Ferns are beautiful plants that add a touch of elegance to any home or office. If you want them to thrive, you’ll need to learn how often to water ferns. They can be difficult to care for if you don’t know how much and how often they need water. Ferns require moist soil but will die if they stay too wet for too long. Read on below to learn more about how often and how much water ferns need to survive.
How Often To Water Fern
How much you need to water depends on the size of your plant. If you can’t see the soil beneath your fern, it’s time to water. Generally, you should water your ferns once a week.
You can tell if your fern needs water by sticking your finger into the soil. If it feels moist, there’s no need to give it any more H2O at this time. If the soil is dry to the touch, add water until it reaches one-half inch below the surface of the soil.
How to Tell it’s Time to Water Your Ferns
How often you should water your fern is a question that can be answered in two ways: by the type of fern and by what you’re watering it with.
First, let’s look at the different types of ferns:
- Hardy Ferns. These are usually planted in containers and need to be watered when the soil is dry. If you’re growing them inside, make sure they get plenty of sunlight. The best way to tell if they need water is by sticking your finger into the soil; if it feels dry, then it needs water!
- Tropical Ferns. These grow best outside and prefer humid environments but not too much direct sunlight. They also like their soil moist all year long; however, over-watering can cause root rot so don’t worry about watering them every day unless there’s been no rain for weeks on end—in which case it might be time for some serious re-evaluation of your life choices.
How to Water Ferns
Once you’ve determined that your ferns need watering, use a watering can or hose with a fine mist sprayer to water the soil. You should be sure not to wet the leaves or fronds because they will rot and fall off.
If the plant is in an area that gets direct sunlight all day long, it may need more frequent watering than plants under artificial light. The frequency of watering also depends on how much humidity your fern gets—ferns that are kept in dry environments will require more frequent watering than those that live in humid conditions like bathrooms or kitchens where condensation builds up on windowsills.
How Much Water Do Ferns Need?
When it comes to watering ferns, there’s a delicate balance between too much and too little. If you’ve got a fern that likes its soil moist but not waterlogged, a good rule of thumb is to water it every 10 days or so. A slightly more technical way of doing this is by using a soil moisture meter—a handy tool that’ll tell you how dry your potting mix is in terms of percentage.
If you live in an area with very low humidity (like Arizona), it’s best to water at least once per week; if you live somewhere like Florida where the humidity is high, then once every couple of weeks should be enough.
It’s also important not to let your plant dry out completely between watering sessions—the roots will start dying off if they’re left without any moisture for too long, which could lead to them getting infected by root rot (an unsightly fungal disease).
Signs of Excessive Ferns Watering
You may have a problem if:
- The leaves of your ferns turn yellow. This is often the first sign that there’s not enough water in the soil.
- Stems become soft and mushy or begin to rot at the base of the plant. If your plant’s roots are rotting, they can’t absorb nutrients from fertilizer as well—which leads to lackluster growth and poor health overall.
The best way to prevent this problem is by following proper watering habits for ferns throughout their growing season (spring through fall), but it’s also helpful to know what kinds of symptoms you should look out for if you’re noticing issues with your plants after planting them outdoors or moving them indoors for winter storage!
Conclusion
The most important thing to remember when it comes to ferns is that they don’t need a lot of water. In fact, overwatering is one of the most common mistakes people make when caring for their houseplants. For example, if your plant starts showing signs of too much water (such as drooping leaves or root rot), then you should reduce how often you water it. On the other hand, if its soil feels dry but there isn’t any visible evidence of wilting, then give it some more time before watering again.
