living environment, which is humid, is essential for the fern. For that reason, it is therefore also a plant that should be able to do well in the bathroom. That is, if the bathroom is not just a little too dark.
The fern is one of the few non-flowering plants that has great ornamental value. This only because of the magazine. The fern really needs its leaves and because there are so many species, there is a fern for everyone that is experienced as beautiful.
Boating care
Sun and water
The fern can thrive in sun and partial shade. This applies to both outside and inside. A fern in the dark is generally not going to do well, even if the plant is getting enough water. All in all, the ideal conditions for sailing are:
- slightly moist soil
- well-drained soil (no solid soil such as clay soil)
- sun or partial shade
Check regularly whether the soil (potting compost or soil) where the fern with its roots is, is still somewhat moist. Incidentally, a good layer of water at the bottom of a pot can lead to root rot, so that is not the solution to leave this plant in moist soil.
Size and colors
There are tiny ferns and there are ferns with leaves of up to five feet. So it depends entirely on the species, how big the plant can grow. The color can also be very diverse. The almost apple green fern is popular, but the fern with the large blue / gray leaves is also popular and is also less maintenance. There are also some deep green colored and soft green colored ferns.
Hardy or not?
There are hardy ferns where the foliage remains visible and there are ferns that die back to the root and reappear the following season. Whether the plant dies after the flowering season or not depends on the species of fern. Some examples:
- The oak fern: this is a relatively small species and one that also remains upright during the cold months.
- The man fern: this is a fern that can grow up to a meter high. Although the plant can hold its leaves for a long time, it will eventually lose the leaves. This fern is one of the few types of fern that can also do it in dark places and is happy with less water.
Proliferate
Some people do not want the fern in the garden, because it would proliferate and crop up everywhere. This is a serious exaggeration, because there is only one species that can proliferate in this way and that is the ostrich fern, also called the ‘cup fern’. If you have a larger garden, this fern can be a beautiful ground cover as a plaque in the middle of the field and the argument that this plant is proliferating is not relevant at all.
When should the fern be planned?
The fern can be planned both in spring and in autumn. In the spring the leaves develop quickly and then you have immediate results from your work. If you consciously choose autumn, the plants only need a little more time to get used to the conditions, but ferns can also develop well. It is good to put some decomposed leaves on the soil around the fern if you have planned the fern outside.
Can the fern always and everywhere?
Undoubtedly there are gardens where the fern is not quite in place, but the fern fits many types of gardens. Think about:
- Wild field flower garden. Let everything grow together in height and color and let it complement each other.
- A beach garden with lots of grasses and weathered wood. Then look more at the silvery ferns.
- A rose garden with the roses as eye-catchers and the fern as ground cover, especially the hard green or apple green color.
- A largely paved garden with only large pots. The fern fans out beautifully in large pots. It might be useful to work with a drip system in such a garden, so that the plants never run dry.
- A gravel garden with large green placards. The green contrasts nicely with gray gravel, for example.
- If you work with rocks and water in your garden, you can also let the fern grow between them. The fern colors perfectly with, for example, beautiful pink water lilies.
Finally
The fern is versatile and there is a beautiful fern for everyone. There are many colors, leaf drawings and in terms of volume there is also everything for sale. With consistent treatment, the plant is otherwise not so demanding. The plant is suitable for indoor and outdoor use. An absolute must in the garden, on the balcony or at home.