Indoor Culture of the Maidenhair Fern
Michalis 'BIG Mike' Kotzakolios


Defined Tag: Maidenhair Fern.

The maidenhair fern is one of only a handful of ferns that do well indoors. While it can, and often does, live in gardens and woodlands, it can thrive inside as few other ferns do. Perhaps for this reason, people sometimes mistakenly assume that it is a houseplant only, and are surprised to learn that some varieties can thrive outside.

Be that as it may be, the maidenhair fern is a spectacular houseplant. Like its outdoor counterparts, it likes to be kept moist, even wet. What it doesn't like are sudden changes in temperature or humidity levels. Bathrooms, for example, are only steamy hothouses for the half-hour or so that we're in there actually using them. Kitchens, which can get hot when we cook, have a similar problem. The best places for a maidenhair fern is a living room, den, office, or other rooms where the temperature and the humidity remain level.

The maidenhair fern is particular about light, as well. They like a great deal of it, but no direct sunlight. They will do well in a bright, airy room so long as you keep them out of direct sunlight. Do not, for example, place the pot on a windowsill unless it has a northern exposure!

When kept inside, away from natural predators, they may sometimes develop scale, mealybug, and aphids. Any common chemical spray may be used to control these, or, if you prefer an organic method, you may spray the leaves with dishsoap diluted in warm water. Be sure to thoroughly coat both the top and the bottom of the leaves, as the dishsoap kills the insects by suffocation, rather than poison. Dishsoap is perfectly safe for plants, and, of course, for humans and pets, making it the ideal pesticide for families with animals or small children. Be sure to use the liquid dishsoap without bleach; Dawn or Joy both work very well.

If given proper growing conditions and a little tender, loving care, the maidenhair fern is a beautiful and rewarding houseplant.

BIG Mike is a well known author, developer and Adsense expert as well as the owner of Niche Maniacs - a unique Adsense Marketing System designed to build long-term passive income streams from Adsense, Amazon, YPN, Chitika and other PPC services.

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