How to Grow & Care Fluffy Ruffle Fern (Part 1)

The beautiful cascading flowing fern is known as fluffy ruffle fern (Nephrolepis Exaltata)
I have been keeping this ever since 1995. So many memories with this fern.

If you noticed the front part, the leaves looks a bit brown / drier.

That's how it appears to be if it lacking water.

This is how it would look like in the optimum when it receiving good watering and in wet shaded area.

There is quite a confusion of different varieties when the foliage formation changes to fine leaf texture. Basically, its all the same plant but changing its formation due to atmosphere / climate conditions.

Like most ferns, the Care & Cultivation is almost similar to most fern Allies.

WATERING

The love high humidity, not too wet & not too dry - the medium in the root ball must be moist wet. Do allow it to dry before watering but check on the condition of your garden. 

If your garden is too dry then water more, if your garden gets wet often, the refrain from over-watering it.

This is a hardy fern, so it is not so difficult to care for it compared to the rest of the fern allies.

UNDER WATERED - FOLIAGE FEATURE:

You will notice that the leaf may look burned, withered and limp - almost like paper crisp if it is lacking water. The colors looks lighter than bright brilliant green.

OVER-WATER

The leaf will show signs of yellowing all over the plant, sometimes with burned edges. Sometimes the whole leaves will fall off if the root-ball is sitting inside the water and the whole thing is rotting.

- Do remove everything and let it dry off a day or wrap the whole root-ball with paper towel as the water is soaked off to the paper towel. Too much soaking root medium can kill this fern.

LIGHT

All ferns prefer indirect bright light. 

It can also do well in full shade but it may take few adjustment around the garden to check and balance to see where it does well. Normally it may require on hanging pot in shaded areas but it does well to on pots placed on ground.

FEEDING

These ferns do very well using organic fertilizers like chicken manure, rice washed water and banana peel. I found that common conventional granule types burns these ferns and will not recommend it - perhaps try it out first in a one single pot with low dosage and observe it.

Also used tea-bags with tea inside it - using it as additional organic fertilizer makes this fern grows well.

MEDIUM

It is best to use fast draining medium:

50% Regular potting mix with 50% river sand.

This ensures that the water drain out well as it avoids root-rot if water is stagnant.