Huge Boston Fern

17 years ago

A friend of mine told me she was going to "will" her Boston fern to me because she knows how much I love it. I re-potted it for her a couple yrs back (that was a job) Almost like wrestling with an alligator!

The friend decided she was going to move to Florida and so she just gave it to me last week.Some of the fronds hang down almost 5 ft!

The beautiful "spray" effect it has isn't showing in the picture because it was put in back of a pick-up truck and covered with a tarp so it wouldn't get damaged on the ride home, kinda like the equivalent of "hat hair"

Sorry, not the greatest pic.

Billy Rae

Here is a link that might be useful: Boston Fern

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (14)

GrowHappy
17 years ago
Billy Rae,

I can't think of a better inheritance, aside from cash, than Plants!!!!! Your new fern is gorgeous and it's situated perfectly! What are you doing for humidity?

GH
canttype
17 years ago
Not a great picture? Man, that is a fantastic picture:-) Can't imagine what she will look like after she comes back from the Beauty Parlor Lol!

So envious am I!
Diane
Related Discussions
Further Boston-fern questions
Q
Comments (13)
Hi Joel. I have used coconut chips and coir with my orchids. Certain countries, which supply coconut products, soak the coconuts in pits of salt water for a long time to ease separating the husk and softening the shell. One vender told me they soak for over a year in huge pits. It has always been known that you should soak and rinse the coconut chips or fiber repeatedly to remove the salt. Some companies will state on their bags, that their product was prerinsed and only requires one rinse before using. Although I buy my supplies from reputable dealers, I still soak and rinse before using. If you soak overnight, you can taste the soaked water to see if its salty. Good dealers state that they get their product from inland producers who only soak in river water pits. No matter where you buy, it is recommended to soak coir and rinse at least once. I have had problems using CHC with certain orchids. I think it was because it holds too much moisture. As a result, I use it less than I did before. When I use the chips, I only use with plants which like to grow mounted or bare root. I will throw a few pieces in a pot alone. This way, when I water, the chips are rinsed each time in case some salt is still leaching. Again, gardening is so individual. What works for one person, will not work for another. Hope that helps, Jane
...See More
Boston Fern Experiment
Q
Comments (11)
Hem, your leaves ARE yellow..Wow, you have what's called Boston Fern, 'Golden Beauty!' I found one on Ebay a few yrs ago but my birds ate part, then it died..Yours is doing fine, it looks very healthy. With ferns, their bound to brown occassionaly, the goal is to resolve the problem. Humidity or soil kept too dry. Of course it depends on the fern..Some ferns need to dry a little between waterings, others need to be kept moderately moist. Sorry Billy, I have to disagree about misting..lol..I truly believe misting helps, but if a home is so dry (in winter) your hair is standing on end, looks like the Bride of Frankinstien, lol, misting isn't going to help entirely. That's when a humidifer comes in handy. Ironically, last night I went to CVS. They had summer stuff on sale. I ended up buying a gadget that sprays water by battery. lol. I'm going to use on plants, see if it works. It's meant for ppl. There's a picture of a woman holding this battery-operated thingy, spraying her face. lol. Billy, (By the way, I bought a new H.multiflora..oh boy, it's huge, came with a little U-trellis. I'm planning on getting a variegated and white edged mulitflora, too. Billy your Boston is humongous! And gorgeous..I love the way you've remodeled that room. Looks so cozy. And you figured a way to hang curtains and still get sun. BTW, what is the plant (hanging) next to the Boston? Think I asked before. Did someone ask if placing a plant on a humidifier helps? NO..on the contrary. The plant will die. I once tried that with a begonia. It was on top of the humidifer about 15 mins..an hour or so later all the leaves wilted, turned gray. A plant should never be placed before an air or heat source..I'm not talking about an open window. Fresh air is great. Amccour, do you have a photo of your Blechnum? If so, can you post please? Hem, thanks for posting. The gel resembles and sounds like the stuff my Plumosis was potted in, only deep red. Didn't you say your gel was red? It looks transparent..lol..perhaps I misread your thread. There's another fern in the Boston family called Boston Tiger. It too is nice. After seeing your fern, I now want both Golden and Tiger..lol. Good luck, Toni
...See More
Boston fern stressed from move...
Q
Comments (1)
My advice would be to cut it entirely back to the crown and allow all new growth to slowly emerge. The new fronds will be acclimated to the indoor environment. What you are describing is rather normal behavior for a boston fern moved from the outside to inside. Don't increase watering frequency unless the soil is evaporating more quickly. Adding a humidifier to the 'fern room' would be helpful, as that is the one limiting factor you have not mentioned. They like humidity, but misting can cause disease problems in Boston Ferns. Remember, misting is not a good method of raising humidity....it justs wets the leaves for a short time.
...See More
boston fern
Q
Comments (2)
I got a good deal on some ferns in Lowe's - they were running out of space and put a load of them on sale. They were so beautiful over the summer and had a cold tolerance of only 40 degrees or so. I decided to put them in my garage and in my loft of my other detached garage. They are very green and are surviving the temps there and I am sure there were nights that went below 40 - but they were inside and the cold did not last long - Good luck - Carrie
...See More
shiver
17 years ago
That is a truly beautiful plant----even with a bit of "hat hair!" Happy growing :)
birdsnblooms
17 years ago
It sure is gorgeous. Do you have in the same exposure she had it in? Oh Billy you are lucky..Toni
tootswisc
17 years ago
Lucky you! What a beautiful plant. I have a smaller version. It is in an east window. Mine can get some brown fronds in the winter but sends out lots of great growth in the spring. Just a few weeks ago it was filled with spores and left brown powder on the window sill. I wonder how it grows so big. How much fertilizer did it get?
greattigerdane
Original Author
17 years ago
growhappy,
Oh yes, cash is good too! I don't do anything for humidity, neither did the former owner. I have another boston fern I have had for years (8" pot) that looked a little sad for a while after bringing it home, but eventually it started to look nice and green and healthy, kinda like a ficus benjamina tree, they lose the old growth when moved and fast, with a fern, it's a little at the time, replacing the old fronds with new that can take the lower light/humidity.

Thanks Diane,
A beauty parlor makeover would be very nice!I better make an appointment quick!

Thanks shiver,
That hat hair has got to go!I sure hope it perks up soon!This one seems to want to drop off pieces of the ends a lot.

Thanks Toni,
I have it sitting in front of a west picture window, there are trees out front, so in a way it gets a little more light, but then again there is a little hangover roof above it which I wish wasn't there. The previous owner kept this fern in front of a curtain-less VERY LARGE north window for years and it did very well there. I have a feeling it's going to look worse before it gets better!

tootswisc,
My smaller version does the same thing, gets more brown tips/fronds in winter from central heat/lower light I guess, then in the spring sends out some new "spray" growth and only on occasion get's a brown tip or two.
I have not seen any spores for some reason, on the 8" fern, or this big one. I guess that's a good thing, no brown powder to clean up!

Billy Rae
greattigerdane
Original Author
17 years ago
Oh, about the fertilizing, it was given a few drops of Miracle Gro with each watering.
rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
17 years ago
Billy Rae, you have some VERY nice plants! (I looked at the entire slide show.) Healthy, well-cared for, well groomed. I am very jealous of your hoya collection. That's a plant group that I yearn to collect!
greattigerdane
Original Author
17 years ago
rhizo,

Thank you, that's nice of you to say! I try to get a hoya or two each season and then worry about where they will go. I love the differences between them all.
I use one of those little 10-12" long Rubber-maid tubs, you know, that some people use in their kitchen sink to do dishes.
I put a cookie cooling racks over the top, then put a few plants on it, then water and groom each one. It sure is easier with the tub then trying NOT to overflow the saucer.
You should see the water afterwords, it looks like someone dumped a salad in the toilet:>)

Billy Rae
parker806
17 years ago
billy rae, i love the collection of your plants. am planing on bringing in the collection i have gained this year of house plants when the weather turns colder. hope they all make it and i dont kill them. got some good ideas from your pics on where and how to display them. thanks and keep up the good work they are beautiful. vicki
greattigerdane
Original Author
17 years ago
Hey Vicki!

I'm glad you liked the plants and found some ideas you can use with your plants. I still have some out in the garage in a north window that will need to come in soon.
The temperature is suppose to go up to 79 this week (can't believe it) so they can be taken outside again until it starts to get cold again.They are all small ones that can be "squeezed" inside the house when the time comes.

Billy Rae
giraffe2588
17 years ago
My large boston fern that i got a month or two ago that i got a very large Boston fern and now it begin to get brown leaves and suggestions?
moonie_57 (8 NC)
17 years ago
Giraffe2588.. possibly you've brought it inside and have heat running, drying out the air? Try misting daily. I have the same problem in the winter time if i don't keep on top of misting.
micke
17 years ago
I keep my Bostens im my bathroom during the winter months, that way they get all the steam from the baths and showers, getting kinda crowded however, I have 7 in there this year, no one around here wants them in their house because of the mess, so I usually end up with one or two more from the neighbors that only have them during the warm months.
thanks for the idea on the grooming! I place mine in the kids bathtub, soak em all down then clean em up a bit while they are soaking, then you know what the bathtub looks like!!
micke

Huge Boston Fern

Comments (14)

GrowHappy

canttype

Related Discussions

shiver

birdsnblooms

tootswisc

greattigerdane
Original Author

greattigerdane
Original Author

rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7

greattigerdane
Original Author

parker806

greattigerdane
Original Author

giraffe2588

moonie_57 (8 NC)

micke

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

Huge Boston Fern

Comments (14)

Related Discussions

greattigerdaneOriginal Author

greattigerdaneOriginal Author

greattigerdaneOriginal Author

greattigerdaneOriginal Author

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

greattigerdane
Original Author

greattigerdane
Original Author

greattigerdane
Original Author

greattigerdane
Original Author