A plant from the Fern family, the Pteris family, Adiantum Fragrans, whose homeland is in the tropics, today decorates the apartments and houses of amateur flower growers. Its peculiarity is beautiful flowing shoots with small leaves of an unusual shape. Despite its complex nature, it is quite possible to grow this delicate plant at home if you get to know better about it and its preferences. So, what does the plant Adiantum Fragrans love, how to properly organize its care? What does a fern hate?
Maiden at home
As already mentioned, maidenhair fragrance comes from the tropics, which means that in order to grow it at home or in an apartment, you need to create conditions that are as similar as possible to the climate in tropical countries. How are they characterized? There is high humidity - this is perhaps the main thing. In the tropics, it is warm during the daytime, while at night the air temperature, compared to daytime, drops significantly. Taking into account the peculiarities of the tropical climate, we can judge the usual conditions for a given plant.
The first thing that I would like to note is that the maidenhair fragrance prefers semi-shaded places. If you put the pot on the south windows, the plant will resist in every possible way, the leaves will darken and curl. Fern does not tolerate various harmful impurities in the air, for example, kitchen fumes will also be destructive for him. Dust maidenhair also does not tolerate. Therefore, if you want to acquire this tropical plant, be prepared to keep it clean and regularly ventilated.
Fern loves water procedures - in the hot season it must be sprayed as often as possible, but if the room is cool, you should not do this. The plant is capricious even when the pot is moved from place to place, therefore, determine a suitable window sill for it right away and try not to rearrange the flower. In summer, maidenhair responds well to feeding. It is best to fertilize the soil with liquid deciduous plants. By the way, maidenhair fragrance prefers loose and nutritious soils. How to water a fern properly?
Watering
When watering the maidenhair fragrance, you need to observe moderation and build on the air temperature in the room. If it is hot, the soil is irrigated more often; if it is cool, the plant is watered less often. It is important to keep an eye on the soil - it should not dry out, as well as not be constantly excessively wet. Excess moisture is harmful to the fern root system and can lead to decay. It would be advisable to place the pot in a damp claydite tray in order to maintain an ideal microclimate around the plant. Adiantum fragrance should be watered only with settled water, or even better - filtered water, which does not contain chlorine and harmful additives. Since the flower does not tolerate, in the summer try to spray its foliage and space around with a spray bottle, using warm water.
Temperature regime
Since the average annual temperature in the homeland of the maidenhair usually exceeds 20 degrees, it will be comfortable with such values of the mercury column in your home. However, if the summer is hot, which often happens in the coolest regions, do not worry - the plant will not die if you water more often and irrigate the foliage daily. To slightly lower the air temperature around the plant, place ice cubes directly on the soil surface daily.
The fern tolerates a slight drop in temperature to 12-15 degrees Celsius. When the heating is turned on, you need to be especially careful with the plant - the fern does not tolerate dry hot air. If you have wide enough window sills, you can leave the maidenhair there by moving it as close to the window as possible. If the windowsills are narrow, the shoots of the plant will fall to the heating radiators, as a result, the leaves will curl and darken, and then fall off. It is important to remember that this fern does not like drafts, they are destructive for him.
Soil and fertilizing, transplanting
The looseness of the soil layer is one of the main conditions for the normal growth of the maidenhair. To please your tropical friend, it is better to buy the land in the store, the soil for ornamental foliage plants is suitable. During the summer, the fern is regularly fed once every 20 days. In this case, mineral fertilizers are used in a small dosage. In winter, when the maidenhair is at rest, it is not fed.
When the previous pot becomes small to the plant, the flower is transplanted (Popular about health). This is usually done in the spring, trying not to damage the roots. If you find rotten or withered roots, prune them. After transplanting, the soil is not tamped, not watered, but only sprayed from a spray bottle. The next day, the fern can be watered. In the spring, old shoots are necessarily cut off and done annually.
How gentle and fastidious he is, this handsome South Asian adiantum! Taking care of it at home is not so easy! But if you love flowers, you can adapt to his whims. His exactingness is fully justified - he comes from the tropics, therefore, Maiden Fragrance at home wants to really feel at home.
- one of the most mysterious and oldest plants on Earth. Their age is more than 350 million years, and the legends associated with them are still passed down from generation to generation. In the cultures of many countries, there are legends about the mythical fern flower. So, in Russia they believed that he would bestow the person who found him with all the treasures of the world, and in Latvian mythology, lovers are looking for this flower in order to find eternal happiness.
And it is still believed that these plants fill the house with positive energy, so adiantums are always popular with flower growers. In their kind there are about 200 varieties... To make it easier to make a choice, we will consider the characteristics of the most interesting varieties, as well as the rules for caring for them using the example of one of the most decorative types - Maidenhair Venus hair.
The most popular varieties of the Maidenhair
The most common among florists are the following varieties:
- Adiantum Venus hair (Adiantum capillus-veneris)... The most popular type of home fern. It is also widespread in the wild - in the Transcaucasus, on the Crimean peninsula, in North Africa and the Mediterranean countries. In southern climates, it is grown by gardeners in the open field. This variety is a plant about 50 cm in height, with feathery leaves, the length of which reaches 25 cm.The light green leaf segments are up to 3 cm long and 1.5 cm wide. hairy petioles of dark brown color, it is thanks to them that the plant got its beautiful name.
- Adiantum Pedatum Imbricatum As you can see from the photo, this variety differs in shape from most ferns. This is an unusual openwork plant about 40 cm tall. Its leaves are flat, rounded, fan-shaped on shiny black petioles. In general, the bush has a spherical shape. We love it by flower growers not only for its high decorative effect, but also for its resistance to frost. Due to its frost resistance, Adiantum stopoid is successfully grown in the gardens of the central and southern regions of Russia.
- Adiantum Fragrans... Plant up to 50 cm in height. Grows rapidly, forming dense bushes with many leaves. The leaves themselves are oval, 3 cm long and 1.5 cm wide, located on low petioles up to 15 cm high. The plant is very delicate, with a pleasant light green hue. In natural conditions, it grows in the Andes of South America and South Asian forests.
- Adiantum Raddianum... This variety has creeping leaves that stand out in wedge-shaped segments with rounded edges. The size of the leaf lobes does not exceed 1 cm, and the leaves themselves are large enough, can reach 45 cm in length. Ruddy's petioles are thin, have a brown tint. Maidenhair Ruddy has several subspecies, differing in the shape and shade of the foliage. In nature, Ruddy grows only in South America.
- Kidney maidenhair (Adiantum Reniforme)... Looking at this plant with horseshoe-shaped leaves on long petioles, it is hard to believe that this is also a species of fern. A small graceful plant from 5 to 30 cm in height grows wild in the Canary Islands. There are two subspecies of the reniform Maidenhair - Reniforme and P The first has leaves up to 7 cm in diameter, located on 20-cm petioles. The second subspecies is more compact, it is 2 times smaller than the first.
- Large-leaved adiantum (Adiantum Macrophyllum) As the name suggests, this species has larger foliage. Moreover, not the leaves themselves, the length of which is 30 cm standard for a fern, have a large size, but their shares. They have a triangular or oval-triangular shape, and can reach 10 cm in length. This variety stands out for its unusual raspberry-pink color, which is inherent in the plant at a young age.
- Small-haired maidenhair (Adiantum Hispidulum)... This fern has a creeping rhizome and dissected leaves reaching 25 cm. The leaf lobes are diamond-shaped, 0.5 cm wide and up to 2 cm long. Strong petioles grow up to 35 cm. This decorative variety takes root well in an apartment. And in the wild, this adiantum can be found in Madagascar, India and North Africa.
There are enough varieties of Maidenhair to choose the right plant for any interior. And caring for them is not particularly difficult, so even a novice florist can breed them. Consider the basic rules of planting and care for this plant using the example of the Maidenhair Venus hair, which is especially revered by lovers of indoor ferns.
Rules for growing Adiantum Venus hair at home
In nature, Adiantum is most often found among stony placers, growing in the ground, which is clogged between the ledges in the rocks. Such plants are called lithophytes, and in order for them to grow well at home, they need to provide the most familiar conditions - a similar soil composition and a suitable pot.
The container for the Venus hair should be shallow, because the fern has a shallow root system. For him, the width of the pot will be more important. Good drainage will also be a prerequisite, which must be placed at the bottom of the container. Pour soil on top. It should have a slightly acidic reaction, absorb moisture well, but not retain it for a long time.
Tip: To keep the substrate nutritious and light enough, add a mixture of humus, perlite, peat bog and sand to it. It will also be useful to add bark and charcoal to the soil.
During the planting process, place the plant in such a way that the root collar remains above the substrate, because it will begin to rot under the ground.
Important find the right place for the plant... Hair Venus develops best in partial shade. The plant will grow well on a windowsill that faces east or northwest. If in summer direct sunlight falls on the Maidenhair, it is better to remove it from the window, or cover it with a translucent screen. From intense sun exposure, the plant can fade and even wilt. But you shouldn't put him in full shade either, he will survive there, but he will not be able to boast of emerald greenery. Venus hair will not grow well even in the presence of drafts and smoke from cigarettes. 
Fern care includes the following activities:
- Watering. Maidenhair does not tolerate both dry soil and excessively moist soil. Therefore, watering should be regular and moderate. The chlorine content in the water will be detrimental for it; for irrigation, use only settled or filtered water. The intensity of watering differs by seasons - in late spring and summer, the plant is watered more often and more abundantly, at this time new leaves are formed, and in the cold period, watering once a week will be enough.
- Top dressing. They can only be carried out during the active growth of the plant, that is, from May to September. To do this, once every 3 weeks, you need to use liquid fertilizers. Only the dosage indicated in the instructions must be halved, because for Maidenhair a large amount of fertilizers will do more harm than good.
- Maintaining the temperature within acceptable limits. During growth it is 20-25 degrees, and during hibernation - 15 degrees. In such conditions, the fern will not disturb you with yellowed leaves or the appearance of dark spots on them. If signs of wilting or hypothermia have already appeared, it is necessary to timely prune the damaged leaves, and create suitable conditions for the Maidenhair.
- Maintaining the required humidity level. If the leaves of the Venus hair began to dry out, you need to make the air in the room more humid. You can use both household humidifiers and improvised means, such as a container of water or a wet towel on batteries. Frequent spraying of the leaves with water also helps.
Observing all the rules for caring for the Maidenhair, you can easily grow a beautiful, voluminous plant. And then you can learn how to reproduce the fern yourself. 
Reproduction methods of Adiantum Venus hair
There are two ways to multiply Venus hair at home:
- Dividing the plant during transplantation.
- Reproduction using spores.
Maidenhair can normally grow in slightly cramped pots, but when the plant grows too large for the available capacity, it must be transplanted. The best time of the year for this will be spring, while the room should be warm enough, at least 15-20 degrees.
Hair Venus is hard to tolerate transplants, therefore the composition of the soil for the transplanted plant is somewhat different from the soil for a young plant. It includes the following components:
In order to plant an adult Maidenhair, its root system must be carefully divided by hand. The soil in the pot should be slightly dry, this will reduce the likelihood of root damage.
The divided plant often does not take root, or loses its decorative effect. Therefore, in practice, the second method is more often used - reproduction by spores, which are located at the fern in the lower part of the leaves. Spores can be purchased, or you can collect them yourself from an existing plant.
Spores are sown into the ground in early spring. To do this, you need to get them out of the fern leaves using any sharp object. The container with crops must be stored in the dark at a temperature of 20-22 degrees, covered with glass on top. Remember to lift the glass for ventilation from time to time to prevent mold.
Seedlings appear in different ways - they may not show for 3 months, or they may rise in a month. After the sprouts appear, the glass is removed from the container and exposed to light. When young plants grow up, they can be planted in separate pots.
The more fern you have in the house, the more positive impact there will be from it, because this plant is famous for its positive energy.
Useful properties of fern
At first glance, it seems that Adiantum is very delicate and fragile, but this plant, in fact, has tremendous vitality and powerful positive energy. There is an atmosphere of love and understanding in the house where ferns are grown. It is believed that with the help of this plant you can restore peace where people are used to constantly quarreling. Fern has a calming effect on people with too violent energy. There is also a belief that the plant protects the house from evil spirits.
Even if you do not believe that plants can energetically interact with their owners, you can make your choice in favor of Maidenhair because of its safety for health. The plant is not poisonous, therefore it is suitable for placement in any room, including a nursery. And voluminous leaves will effectively purify the air in the room.
Attention: Breeding ferns is contraindicated only for people prone to allergic reactions, for them spores can become an allergen.
It has Maidenhair and wide application in medicine. In the works of ancient healers, you can find a description of the treatment for hair loss using fern decoctions. And in the regions of the Caucasus, they still produce herbal preparations that activate hair growth.
In pharmacology, Adiantum is used due to the following properties:
Thus, Maidenhair is not only a beautiful ornamental plant, but also extremely useful. It is worth having in the arsenal of every lover of indoor plants. And for flower growers who have encountered problems in growing it, we give a list of answers to the most common questions.
The most common questions about growing the Maidenhair
Florists who have just started breeding ferns may have the following questions:
- Why did the Maidenhair leaves darken and brown dots appear on them? This is a signal to check the acidity of the soil. To do this, you need to use a litmus test. The plant thrives only in slightly acidic soil, the acidity index of which is in the range from 5.5 to 6.5. If the normal acidity is disturbed, this indicates a large accumulation of salts. You can try to rinse the land with water, but a more painless way would be to transplant the plant into new soil.
- Why do leaves dry? The delicate foliage of Venus hair can react by drying to various negative factors. This can also happen due to the air temperature unsuitable for the plant, or from cigarette smoke and a rarely ventilated room. Drafts or hot dry air rising from radiators can have a negative impact. In order for the leaves to stop drying, you need to try to eliminate all these factors.
- What if all negative factors are eliminated, but the plant dries up anyway? Take a magnifying glass and examine the Maidenhair for harmful insects. Aphids or spider mites can grow on the fern. To get rid of them, the plant can be treated with a tobacco-soap solution. To prepare it, you need to purchase tobacco dust, which is a harmless and environmentally friendly product with insecticidal properties. Tobacco dust must be poured with water in a ratio of 1:10, boiled for 30 minutes and insisted for a day. After that, the broth must be filtered, diluted with water 1: 3, and add soap to it (20 g per 5 liters).
- Why do the leaves turn yellow? The yellowness of the foliage indicates a lack of nitrogen in the soil. In this case, fertilizing can be done with nitrogen fertilizer.
The problems considered in the process of growing the Adiantum are most common. In general, the plant will not bother you too much. Ferns are very tenacious, and if the minimum conditions for the normal growth of indoor plants are met, they will literally grow on their own.
Video consultation
About planting adiantums in the video blog "Indoor flowers".
Whatever the love of the other varieties of the Maidenhair used by flower growers, the honorable place of the favorite is firmly entrenched in the view of Maidenhair Raddi. It can grow up to 60 cm in height. Strong long stems and a luxurious crown allow this fern to be used not only as a table plant, but also as an ampelous plant. Neat dense lobed leaves no more than 1 cm wide, resembling a wide-open fan in outlines. Semi-oval sporangia are located in depressions along the outer edge.
Maidenhair Ruddy feels great near ponds, and in an apartment it can be an excellent decoration for a large aquarium. At home in South America, he masterly settles in the trees. At home, a driftwood submerged in water can perfectly replace a tree trunk.
Many varieties of this species are actively used in cutting to decorate bouquets and flower arrangements. In addition to their exquisite appearance, they are able to not fade for a long time.
The Adiantum fragrans variety is characterized by high growth rates and the ability to create picturesque thickets.
In turn, the Adiantum fritz luthii variety is characterized by refinement and diminutiveness. Its triangular fronds are densely covered with miniature wedge-shaped leaves. In addition to indoor cultivation, this species is considered one of the favorite plants for cutting.
Maidenhair is a delicate fern of the Pteris family. Its delicate multi-level cascades resemble a shock of beautiful hair. No wonder one of the maidenhair varieties is called "Venus's hair." You can meet him on the rocks and stony shores of the subtropical belt of North America, Africa and East Asia. Due to its ease of care, maidenhair has long been loved by domestic flower growers.
Botanical description
The maidenhair fern has creeping stems with frequent root shoots. The roots themselves in the soil are arranged vertically. They are covered with miniature red or dark brown scales that resemble a short hair. Twice dissected petiole leaves have a drooping shape. The thin and smooth petiole is black. Its length is 10-25 cm, depending on the species.
The leaves are alternate or opposite. The lobes can be fan-shaped, diamond-shaped, or wedge-shaped. The very thin leaves are bright green. The segment is 2.5-3 cm long and 1.5-2 cm wide. Sori are located on the reverse side of the leaf in the form of small dots. They are usually located along the edges of the veins.
The leaves of maidenhair contain many useful substances. A decoction of them has expectorant and bactericidal properties. The plant is used in folk medicine and pharmaceuticals.
Popular varieties
The genus contains 171 species, but until recently only 2-3 species of maidenhair were sold in flower shops. Today the assortment has been slightly expanded. The most popular remains. The fern rhizome is covered with dark scales 1-2 cm long. Twice-plumose oblong foliage is located on petioles 10-15 cm long. The frond is 10 cm wide and 25-40 cm long. In the upper part of each lobe there are teardrop-shaped sporangia.
The plant forms a lace bush up to 60 cm high. Soft fronds bend in an arc. They consist of oval, light green lobes. The edge of the leaflets is dissected and narrowed several times.
The most popular ornamental variety maidenhair fragrance... It is known for its high growth rate and a shock of small openwork leaves.
Compact view up to 50 cm high. Finger lobes are visible in double and triple pinnate foliage. The length of the frond is 15-22 cm. The hard, oval-shaped segments are covered with a short hair.
The plant forms a spreading bush up to a meter high. The leaves are triangular in shape and divided into many thin segments. The lobes fit tightly to each other and form a dense cascading crown.
Quite an unusual plant with small leathery leaves on separate erect petioles. Sori are located along the perimeter of the leaf plate. The height of an adult fern is 10-12 cm.
Growing maidenhair
It is quite easy to grow maidenhair from spores. This method allows you to get several dozen plants at a time. Sowing is planned for early spring. First, you should prepare a nursery - a shallow box with a drainage layer and disinfected peat soil. Ripened spores are scraped with a spoon from the frond onto a sheet of paper. They are dried for 1-2 weeks. Spores are evenly distributed over the soil surface, without deepening. The ground is sprayed with water and covered with glass. The greenhouse should be kept at a temperature of + 20 ... + 21 ° C. The seedlings are ventilated and moistened daily. Seedlings do not appear very evenly within 1-3 months. Young ferns need bright, diffused light. Grown plants no longer need shelter. They are thinned out so that the distance between the maidenhair is at least 2.5 cm. The grown ferns are transplanted to a permanent place in several pieces.
To get a large plant right away, you can divide the bush into several parts. During the spring transplant, the roots are freed from the ground and cut into pieces. Each should have 2-3 growth points. Places of cuts are sprinkled with activated carbon. It is better to plant the fern in the ground right away so that the rhizome does not dry out.
Transplant features
The maidenhair transplant is carried out in March-April, until the plant begins to actively grow. The fern should be freed from the earthen coma and the roots should be carefully examined. The damaged areas are cut off. The pot should be one size larger than the previous one. The bottom is covered with drainage, and a loose, slightly acidic soil mixture is placed on top. It is made up of the following components:
- sod land;
- river sand;
- peat;
- leafy land.
When transplanting, you do not need to compact the soil too much so that air can flow to the roots. It is also useful to periodically loosen the surface of the earthen coma.
Plant care
Caring for maidenhair at home can be mastered even by a novice florist. This flower belongs to unpretentious indoor plants. Ferns prefer the shade of trees and dim sunlight. Under direct rays, fronds begin to dry and fall off. The pots are placed on the northern windowsills or in the back of the room. In summer, you can take the maidenhair out to a shady garden or to the shore of a reservoir. The plant must be protected from drafts and sudden cold snaps at night. Due to polluted air, fern development is greatly slowed down. It must be protected from dust, tobacco smoke and chemicals.
Maidenhair does not like heat, it suffers already at + 23 ° C. In winter, it is recommended to slightly lower the air temperature (up to + 13… + 18 ° C). Cooling below + 10 ° C is detrimental to the plant.
Maidenhair needs abundant watering. It is advisable to always keep the soil slightly damp, however, it is impossible to flood the roots. Some growers prefer to immerse the pot in a bowl of water for a few minutes, and then let the excess drain. In winter, when the snap falls, watering is reduced.
Maidenhair grows well in a humid environment. It is recommended to spray the crown regularly, especially on hot days. Fern pots are placed near aquariums or ponds. Even in winter, spraying does not stop. In a cool room, you need to moisten the fronds less often so that mold does not develop.
During the summer, the maidenhair must be fertilized 1-2 times a month. Universal mineral compositions for indoor plants are added to the water for irrigation.
The fern does not need crown formation. It is recommended only to remove dry fronds.
Possible difficulties
Most of the difficulties in caring for the maidenhair are associated with irrigation problems and low air humidity. If the leaves turn yellow and dry, then the air in the room is too dry. Sluggish and wilted fronds indicate insufficient watering.
Why ferns dry up. The answer to the subscriber's question.
If the leaves are exposed to direct sunlight, they turn pale and become translucent. In the shade, the fern will quickly restore its former brightness.
The genus of maidenhair, relatively small, living in the tropical and subtropical belt of the Earth of ferns, unites many independent genera. Some of them, for example, "hair Venus" and other varieties are very popular with indoor plant lovers.
In nature, ferns of this genus live near water bodies, on nutritious loose soils. Plants easily tolerate partial shade, and although the maidenhair are thermophilic, they negatively perceive the heat and dryness of the soil and air.
Despite the fact that ferns are not the easiest plants for home conditions, many gardeners are interested in growing maidenhair and caring for it. Indeed, the openwork greenery of the plant is worth spending a little time on creating the proper conditions for an unusual decorative leafy culture.
Creating conditions for growing maidenhair
What needs to be done to make the maidenhair, accustomed to humid air, humus-rich soil and temperature changing throughout the year, feel comfortable in a city apartment?
Among the main conditions that need to be created for the fern is the level of lighting required by the plant, and fertilizing, as well as the florist, will have to choose a soil and a place with the proper temperature for the maidenhair.
Lighting for growing maidenhair
The best place for a maintenance-demanding home-grown maidenhair is in partial shade. Therefore, the plant can be placed on a windowsill facing the northwest or east side. In summer, if the fern is exposed to direct sunlight, it is moved away from the window or covered with a translucent screen. Otherwise, the maidenhair standing in the sun will lose its brightness, its foliage will become faded, it may turn yellow or fade.
At the same time, even in full shade, one should not expect that the fern will delight with emerald greenery. Particular attention to the condition of the plant is necessary when changing seasons, when daylight hours are shortened or lengthened. However, without good reason, it is better not to change the location of the capricious maidenhair in this respect.
If at home caring for the maidenhair, as in the photo, meets the requirements of the plant, then the fern responds with good growth, the appearance of new leaves and a long life of old ones.
Air temperature for maidenhair
One of the most important conditions for the health of a green pet is maintaining an acceptable air temperature for it. In nature, the optimum temperature for the growth and development of the maidenhair does not exceed 20–26 ° C. When the dormant period comes and the plant goes into a kind of hibernation, the air cools down to 15 ° C. If the conditions for growing the maidenhair at home coincide with natural conditions, the fern does not disturb the grower either with yellowing of the foliage, or the appearance of dark spots on it, or the development of rot on the stems and the underground part of the plant.
In addition to maintaining the temperature background, it is important to protect the maidenhair from drafts and hot air flows from heating devices.
At the first signs of wilting due to hypothermia or, conversely, the action of the dry air of the room, the plant can be trimmed. It is better to cut off the damaged parts to the level of the ground, while the maidenhair, if taken care of, will quickly restore what was lost.
Watering and feeding plants
When growing and caring for the maidenhair, a very important place is occupied by the organization of watering the plant. The fern has an extremely negative attitude to the drying out of the soil layer where its rhizomes are located, but excessive soil moisture is also undesirable for the maidenhair. Therefore, it is best to establish regular, but moderate watering, carefully observing that between procedures the top layer of the substrate has time to dry out.
Unlike many indoor plants, which are sensitive to the hardness of irrigation water with spots on the foliage, the maidenhair is more dependent on the presence of chlorine compounds in the moisture.
So that the plant does not lose its attractiveness, it is more correct to moisten the soil with settled water. And the owners of the aquariums can water the fern with the water drained during the replacement:
- In the warm season, when the plant is actively forming new leaves and growing, watering should be more frequent and abundant, for example, up to 2-3 times a week.
- During hibernation, from mid-autumn to spring, you can water the fern once a week.
Home-grown maidenhair do not react well to a high concentration of dressings, therefore, it is better to apply all fertilizers applied from spring to autumn in a half dose. The frequency of feeding at this time is once every two weeks, and the formulations used should not include lime. No feeding is planned for the cold season.
Air humidity for fern in apartment conditions
At home, growing maidenhair is often difficult due to the excessive dryness of the room air. If the leaves on the fern begin to dry out, urgent measures must be taken to humidify the air next to the plant. To do this, use household appliances, improvised means, or the installation of a pot with maidenhair in a pallet with wet expanded clay.
In especially serious cases, for example, in the winter months, when it is not possible to move the pot from the heated room, the maidenhair can be sprayed with warm water, having previously protected the soil from excess moisture.
If in a hot room the plant has lost almost all its leaves, you should not part with your pet. With proper care, the grown maidenhair will again become attractive and green. To do this, the pot is transferred to a room with a temperature of 18–20 ° C and watering of the bush is gradually started. If the fern roots are alive. The plant will soon respond with new foliage.
The optimum air humidity can be considered a level of 60–70%. Therefore, in the summer months, the plant is useful to take out into the garden or on a closed terrace.
A video about caring for maidenhair at home reveals the subtleties of all stages and will help in practice to prevent mistakes that threaten plant diseases or weaken it due to an invasion of pests.
Planting and caring for maidenhair at home
In natural conditions, the maidenhair lives on small accumulations of soil, which is hammered between rocky ledges and on stony placers. In fact, a fern of this genus leads a lithophyte lifestyle, which means that at home you need to choose a similar soil for it, and a suitable container.
The maidenhair pot should not be deep. Ferns have a shallow rhizome, so it is more important to provide space for growth in a wide container. At the bottom of the pot, a powerful drainage layer must be arranged, and then a special soil for the maidenhair is poured.
The peculiarity of the soil intended for the maidenhair is that it should have a slightly acidic reaction, be well wetted with water, but not retain excess moisture.
The main requirement for the substrate is lightness, nutritional value and air permeability, therefore humus, perlite or vermiculite, peat and sand cleared of coarse inclusions, can become a component for it. It is useful to add crushed sphagnum, bark and charcoal to such a soil for maidenhair. When planting the maidenhair, as in the photo, and caring for the plant, it is important to ensure that the root collar does not end up under the substrate, otherwise its decay cannot be avoided.
The plant transplant carried out in the spring is used to divide the adult maidenhair, for which small parts of the rhizome with several healthy leaves are carefully cut off. It is better to separate the roots of future ferns from the edge, without disturbing the main lump with the main rhizome. Then the sections are sprinkled with charcoal powder and planted in fresh soil for the maidenhair.
Vegetative reproduction at home makes it possible to quickly and without special knowledge get young maidenhair plants, which, after transplantation, are treated in the same way as for adult ferns.
How to care for maidenhair fern - video