A QUICK GUIDE to keeping your ferns alive

‘Pteridomania’ (Fern Fever) is the term coined in 1855 to describe the fern craze that was sweeping across Victorian England at the time.

- Madison Moulton

The British countryside had attracted a number of botanists who began to study ferns and started an obsession, so much so that it required its own name. Fern collecting became the hottest hobby, fern societies sprouted up across the country and fern motifs appeared almost everywhere. The Victorian version died out by 1890, but pteridomania seems to have returned with the recent boom in indoor plant popularity. Ferns can be seen on every corner, but somehow they still carry the reputation of being hard to keep alive. Ferns are definitely not invincible but sticking to the following few guidelines can make sure your ferns thrive for many years.

PLACEMENT

Since ferns are typically known to come from dark jungle floors, it would follow that your indoor fern would thrive in the darkest corner of the room. This is not the case. In the wild, ferns get dappled light, so they will struggle without a good amount of light in your home. Avoid direct sunlight to prevent burnt leaves. Avoid placing near drafts or aircon as that tends to dry them out quickly and prevent the humid environment that ferns desperately need.

ANCIENT HISTORY