missyjean130
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Ferns,humidity,and hanging baskets

I have a rather quick growing tassle fern that I'd like to be repotted fairly soon,and I'm torn whether I should do a pot and humidity tray or hanging basket.

The fern seems the be sprouting up fronds all over the place at a very alarmingly fast rate. It's been a week and all those tightly coiled "fiddle heads" that were close to the base are now stretching out and unraveling. I'm taking this as a sign of health,though a few digits at the very tip of the longest fronds look like a paler green.

It drinks water like crazy!

I mist it all the time through the day and am trying to avoid getting a humidifier. I think it would look divine in a hanging basket but perhaps it's not the best choice? Is there a non-electrical machine method to adding humidity to hanging plants?

Thank you much and here is a picture!

https://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i95/Mephistopheles_666/0226111554b2.jpg

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Kisal
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Ferns do very nicely in hanging containers. Misting ferns with a spray bottle is kind of traditional, and about the only option for a hanging plant.

Do you heat with wood? Many people who do keep a large, decorative kettle of water on top of the wood stove to add humidity to the air. That would be the only non-electrical method I know of, other than a humidity tray or misting with a spray bottle. :)

missyjean130
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I wish I had a wood burner...but I'll just keep misting away if that's all it needs.It's kind of fun anyways.

Plant bonding...

I was guessing that if those hanging baskets with the brownish hair stuff were to be misted,they'd help release moisture into the air.

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Kisal
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That's coir, I believe ... the "brownish hair stuff." I think they are more for use outdoors. Otherwise, you would have to take the plant down and carry it to a sink every time you watered it, because the excess water would run right through. The coir is simply to keep the dirt from washing out of the basket, while at the same time, allowing excess water to drain. :)

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froggy
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I put jars of water on the baseboard heater underneath the window where my plants are - it helps with humidity, but sometimes it causes condensation on the window itself...
If you have central heat, a bucket in front of the fan might help...

I water my Boston fern with 2 of those glass bubbles, and mist it once or twice a week - it's happier than it has ever been... I usually have it in a hanging basket on the balcony, but in winter I just put the basket on a stand next to the window.

The coir baskets help with aeration and drainage, but I am thinking a fern would loose too much of it's humidity, especially in summer.

Green Mantis
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Froggy, do you find those glass bubble things, actually work for watering? Do they do a good job with other plants or just ferns???? I'm really curious to know. Some people say they don't work that well, others say theyr'e great? Hope to hear back from you. Thanks in advance. :)

gumbo2176
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My ferns do great in hanging baskets. As far as humidity is concerned, it is of no concern for me living in New Orleans. I do have to water them frequently, along with just about all my outside plants on the porches, especially in windy weather like we're having now. I find myself watering all my potted plants daily in the summer due to the heat drying them out so fast.

Some of my plants are so wilted late in the day in the summer, but a quick drink of cool water perks them up in less than a half hour and they look good as new.

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froggy
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I find the glass bubbles work fine with plants that like the extra bit of water in the soil, since they work on the principle that water only comes down once the soil is dry enough to let air up into it...
I find they keep the soil rather moist though, the chives really hated it, the lemon did ok, I have some tropical plants that do fine if I wait a day or two before refilling the bubble...
I got a whole bunch of them, but now I am really only using it on the fern - probably if I went on vacation for a week or so in summer I might just plop them all into planters to keep them going whilst I am not home.

oh, one important thing to mention is, I used a peat based cheap topsoil on the fern and other plants, now that I am learning more and switching to a fast draining potting or bonsai mix, the bubbles won't be working, since the mix is made to provide aeration, which would just completely drainthe bubbles right away...

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Kisal
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froggy wrote:oh, one important thing to mention is, I used a peat based cheap topsoil on the fern and other plants, now that I am learning more and switching to a fast draining potting or bonsai mix, the bubbles won't be working, since the mix is made to provide aeration, which would just completely drainthe bubbles right away...
[img]https://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh27/Kisal_photos/icon14.gif[/img] [img]https://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh27/Kisal_photos/icon14.gif[/img] [img]https://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh27/Kisal_photos/icon14.gif[/img]

missyjean130
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So the time period between my first post and now, four more "fiddleheads" have appeared. This thing loves me! Do they normally grow this fast?It's quite shocking....

I decided not to do the hanging basket and let it remain on my table in easy reach. I did re-pot it into something larger, and I noticed the potting soil had quite a pit of charcoal and wood chippings. I saved most of that and integrated in into the new pot with the fresh soil. There was also an earthworm in the old pot! I only found the one,and I let him come into the new pot.Sound good?

Since this Tassle fern has been so awesome, I would really like to get more ferns. There's two in particular I find to be especially pretty: Burgundy lace ferns and Autumn ferns. Judging by how happy my tassle fern is, do you think these varieties would also flourish?

Thanks everyone!



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