Large, striking outdoor ferns provide porches, decks, and terraces personality and charm. These low-maintenance plants are perfect for sheltered areas because they thrive in low light. Use outdoor ferns in planters, urns, window boxes, hanging baskets, and more. Here is a short guide to assist you in choosing some of the top outdoor ferns.
The Boston fern was initially “found in a consignment of plants delivered to Boston in the 1800s.” It is a native of Florida, Mexico, and Central America (and thus it earned its common name). Because it could thrive in the chilly, dark climate of Victorian sitting rooms, this attractive plant quickly gained popularity. Boston fern became popular because to its lovely, arching fronds and rich, green hue. Boston fern continues to be a popular choice for both indoor and outdoor settings today. However, Boston fern is frequently a superior option for outdoor settings because it may reach heights and widths of 3 feet. Boston ferns can be grown directly in the ground in zones 9 through 11.
This plant certainly lives up to its name. This hardy fern may get up to 6 feet tall and broad, making it a far better choice for your porch or patio than the typical Boston fern would be for your front parlor. Long, arched branches with broad, deep-green fronds are characteristic of macho ferns. Macho fern can be grown in enormous hanging baskets, as well as in oversized urns, pots, or tubs. From zones 9 to 11, macho ferns can be successfully cultivated in the ground.
Considering their enormous size, macho ferns typically look their best on their own. Smaller plants in container gardens can be sucked up by them.
If you want to keep this tropical fern for the winter, you can bring it indoors as a sizable houseplant. Find out how to protect your favorite tropical plants in time for winter.
Check out the magnificent Kimberly Queen fern if you enjoy ferns but frequently forget to water them. These strikingly beautiful plants of Australia can withstand a little bit more heat, drought, and sun than other outdoor ferns. The magnificent upright tendencies of Kimberly Queen ferns make them excellent candidates for urns or other vertical containers. The plants expand to a height and width of three feet, and each leaf’s underside develops attractive dots (spores). Zones 9 to 11 are suitable for growing Kimberly Queen fern in gardens.
Boston fern is a more conventional choice for lovely hanging baskets; Kimberly Queen fern is more suited to urns, container gardens, and window boxes due to its erect nature. Kimberly Queen fern can be brought indoors as a houseplant, similar to Boston fern and macho fern, to protect it over the winter.
In addition to tropical ornamental ferns like Boston, Macho, and Kimberly Queen, you can grow a variety of perennial ferns in your flower border or landscape. The majority of these plants are winter-hardy and reappear every year bigger and better. Hardy ferns consist of:
purchasing ferns Look for full, balanced plants with rich, brilliant foliage when buying ferns to decorate your deck, patio, porch, or balcony or to plant outside in your garden. Many ferns will have gray-green or olive-green leaf instead of their customary bright green color, especially fragile kinds like Boston, Macho, and Kimberly Queen. When too dry, most plants quickly recover when watered.
To determine whether ferns are suitable for hanging baskets, search for plants that are not rootbound. The hanging basket will dry out more quickly the more roots there are in the pot. Ferns can occasionally get fairly rootbound, especially toward the conclusion of the growing season. When squeezed up against one another, lopsided ferns frequently break and bend and are sold in stores. However, don’t let this discourage you; with the right care (see the instructions below), your ferns will recover rapidly.
Remember that perennial ferns slumber over the winter when buying them. Early spring sales of perennial ferns might not have much new growth on them. If you want to make a statement in your yard the first year, pick the biggest plants you can find because they grow a little slower than tropical ferns. Growth rates differ among various fern species. For instance, the Japanese painted fern grows slowly, whereas the joyful ostrich fern grows quickly.
Purchase Outdoor Ferns Find Costa Farms ferns online through one of our store partners or at your preferred neighborhood garden center.
No matter if they are tropical or hardy, ferns love to grow in areas that are shaded or partially shaded and have rich, slightly moist soil that is full of organic matter (such as compost). Additionally, they appreciate high humidity levels and the occasional shower. Use a slow-release granular fertilizer to feed the ferns. If cold weather is expected, transfer tropical ferns to a protected area because they are sensitive to frost. After planting, topdress the soil with a few inches of compost to give your ferns the best possible start. Then apply mulch to ferns to shield plants from temperature fluctuations and stop weed competition.
Because containers, especially hanging baskets, dry up a little quicker than the ground, ferns in pots require more frequent watering than their counterparts in the ground. Potted ferns may require daily watering to prevent drying out when the weather is particularly hot, dry, and windy. However, to prevent overwatering your ferns, always check the soil’s moisture level before you water.
Can Boston ferns be grown outside?
Although Boston fern is frequently grown as a houseplant, it also does well in USDA zones 9 to 11 outdoors in warm, humid regions. The plant could be able to endure dry climates if there is enough rainfall. The fern may be completely destroyed by the frost, but it will recover in the spring.
Boston fern needs filtered light or partial to complete shade in gardens. Because few other plants will thrive there, the plant is a fantastic choice for wet, dark places because it adds a splash of vibrant color.
Rich, organic soil is what the plant favors. Dig in a few inches (8 cm) of compost, finely chopped bark, or leaf mulch if your garden soil is poor.
Are Boston ferns plants that grow indoors or outside?
Boston ferns are immensely popular indoor plants that look equally at home in the living room as they do on a wraparound porch. Here is a guide on growing them. Boston ferns can be grown under filtered shade or strong, indirect sunshine indoors.
How is a fern maintained outside?
Ferns are not permitted on my front porch. That’s difficult for a native Southerner like me to say. A common feature of the Southern countryside is a porch surrounded by ferns.
You better believe our shady back patio is covered in the lush green fronds, whereas our front porch faces straight South and a lovely Boston Fern can’t handle the intense heat of the midday sun! If given the right care, ferns are surprisingly simple to grow and maintain.
Select The Right Fern
The most preferred ferns for porches are Boston and Kimberly Queen ferns. The type of fern you buy should depend on the style you want.
Because of their gently weeping characteristics and vivid green fronds, Boston ferns look fantastic in hanging baskets and on plant stands. Kimberly Queen Ferns are ideal in pots flanking a pathway or entry since they have more firm, upright fronds.
Water Your Fern Regularly
Water is good for ferns. Remember that a rainforest’s gloomy, damp canopy is where they live in the wild. To keep a lush, healthy glow, soil must be consistently and uniformly hydrated.
How you plant your fern will determine how often you water it. Please keep in mind that ferns can dry out very fast if you decide to put them in a hanging basket or pot. Keep the soil moist but not dripping wet. To find out how often you need water your ferns, check them every day at first.
Follow These Overwinter Steps
Ferns are tropical plants, hence they cannot survive in cold weather. Try to overwinter your fern by trimming it back in the fall and putting it in a bright spot indoors to preserve its evergreen hue.
An effort at overwintering needs a certain location, a certain amount of humidity, and water. Keep in mind that even ferns that are dormant enjoy moisture, and a hot home can quickly dry out a plant. Throughout the winter, give your plant a few nice soaks in the shower.
Can Boston ferns be left outside in the winter?
Boston ferns: Can they survive the winter outdoors? You can learn how to overwinter a Boston fern outdoors if you live in a subtropical area without frost and freezing temperatures. Giving Boston fern outside winter care is possible in USDA Hardiness Zones 8b through 11.
My indoor fern may I bring outside?
Although the lush green foliage can also flourish in a hanging pot indoors or outdoors, ferns prefer wet, shaded outdoor locations. A fern grown in a container dries up more quickly than one that is planted directly in the ground because of the lower amount of soil and the constrained space. You must regularly water your ferns without using too much water if you want them to stay lush and green. Ferns require a certain amount of sunlight and fertilizer to grow well in a container.
What position should my Boston fern be in?
Growing Boston fern is best done in an area with direct, bright light. Both too much light and too much shade can cause the fronds to become thin and unappealing. Because of this, Boston fern is a fantastic option for a porch plant that receives morning shade and afternoon filtered sun.
How long do ferns last in the open air?
Hardy ferns are typically resilient. Many people can endure extremes of heat and cold. Hardy ferns will likely survive outdoors in whatever conditions your climate throws at you if you live in any of the USDA zones 2 through 9. Hardy ferns can endure temperatures as low as minus 50 degrees Fahrenheit, which is at the extreme end of the temperature range. But hardy ferns in USDA zones 2 through 6 typically have a semi-evergreen appearance. Many hardy ferns may typically be left outside throughout the winter without risk. However, some only survive the winter in USDA zones 6 or 7. In such situation, they can only be left outside safely in USDA zones 6 and 7, respectively, at 5 below zero and zero degrees Fahrenheit.
Below USDA zone 10, which has average maximum low temperatures that are slightly above freezing, the majority of tropical ferns are not cold-hardy. When exposed to freezing conditions for an extended period of time, many tropical plants perish. It’s likely that a tropical fern you have in a pot won’t survive if winter lows fall below freezing. If so, you can either relocate the pot inside, cover it outside, or let the fern wither before replacing it with a hardy fern the following year.
- Ferns make beautiful greenery.
- Hardy ferns are those that can survive in temperatures that are near freezing or lower; tropical ferns, on the other hand, cannot.
I have a Boston fern; when should I bring it inside?
The ideal time to move potted ferns indoors for the winter is before the first fall frost. Here are some suggestions for keeping them healthy and content.
- Each plant should be given a thorough cleaning with a hose before being carefully inspected for insects that might be hidden in the leaves.
- To get rid of any soil that may have gotten on the pots during the summer, wipe them down.
- After letting them dry, bring them inside on saucers to prevent runoff on floors and surfaces.
- Some plants may have added a lot of new growth over the course of the summer and may need to be pruned a little before being brought indoors.
- If pests are discovered, treat them with the proper remedies, but a nice tip is to submerge each pot for a few hours in a bucket of water before bringing the plant inside. Any slugs, snails, worms, or beetles lying beneath the soil’s surface are drowned or discovered by this process.
Boston ferns are cold hardy.
Boston ferns grown in the landscape may be able to survive the winter in some moderately cold regions without a harsh freeze if they are heavily mulched and pruned down to the ground before the first frost.
In some regions, where there is no frost at all, they may make it through the winter, but by the time spring comes around, they will have taken a hammering and will look terrible. Additionally, because of the chilly winter rain in this type of environment, they are vulnerable to getting fungal illnesses in the winter.
For these reasons, you might want to bring your fern inside even if you live in a location where it could survive the winter. These gorgeous plants give color to your home and are a beautiful addition to any winter plant area.
Boston ferns can withstand how much cold?
Boston ferns are become a popular plant among knowledgeable, shade-loving gardeners. This fern constantly produces beautiful results with little work, doesn’t require deadheading, and offers a soothing area for the eye to rest. Due to its dependability and elegantly astounding impact, homeowners frequently use their inviting beauty in the toolkit they have access to for their primary front door or porch.
These ferns, which are native to South America, got their name from Boston, where they were first observed in North America. Boston ferns, one of the oldest plants in existence, prefer bright, indirect sunshine and ideal temperatures of 60F to 75F (15C to 24C), yet they may survive in temps as low as 50F.
Here are some helpful hints that both novice and experienced gardeners will find useful:
- The first tip is that these ferns LOVE water! Many individuals worry that they will overwater their fern, but Boston ferns require daily watering when kept outside, especially during the hot summer months. Watering your fern twice daily is a good idea on really hot days. It is simple to understand what climatic conditions they require to produce the optimum outcomes when you take into account that their natural environment is lush rainforests with a lot of humidity, moisture, and shade.
- The weight of the hanging basket can be used as a quick indicator of whether it needs to be watered by gently lifting it up. Light signifies that it needs to be watered, while heavy means that it is not yet ready. Ferns prefer a moist environment that’s not too wet. This is a terrific idea for all hanging baskets because the water needs of different plants vary depending on their size, variety, and environmental factors.
- It is best to avoid going overboard while fertilizing ferns. When they stop being dark green, it’s time to fertilize (20-20-20 foliar fertilizer). If you believe you might skip this phase, a small amount of granular slow release fertilizer in the spring will give a boost for about 6 to 8 weeks.
- Slugs, snails, and grubs are pests of ferns. The good news is that neither container gardening nor hanging baskets pose any of these problems. Nematodes assist in the latter, while slug bait or crushed dried egg shells can help with the first two. A powdered pesticide is preferable because it causes less damage to the leaves.
- The size of your plant will depend on the size of the container it is in. Once your fern has filled its container and you want it to grow even bigger, you can re-pot it into a planter that will support further growth. There is more water available for roots to absorb when there is more soil for them to grow into. By the middle of the summer, a plant from our 12 hanging baskets could grow to be 3 feet wide. Keep in mind this quick growth if you intend to pot your fern into a larger container because the extra weight could be a problem if you plan to hang the basket from a support hook.
- It is simple to restore your plant to peak plant health if you under-water it and it begins to drop leaves and brown off. By giving the plant a “hair-cut” to remove the dead foliage, the new, healthier green fronds will be able to grow through and fill out the plant. But always keep in mind that ferns enjoy water. If you want to restore this dependable plant, water is your best friend!
Overwintering Your Fern
Your fern will need to be overwintered in our environment if you intend to maintain it for the upcoming gardening season. While you can cut back on watering during the winter when the plant is dormant compared to outdoor requirements, the root ball of your ferns should never be allowed to entirely dry up. Your indoor plant’s saucer will aid in water absorption and provide as a simple indicator of when it needs to be watered. Indirect medium light levels, 4–7 feet from a sunny window, are needed for houseplant ferns. They do not like having outlets or vents blow warm or cold air at them. To ensure that the plant grows uniformly both inside and outside, remove any dead fronds and rotate it occasionally. They thrive from regular sprinkling of room-temperature water or a closely placed cold, fine mist humidifier, and they also require more humidity than most homes have. If the air is too dry, leaves’ tips or edges will become brown. To increase the humidity in the air around indoor plants, group them close so they may emit moisture. It may also be beneficial to place your fern in the shower for a soothing, warm shower.
Transition to Outdoors in Spring
Your overwintered fern should be introduced to the outside gradually and not too soon in the spring so that it won’t be startled and loose its leaves. When they are brought inside as the temperatures start to fall in the fall, this can also occur. Remove any old, dead growth if there is leaf drop, being cautious not to remove any new growth. New growth will be possible with more light and airflow, and the area will quickly fill back in.