Rabbits foot fern question/help
My house is extremely dry, and my #ferns were suffering for it. I have a small greenhouse in my dining room now, and he's living in there, but he seems to he dropping quite a few fronds. Today, it dropped more than a dozen.
Any care tips?
There's a grow light on for a few hours a day (enough to simulate partial shade), there's a humidifier in there with the plants, and the pot has drainage - bit the fern is in a very moisture-retaining mix.
Tips are appreciated!
#fernfriends #greenhouse #humidifier #greggang #planthelp #plantsmakepeoplehappy #plantaddict #growlights #newbie. #plantnoob
Any care tips?
There's a grow light on for a few hours a day (enough to simulate partial shade), there's a humidifier in there with the plants, and the pot has drainage - bit the fern is in a very moisture-retaining mix.
Tips are appreciated!
#fernfriends #greenhouse #humidifier #greggang #planthelp #plantsmakepeoplehappy #plantaddict #growlights #newbie. #plantnoob
5ft to light, indirect
5â pot with drainage
Last watered 1 day ago
10
Thanks @lifeis2short. I am worried youre right and it might be the soil. I have found this mix doesn't dry out quickly at all. Maybe it's time to repot with some dry soil and see if we can wick out/disperse some of that moisture?
ððð @Lifeis2short Honestly? It's not too hot. I think there was some rot going on, but some of the little rhizome "feet" still seem firm, and a couple still have fronds. This pot could also have better drainage. ð I just hope that I can save at least one of the polka dot plants your tip-off made me check. I'll tell you one thing: I'm not a fan of Miracle Gro's tropical mix. It doesn't dry out ever. As a new plant owner, it's caused me a lot of heartache. It might just be a lesson learned. But I hope to talk my husband into stopping at a greenhouse where I can pick up some terra cotta pots and do some transplanting.
@StrangeAnimal I don't use anything with the name MiracleGro on it. In my experience, all of their products are crap. I tried the tropical mix once as a base, adding perlite and orchid bark to it but like you said it seemed to never dry out. And you don't have to get terracotta at a greenhouse. If you have a local thrift shop or see an estate sale you can find them hella cheap! If you do go to a greenhouse for them, some have used terracotta pots for sale. My local greenhouse sells ones that have been donated. Just be sure to wash them if you get used ones
@StrangeAnimal just jumping in here kinda late on the post, sorry! ð but I wanted to add that a lot of hardware stores also carry terra cotta pots. We have a chain called True Value and I get all my terra cotta pots there. Also, I wanted to express my love for rabbits foot ferns. I hope yours is doing better. If sounds like you are on the right track with a better draining soil mix. I have a tiny tiny rabbit foot fern propagation. They are in a chunky type soil mix. I let it dry out 50% down the pot before watering. It has been very tolerant of this. 1 last thing, I have been using the orchid pots from repot me for many of my plants, and that helps a lot with drainage issues. They are plastic pots with drainage holes all over. The bottom and sides.
@nellz4estfairyz there's a few good hardware stores around us, and in the growing season, the selection is good - and usually cheaper than my local greenhouses.
As for the fern, we are on life support, but I will continue the quest. They're adorable and wonderful. I never thought of orchid pots! I look forward to seeing how they grow!
As for the fern, we are on life support, but I will continue the quest. They're adorable and wonderful. I never thought of orchid pots! I look forward to seeing how they grow!
@Lifeis2short I was actually going to write a post about the dangers of Miracle gro. It's a bit awful. I was doing a bit of research, and I'm trying to learn about soilless mixes as well, since I will make those myself and can control the amount of drainage that way.
