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Fantastic ferns
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Boston fern looks beautiful in hanging baskets, ideal for both the indoor as well as outdoor decoration.
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FERNS BEAR no flowers or fruits but the beauty of their foliage lends itself to both indoor and outdoor decoration. Boston fern Nephrolepis exaltata looks superb in hanging baskets.
They have pale green pinnate fronds about 40-45 cms, in length and 10 cms wide at the base and 1 cm at the tip. The fronds rise from an upright rhizome, the top of which is visible as a short thick stem. Each long arching frond is divided into many narrow pinnae, which grow alternately on either side of the midrib. On the underside of each pinna there are two rows of kidney shaped, brown spore cases one on each side of the central vein.
Boston ferns like damp organically rich growing medium. They thrive in the shady humid atmosphere at the base of trees or at any ground level where there is adequate supply of leaf mould enriched soil for their roots. Keep the soil moist throughout the year and to maintain humidity, place the pots on pebbles standing in a shallow tray of water.
The evaporating water will humidify the air. Mist spray the foliage daily. Fertilize the fern regularly to ensure luxuriant growth -- use any nitrogen rich liquid fertilizer. Re-pot Nephrolepis when the roots fill the pot.
Propagation is by division of rhizomes, cutting through about 5 cms from the tip and planting it in the pot, and treating it in the same way as a mature specimen. Spore propagation of this fern is difficult.
Never allow the fern to become dry at the roots. When the plant is too dry the leaves will turn yellow. Gently snip off the yellowing tips on the fronds with a sharp knife. This will keep the plant looking tidy and will encourage healthy new growth.
CHITRA RADHAKRISHNA
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