Is pebble tray reallly enough for humidity for mahogany f...
Not new to plants but absolutely new to ferns. Any real life tips, gang? #GregGang #MahoganyFern #FernFriends #PlantsMakePeopleHappy #NewPlantMom #TipsandTricks
5” pot with drainage
Last watered 4 months ago
11
I 100% agree with @Lifeis2short - pebble trays do nothing imo, and also pls never mist. Group your plants together so they are close to each other and during their transpiration, moisture will be released, creating a little microclimate around your plants where humidity is increased. I would probably do that first (depending on your environment) and see how your fern fairs. Have you got a humidity and temp meter? Placing it near your fern will help you work out whether the humidity is sufficient. I also keep mine in a self watering pot with wicks so it always has access to water (but isn’t sitting in water itself) and that seems to keep it happy :)
@Lifeis2short @WelsomeRhodotus @WanderingJenny I’m following all the advice because I seem to have trouble with ferns indoors. They are fine outside in the summer, but bring them inside for the winter and they either dry out to fast or they are over watered! 🫤
@WelsomeRhodotus @Lifeis2short thanks for the thoughts! I have a humidifier for my calatheas so hoping I should be good there. Am I right in understanding they need moist but not soggy soil? Happy to hear any other care tips! Thanks :)
@WanderingJenny yep! No plant likes soggy soil tbh. I find the wick style self watering pot is good at keeping the soil consistently moist so that you don’t have to come be worrying about that.
Also just wanted to add that it might not hurt to go down a study rabbit hole with this plant. I usually watch a thousand YouTube videos and raid the library for books on the topic to really get across a particular plant’s needs. You get a lot of generic info from websites like the Spruce but you start to see consistent patterns in the advice people provide in their care videos on YouTube. I personally find that helpful - enough of the same message coming though eventually sinks in 😅😅😅
@WanderingJenny I’m in agreeance with the pebble tray=not enough. I have a HUGE Boston fern and I have a few other ferns (crocodile, birds nest, and cotton candy) and one of the most crucial things I have learned is what they’re potted in. Yes, they like to stay moist but not wet. Most ferns are epiphytes, which determines what substrate is best for them. I use a mixture of coco chips, coco coir, chunky perlite, charcoal and fir moisture I add cedar chips and tree fern fiber. My birds nest is in just coco chips and coco coir. Ferns don’t like drafts either, and they don’t like to be in high traffic where people might teach them walking by. The right substrate helps with not necessarily needing a humidifier but makes grouping enough.
@WanderingJenny
Hi!
Just seeing your post for the first time...
After I switched to bottom watering and absolutely no misting, my fern is soooooo happy and finally growing, not to mention, healthy! ✨❤️
Hi!
Just seeing your post for the first time...
After I switched to bottom watering and absolutely no misting, my fern is soooooo happy and finally growing, not to mention, healthy! ✨❤️
I’m in Florida where many ferns grow very well and easily outside, requiring little intervention for the native species. However, I have a harder time growing ferns that don’t come from subtropical or tropical regions like mine, because they require a different environment that I have to try to replicate. Just as @WelsomeRhodotus said, I spend awhile online searching for information about the plant, where it originates from, how it grows naturally, the light it’s used to receiving, etc., to learn just how to care for it, because plants have such different needs, even among ferns.
Kinda funny that I just got a Mahogany fern today and was coming on here to get information about it when I saw this post.
Mahogany ferns are native to the tropical and subtropical regions of South America, South Africa, and Southern Asia. That tells me that this fern is going to most likely enjoy a climate and care routine much like a Boston fern, but with less sunlight. They naturally grow in rainforests with very high humidity and are accustomed to getting much more rain than in most places. Ferns and other plants that usually grow in forests like this are also generally used to growing in lower light conditions, or dappled light, along the forest floor.
I got very into ferns this year and have several varieties now. I make a special potting mix just for ferns that I’ve been tweaking for months now and I think it’s nearly perfect. I use Coir, Coir chips, a little Black Kow and bat guano (excellent for ferns!), mushroom compost, a little bit of a bagged potting soil, pumice, and some perlite. I haven’t tried using charcoal in my mix yet but I think I will now. I have some that I’m charging now so I’ll try it out. I’m going to repot my mahogany fern tomorrow because ferns don’t generally have issues with being repotted right away, in my experience. And I think my mix is better than what it’s currently in. Plus, for some reason, my Mahogany fern came with a Brake fern growing in the same pot!
Just remember that ferns are basically like a weed that, in this case, grows under a large canopy of trees, in a forest filled with trees and plants. So if you don’t live in an area with high humidity, I think grouping plants together is your best way of creating humidity and mirroring its natural environment. Any plant that naturally grows on the forest floor will also be accustomed to richer soil.
I’ve learned a lot about caring for ferns this year, so feel free to ask me anything if you want.
I’ll post pictures of mine tomorrow. Good luck with yours!
Kinda funny that I just got a Mahogany fern today and was coming on here to get information about it when I saw this post.
Mahogany ferns are native to the tropical and subtropical regions of South America, South Africa, and Southern Asia. That tells me that this fern is going to most likely enjoy a climate and care routine much like a Boston fern, but with less sunlight. They naturally grow in rainforests with very high humidity and are accustomed to getting much more rain than in most places. Ferns and other plants that usually grow in forests like this are also generally used to growing in lower light conditions, or dappled light, along the forest floor.
I got very into ferns this year and have several varieties now. I make a special potting mix just for ferns that I’ve been tweaking for months now and I think it’s nearly perfect. I use Coir, Coir chips, a little Black Kow and bat guano (excellent for ferns!), mushroom compost, a little bit of a bagged potting soil, pumice, and some perlite. I haven’t tried using charcoal in my mix yet but I think I will now. I have some that I’m charging now so I’ll try it out. I’m going to repot my mahogany fern tomorrow because ferns don’t generally have issues with being repotted right away, in my experience. And I think my mix is better than what it’s currently in. Plus, for some reason, my Mahogany fern came with a Brake fern growing in the same pot!
Just remember that ferns are basically like a weed that, in this case, grows under a large canopy of trees, in a forest filled with trees and plants. So if you don’t live in an area with high humidity, I think grouping plants together is your best way of creating humidity and mirroring its natural environment. Any plant that naturally grows on the forest floor will also be accustomed to richer soil.
I’ve learned a lot about caring for ferns this year, so feel free to ask me anything if you want.
I’ll post pictures of mine tomorrow. Good luck with yours!
@JenniB81
Welcome back Jenni!!!! 👋😀
We've missed you so much... how are you doing?
Welcome back Jenni!!!! 👋😀
We've missed you so much... how are you doing?
