If you are looking for a plant that you can place in the corners of your house. Then the Silver Lace Fern is the right choice.
Because with a little bit of gardening knowledge you can grow it in any corner of the house. It needs less light and less care as compared to other ferns.
If you are new to houseplants and have never deal with any indoor ferns. Then this article is for you because here you will learn Quick and easy Silver Lace Fern care techniques.
This is a complete guide and you will not need to read any other article after reading this page.
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About the plant
This fern is native to Southeast Asian countries like INDIA and others.
The maximum height that this fern can achieve is 32 inches. But the indoor growing Silver Fern stays near about 20 to 25 inches long.
This is a good size for an indoor growing fern plant. The leaves grow 5 inches long and 3 inches wide with excellent white variegation.
You should try to grow it in hanging baskets. Because this fern looks amazing when hanging downwards.
The main need of this plant is indirect bright light and filtered water.
Light Needs
Silver Lace is a low light plant but this does not mean you place it in extremely low light for its whole life. It will die due to the lack of light.
The best place is where the direct sun rays do not fall. But the light is indirect and bright. In low light conditions, the plant only develops dark green leaves.
To encourage good variegation, you must expose your plant to an adequate amount of light. Expose it to bright light for a minimum of 5 hours per day.
Direct light should be avoided to prevent leaf burn and dehydration.
Potting Soil
5.5 to 7 is the ideal soil pH range for the Lace fern. It has soft roots that cannot handle much pressure from the soil. Also, the roots need a good amount of moisture to stay healthy.
But cannot survive in wet soil.
This means you need potting soil that can absorb only a limited amount of water and drain extra water very quickly.
There are many special fern soils that are lightweight and do not become wet when watered.
Choose any brand that is inexpensive and available in your local garden store. To reduce your fertilizing expenses, choose soil that is pre-fertilized or contains compost.
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Watering
Silver Lace Fern has rhizomes that we use for propagation. They grow at the base of the plant, close to the surface of the soil.
When the soil absorbs too much water the plant starts suffering.
To keep the soil moist without facing overwatering issues. You need to use perfect soil that helps to drain extra water.
The quality of water also affects the silver fern health. It must be clean and free from debris. The general rule is that water that you can drink is safe for your plants.
Hard water that contains heavy minerals is not safe for its soft roots. These substances are not required by plants.
Fertilizing
The good news is if you use pre-fertilized soil or you amend the potting soil with compost. Then you do not need to fertilize this plant.
But on the other hand, if the soil does not contain compost. Then you need to use light fertilizers.
Dilute the solution in clean water and give it to the plant. Spring and summer are the two best seasons for fertilizing Silver Lace Ferns.
To avoid fertilizer burn do not use nutrients in the winter season. There must be a gap of 50 days between two nutrient sessions.
Temperature & Humidity
9a to 11 are the comfort USDA hardiness zones for the silver fern. You can grow it outdoors in these zones.
The temperature range is 60 to 80 degrees F. Below 55 degrees F is not good for plant health. If the temperature goes above 80 degrees F. Your fern will start losing its stored moisture.
This results in dehydrated plants and brown crispy leaves.
For humidity, you need to install a hygrometer in the grow room. The general home humidity is enough for it.
But when you see curled leaf tips this means it is suffering from low air moisture. Check the hygrometer and if it shows humidity below 40%.
Immediately turn ON the humidifier or group the plants together. Both methods will help your plants to relax in a few minutes.
Toxicity
Silver Lace Fern is not toxic to humans and pets. But the ingestion of its leaves causes skin irritation and stomach discomfort.
Place it away from the reach of your pets and children.
If you see any sign of discomfort in your pets or children immediately call your family doctor or contact the nearest poison control center.
Repotting
Repotting is required as per the plant’s needs. If you use a small pot then you need to repot it every year. But if you use medium size pots then you do not need to repot it frequently.
The material of the pot does not matter in this case. But I prefer terracotta plant pots for plants that need less water.
Plastic pots are also good for silver fern but the condition is the plastic container must have drain holes.
Propagation
You can use rhizomes to propagate the plant. They are at the base of the plant. Divide them in the spring or summer season. Then you can plant them in different pots.
The soil that you are going to use must be well-draining.
Keep the rhizome pot in a warm location away from direct sunlight. Within a few days, the divisions will develop new roots.
To avoid dehydration issues, keep the soil moist all the time.
Why Silver Lace Fern leaves are curling?
There is only a single common cause of it and that is low humidity. In low air moisture, the plant leaves start losing their moisture. To protect themselves from hot weather they fold their tips.
Crispy and brown leaf edges are the first sign of low room humidity.
Conclusion
To grow Silver Lace Fern at home you need to take care of the watering routine. The soil is the second most important player in maintaining its good health.
Place it in a bright corner of your home because it needs light to produce glucose which is plant food.
For more info on plants visit our houseplant section.
