I was watering my ferns wrong for months and nearly lost them

I used to just give them a quick splash from the top every other day, thinking that was enough. After about two months, the fronds in my Boston fern started turning brown and crispy. A friend in Portland told me to feel the soil an inch down and only water when it's dry, and to soak the pot in the sink for 10 minutes. I switched to that method three weeks ago and the new growth is finally green and healthy. Has anyone else had to completely change their watering routine for a specific plant?

3 comments

3 Comments

sean_hunt613mo ago

Wait you were watering from the top every other day? That's wild, I can't believe the ferns lasted two months like that. I learned the hard way with my maidenhair that they hate getting their crowns wet, it just rots them out. Soaking the pot is the only way to go, it lets the roots actually drink up what they need. Glad you figured it out before they were totally gone.

seth_carr2mo ago

Hold up, top watering works fine if you're careful. I've always done it for my ferns and they're thriving, you just avoid pouring directly on the center. Mia_park's blog advice is good for beginners, but it's not the only right way.

mia_park3mo ago

Yeah I saw a plant blog say the same thing, bottom watering keeps the leaves dry so they don't get all crispy or moldy.