We all get it on bringing novel plant into our garden and our collection . One works you may not have consider adding to your garden is the Christmas fern . These glossy ferns make forlush solid ground coverand can help fill any empty spaces you have in your container garden .

You might be asking yourself , " How do you take care of a Christmas fern ? " Do n’t care ! We ’ll go over all the things you need to know to aid your Christmas fern thrive in its novel home .

What is a Christmas fern?

The Christmas fern , orpolystichum acrostichoides , is acknowledge for its beautiful immature foliage . So if you ’re calculate for a plant to fill in some gaps in theshadier area of your garden , then this might be the plant for you . It ’s an evergreen fern , which is where its common name comes from . Its leaf stay green all year long , leading to its use in Christmas ornamentation such as wreaths .

This make it the ideal flora for those take care to enhance the looking at of their garden when most other plants are chocolate-brown and dormant . It ’s most often used as a ground screen in landscape gardening , but it can also be grown indoors in a pot . So no matter how you ’d like to enjoy the Christmas fern , there ’s an option for you .

When and where to plant your Christmas fern

The Christmas fern is n’t a huge industrial plant , but it can grow up to 3 metrical foot magniloquent with leafage around 4 inches wide . However , the plant life might appear more prominent because it is a dry land cover that will pass on and grow and slowly take over a space . This plant life is gentle to manage , so you wo n’t have to occupy about it look at over your garden .

In the outdoors , Christmas ferns can grow in zone 3 through 9 . If you live on outside this range , you could still grow them indoors . Whether you ’re grow them indoors or out , here ’s how to check that your Christmas fern survives and expand :

Step 1 : Plant your fern outdoors after the threat of Robert Lee Frost has passed .

To come up out when your last local frost date is , you may apply aPlant Hardiness Zone calculator , and it will give you the estimated date . We advocate staying on the secure side and wait two weeks after the average Robert Lee Frost appointment to keep these plant safe . While they might be able tohandle the coldas fledged flora , the smaller and less established industrial plant could die if exhibit to harsh conditions .

footmark 2 : Plant your fern in fond or pure shade .

Christmas fern can tolerate some direct light , but observe for dropping leaves . This is a augury of stress , and it can indicate that your plant is getting too much light .

Step 3 : Grow your Christmas fern in well - draining soil .

Like most fern , Christmas ferns favour to be damp , but not inert . right drain is authoritative to avoid drowning your fern . If you ’re growing it indoors , make indisputable the container has drainage holes , too .

Step 4 : Water your Christmas fern on a regular basis .

Depending on the temperature and amount of light , your fern may need to be water weekly or every other week . Also watch for droop or dropping leave . These sign indicate a stressed flora , which can be triggered by underwatering .

Step 5 : Add alayer of mulcharound your ferns to improve water retention .

Step 6 : Supplement your grime with compost andwater - retentive peat mossto better its drainage and nutritionary time value .

This is especially useful if your grease is clay hard , compacted , or otherwise dense , as Christmas fern favor rich , well - draining dirt .

Step 7 : eat your fern with a fertilizer specially formulated for Lucy in the sky with diamonds - loving plants .

Christmas fern will do fine with a regular , balanced fertiliser , but you ’re likely to see openhanded , greener , and longer - hold out leaf if you go for the more specific itinerary .

Christmas fern companion plants for landscaping

Christmas fern can supply a beautiful texture to your garden , but they do n’t need to be the centrepiece of your outdoor outer space . In your landscape , these unassuming evergreen plant beauties can definitely work out as a plushy backdrop . They wreak with a wide chain of companion industrial plant , complement flowers such as wild geranium , columbine , reddish blue , and bleeding hearts . If you ’re on the hunting for other light-green textures , count hostas and caladiums , too .

Non - plant water and stone structures also go well with these shade - loving plants . However you incorporate Christmas ferns into your garden , just be aware of their wearisome growth . As Christmas ferns are not the quickest growers , your greenery will look best if you plant multiple fern as controvert to just one or two plant .

We just have a go at it learn about Modern plants , and we trust you ’ll practice these peak and trick to add the lovely Christmas fern to your works accumulation . Whether it ’s indoors or out , this flora will work stunning verdure to your habitation .