Am I Taking Good Care Of My Bird's Nest Fern?

Did you place your bird's nest fern somewhere with a decent amount of indirect light or light shade?

Did you planted your bird's nest in well-drained soil, rich in organic matter?

Do you keep your plant somewhere warm?

Did you provide a humid environment for your plant?

Do you keep soil evenly and consistently moist, but never soggy?

Do you fertilize your plant monthly during the growing season and not at all during dormancy?

Did you repot your plant once it became rootbound?

Do you keep your bird's nest fern free of pests and diseases?

These plants need filtered light to light shade. Don't expose to direct sun other than the very early morning sun. Placing the fern by an East or Northern facing window is ideal. A bird’s nest fern that receives more light will have more crinkled leaves, while one that receives less light will have flatter leaves.

Plant the bird's nest fern in loose, rich organic compost or a peat-based potting mix. A mixture of two parts peat and one part perlite would work well. Otherwise, try a peat-based mixture with organic material.

The bird's nest fern will thrive in a warm area. Keep the temperature between 68 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Cold drafts and sudden temperature drops will not be appreciated.

Bird's nest fern loves humidity and will thrive in humid environments like the bathroom, a greenhouse, or a terrarium. You can even run a humidifier near the fern.

These ferns are true jungle plants. Keep their compost moist, but don't let the soil become soggy. Also, avoid watering right into the "nest" as that encourages mold and rot. Water the soil rather than the plant. It can tolerate soil that dries out from time to time.

During the growing season (April through September), fertilize bird's nest about once a month with weak liquid fertilizer. Don't put fertilizer pellets in the central cup or "nest." Withhold any fertilizer during the winter, when most plants are in their resting phase. Too much food will cause deformed leaves and/or brown or yellow-spotted leaves.

Good time to repot bird's nest is when the thin roots completely fill the existing pot, once this has happened it's time to move it on into a slightly larger container. If you don't, growth will stall before eventually stopping completely. A young Bird Nest Fern plant will need to be repotted once every year until it reaches a good size, after which you will only need to repot perhaps once every couple of years.

Good job! You are taking good care of your bird's nest fern.

Houseplants are usually safe from pests, but keep an eye on small insects like scales, or mealybugs. Products that control the pest infestation include using a horticultural soap spray or Neem oil. Also, maintain good watering practices to avoid root rot and other fungal problems.