Care Level: I'm Easy
Pet Friendly: Yes
The Boston Fern and Tropical Delight Bromeliad are safe for pets!
This care package is perfect for the student with a pet or thinking about having pets in the future!
Care Level: I'm Easy
Pet Friendly: Yes
The Boston Fern and Tropical Delight Bromeliad are safe for pets!
Bright indirect sunlight.
Water well and then allow the soil to dry out between each watering.
Enjoys humidity. Spritz occasionally.
Keep this plant between temperatures of 68°F-78°F indoors with plenty of humidity. They can survive a temps in the 40's and 50's but not for long.
Outside: Keep them in full shade on a patio out of direct sunlight to prevent leaf burn where nights are above 55°F
Apply a balanced, liquid fertilizer especially formulated for indoor plants twice a year in the spring and summer.
When receiving the Boston Fern, do not repot immediately but wait at least 6-12 months or if the roots are beginning to get crowded and growing through the drainage holes. They prefer to be a little crowded in their pot.
Repot in the spring, using a 2 inches bigger pot to give the roots room to spread.
Place a piece of screening at the bottom of the container over the drainage hole to secure the soil and allow it to drain. Use a rich, well-draining indoor potting mix amended with 25% compost and to help with fertility.
Water your plant in the old pot before transferring over and let them sit an hour.
Add soil to the bottom to elevate the root ball. Lift the plant and release the roots against the existing planter. Use a clean knife or garden trowel to wedge between the pot and the soil to loosen.
Inspect the root ball. Notice if there are any dead or rotting roots and trim off with sterile pruners. If the plant is rootbound, cut through the roots to alleviate continued encircling.
Ensure the plant is sitting about 1 inch below the edge of the pot to avoid water spillage. Add more soil and backfill around the sides by tamping down. Fill up to the soil line but not over.
Water thoroughly, leaving the soil damp but not soggy. If settling occurs, add more soil.
Water well to dampen the soil and let it drain.
When watering your fern, it's an excellent time to trim off any browning, yellowing, or discolored leaves. Cut the stem all the way back to the base. Avoid trimming the fern's top, if possible, except for the dead, damaged, or diseased parts. Instead, shape them up by cutting the side leaves from the base. Bravo! Now your fern looks like they just had a face-lift!
Propagate and divide your Boston Fern in the spring.
Hydrate the plant the night before.
Pull from the container and brush or wash away the soil carefully around the roots. Carefully divide or cut through the clump with a sterilized knife.
Repot the fern in rich, indoor peat-based potting soil mix amended with a rooting hormone. Be aware that each new plant needs several leaves with sufficient roots attached.
Use a container 2 inches bigger than the root ball with drainage and deep enough for its roots to grow. Place the plant at the same level as the previous pot adding soil at the bottom.
Water the soil and add more soil if settling occurs.
Set them in medium to bright, indirect sunlight while they are rooting. Place a large, clear plastic bag, spritz with water on the interior and place over the new plant to create a humid environment.
Check the moisture and humidity each day and add misting to keep the soil moist while the roots establish.
After 6-8 weeks, roots will begin to establish. You can tug onto the stem to ensure the roots are anchoring well. Remove the plastic bag but keep the air humid around it with a pebble tray and misting.
Medium to bright indirect light. Never direct sunlight.
Don't overwater. Too much water can cause root or crown rot.
Enjoys high humidity. Spritz occasionally.
Ideally, the Bromeliads grow best when temperatures are between 60°-80°F.
Outside: Grow in partial shade (4-6 hours) where nights are above 60°F.
Indoors: The Bromeliad prefers bright, indirect light for at least six hours in a southern, eastern and western windows.
Fertilize monthly during their growing period while the flower is in bloom with a balanced liquid fertilizer and a time release granular soil fertilizer. Reduce during the fall and winter months while the plant is in their dormant phase. When fertilizing, don't get the fertilizer in the urn or tank as this can burn the plant.
To repot a bromeliad grown out of their container, get a larger one that's 2 inches wider with drainage holes. Make sure the container is sturdy enough if the bromeliad is top-heavy.
Use a mixture of 1/2 well-draining potting mix, 1/4 perlite, and 1/4 orchid bark. Place a piece of screening at the bottom of the container over the drainage hole to secure the soil and allow to drain. Fill the container's bottom with the mix, then place the bromeliad in and fill around the edges. Leave at least an inch of room from the top of the container to avoid water spillage.
Water the plant well. Add them to an area with bright, indirect sunlight and humidity to let them settle into their new environment.
Remove the dead or dying part with some pruners back to the base. This simple pruning will give more light to the remaining pups with more room to stretch and make new baby bromeliads.
To propagate the bromeliad pups, let the pups grow on the mother plant until they reach at least 5 inches or a third of the original stalk's size. Take the mother plant out of the pot. Cut the mother plant top off to see the pup and remove all the dead leaves. Pull away the pup and the small root system with them. You may need to use pruners to help remove the roots and pup. Some arm strength may be required to wedge them away from the parent plant. Once you have them separated, you can use a bromeliad medium (1/2 well-draining potting mix, 1/4 perlite, and 1/4 orchid bark) to repot them in. Use a container with drainage holes and nothing too big for the pup. Allow at least 2 inches of soil to surround the pup. You will bury the roots very shallow in the soil so as not to cause rotting on the leaves. Tamp the mix down to secure the plant. Water from overhead to give them a drink and water well so it drains through the hole. Set in a bright, indirect sunny area.
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