Last updated on February 13th, 2020
HOW MANY OF YOU are in proud possession of an enormous Boston Fern — and where, may I ask, do you overwinter it? My own pair of Nephrolepsis exaltata (you have to love that name) grew so large and luxurious over summer that I couldn’t possibly find winter quarters for them. Not as a pair, anyway. The solution to this dilemma:
One fern was brought indoors and placed on an antique plant stand in my entrance hall. It looks very Victorian there, and appropriate for a house which was built in 1826.
I divided the second fern into several adorably-small exhaltatas. These are incredibly easy to care for, and really fun to display in windows. And when summer rolls around next year, you can bet they will make my porch look like a sumptuous southern veranda.
It’s easy enough to divide a Boston fern.
First, let the plant dry out a little. Roots are easier to manage when they aren’t wet. Then knock the fern from its pot, and lay it sideways on sheets of newspaper or a piece of cardboard.
Next, using a large serrated knife, slice the rootball in half. Then slice each half into quarters, and slice each quarter into eights.
Now cut away a one- or two-inch section, as shown.
From this, cut off all but 1 1/2 to 2 inches of roots. The goal is to have a very small plant that will fit into a 4- or 5-inch clay pot.
Place a piece of broken pottery over the drainage hole of the pot, add a small amount of humussy, very well-draining potting mix, and then center the fern in the pot. Fill in the gaps between pot and roots with more mixture.
Be sure to leave a one inch opening between top of potting mixture and the rim of the pot as a reservoir for water.
Alternatively, if your fern’s fronds are not particularly healthy-looking, or it they look out of proportion to your pot, you can cut them off, as above, to reveal only the young, emerging shoots. Pot these babies as described earlier. It’s fun to watch these tender fiddleheads unfurl and become graceful green arms. Well, it’s fun for me.
As you can see, my 15-minute dividing-and-potting job resulted in 6 “new” ferns. (If I’d continued the job for a full hour, you’d see at least 24 new ferns in the picture above.) Some will be displayed on lamp brackets attached to my various window gardens, and others will be given as birthday and holiday gifts to plant-minded friends. If you live near me, I’ll gladly give you one.
Culture: Daily water, cool temperatures (55-65 degrees is ideal) and moderate humidity are the Boston fern’s three requests. My plants rest on over-sized saucers filled with pebbles. When the plants are watered, excess drips onto the pebbles and then evaporates as humidity. Clay pots produce humidity too, since they absorb water. If you don’t use pebbles, be sure to empty the saucer promptly after watering. A sodden fern is a dead fern.
From October through April exhaltata cherishes the bright but brief sun an east or west window affords. As the light intensifies in May, draw a sheer curtain between window glass and plant, or bring the fern to a bright but sunless northern exposure.
A summer vacation out of doors is welcome once frost has past. You might shift the plant to a hanging basket at this time, and suspend it from your porch roof. Last summer, my pair of Boston ferns framed the wall-mounted fountain in my Herb Garden.
As for food, provide an acidic formula from January through September. I feed mine with every watering, using a pinch (a quarter teaspoon) of Mir-Acid dissolved in a gallon of water.
With such good care, the Boston fern will stay with you forever. A tiny division in two years’ time will become a flowing fountain of fronds. Don’t be afraid to cut off any unattractive stems — this simply makes room for new, healthy shoots to emerge.
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Eric says
I just sent this article to my mom. She bought a huge Boston fern last June, and was wondering where (and how) she could over winter it.
Gregory says
Kevin, I bought a boston fern last summer and brought it inside two weeks ago. Now the fronds are turning brown. Do you think dividing it will help?
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Gregory – I'd go ahead and divide it. If all the fronds look unhealthy, just pot up the young sprouts. These usually acclimate themselves to house conditions (which should be kept on the cool side) without a fuss.
ClD says
I really truely enjoy your blog. I just bought 2 beautiful ferns on clearance outside section of Kmart for 5 dollars!!! I want so badly to keep them alive. Right now I have them on my porch, should i slowly acclimate them to the house or can I just bring them right in?? Thank you so much for sharing your love of gardening.
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
ClD – So glad to read that you enjoy this crazy gardening/cooking site.
If nights are below 60 degrees where you live, go ahead and bring the plants indoors. Give them plenty of fresh air (from open windows) at first; this will help them adjust to indoor conditions. Also, boost humidity by setting their pots on pebble-filled trays.
Can't believe you paid only $5 for such opulence. Good for you!
ClD says
I'm in Columbus Oh, the temps have been in the 60s to 50s daytime but lately have dipped in the 40s-30s at night. Ive kept them outside because ive heard that ferns like cooler temps, I never seem to be able to keep ferns alive inside. I'll bring them in starting tonight. Thanks so much for the advise. And settimg them in pebbles…. Genius!!! I think that will be the key to keeping them alive for me because the water that drains from bottom evaporates back up and gives the plant humidity. Thank you thank you
carol says
I don’t have a Boston Fern but I’m really excited about two new beds I’m making, they are going to be all evergreen perennials, so even in the winter It will feel like the tropics. Among other plants I have several different types of evergreen ferns. Fun. I’m in zone 7b.
Pam Russell says
This is the most awesome blog ever. Keep the wise words of wisdom coming ! I probably would have thrown my gorgeous Boston Fern to the dump soon because i always was told they are soooooo hard to overwinter. After reading this I am ready to “divide & conquer”
Thanks & God Bless . Your wall of ferns and herbs is beautiful !
Brenda Johnson says
You give me courage… I’m never brave enough to “divide and conquer” some of my out of control plants. I think I’m ready now!
PS- I live nearby and would LOVE a Boston fern- my husband has decided that he loves ferns and we have MANY in a “shade garden” on the side of our house..
Patricia Teeters says
Hi, Kevin. Love your site. I signed up for your newsletters awhile back. You have helped me so much with my plants. I have fifteen house plants. Half not so small either. I put them out on my wrap around porch every summer and bring them in every fall. Your tips are great. I always wanted to grow a boston fern like my great aunt (and you, of course) and I never can over winter them. I have a green thumb, but some plants are just contrary for me. Thank you so much for this info on the fern. I will buy me one ( maybe two! ) next spring and try my luck again. Keep the good stuff coming.
Denise in NJ says
I wish I lived nearby. I’d surely take you up on the offer.
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Hi Brenda – There’s a baby Boston fern coming your way.
Hi Patricia Teeters – So glad you enjoy my tips. If you buy a Boston fern next spring, definitely divide it in fall. The fresh, young plants won’t shed a single leaf if you place them in a cool, bright window.
Hi Denise in NJ – I wish we all lived near each other, too!
Janice in Black Creek, BC says
Thank you, I was given a Boston Fern and knowing nothing about the care and feeding of it, I was just glad it stayed alive for these past few years. It is huge in a huge pot but frequently has few fronds. Now I know I can divide it and make it more manageable and have several plants flourishing, instead of one ungainly pot, taking up space.
Thank You Very Much!
Andree in Spain says
Hi Kevin
Love your site and all the advice and recipes…I have several ferns that I shall try and over winter because inland Spain here in Andalusia we can go below – 5degrees . Should I fleece them on very cold nights? They will be in an unheated room.
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Janice in BlackCreek, B.C. – Go ahead and divide your fern. The little babies are not only easy to manage — they are terribly cute, too!
Andree in Spain – As long as the temperature in the room stays above 40 degrees, there’s no need to provide protection. Ferns prefer a cold, humid room to a hot, dry one.
Clarice says
I live in Concord, California and I have three failrly large ferns that started from one that a friend, Fletcher, owned. I brought part of his fern to my home and it grew and grew and grew. I split it once and then again, and I like your idea of making LOTS of little plants! They live on my patio year-round, though one has moved to my front porch area recently. They are so easy to take care of and I love them!
Sarah says
You have such great suggestions and ideas – I don’t even realize I need them half the time until I read it on your blog! : )
Beth says
I love Boston Ferns! I have trouble keeping them alive in the summer, My porch faces north but I have bright and HOT afternoon sun. Is that the reason they turn brown and ugly even if I water everyday?
trilium says
I love Boston ferns but cannot keep them alive for the life of me. So frustrating! Yours look beautiful!
Anita says
Kevin, I love your gardening/cooking site. So many fabulous tips. Here is one that I always use with any potted plant. Instead of a shard of pottery to cover the drainage hole, I use a flat bottomed coffee filter. The pointed kind or cone shaped won’t work for this. The filter allows water to drain out but not the dirt. It’s less messy and does a great job. Thanks again for such a fun site to read.
Melissa Horton says
Happy New Year to you Kevin! I live in sonoma, Ca. and have Boston ferns in my covered breezeway, along a wall. Our days are mild but nights can be very cool, even to the 30’s.
Do I need to fertilize the ferns even in the winter months? Thank you, Melissa
Sylvia Neal says
I just light up with joy whenever I get an email about your blog. Wish we were neighbors. 🙂
Heidi says
My fern looks like it has eggs on the stems?
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Heidi – If the eggs are orange or brown, they are probably spores. Spores are necessary to the fern’s reproductive process. There is no need to remove them.
Joan Huffman says
I live in Kentucky and have wintered my ferns in the garage. Is it too late to divide my ferns this time of year? I was going to cut them in half and replant in two pots. Please advise and thank you. 🙂
Theadeaus Shaffer says
Oh my. i am going to be a busy busy man. a neighbor of mine threw out 8 huge ferns that i rescued and was wondering how to deal with them. I am going to try a few things i have read while researching this one of which is i think at least two if not four of them are going to be divided up like you describe. a at least two are going to come in a bit trimmed up to over winter as is and two i shall let just go dormant and try the method of overwintering dormant ones in a dark cool place with minimal watering. if all goes well i should have a forest of ferns next year and be able to sell and give some away which would be amazingly keen.
Alisha says
What time if year can I do this?
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Hi Alisha – I divide mine in the fall (like, now!).
Marie says
Keven,
My 2′ high boston fern is lovely but has 5 or so brown stemmed shoots coming up with “starbursts” on the ends of them. The green
starburst spikes have little yellow dots on them. What are these and do I cut them off?
Marilyn says
I am about to divide my fern. I overwintered it in our garage watering it a little every couple of weeks. The humidity was higher in our garage than the house, since we have a lot of rain during the winter months here. I am in zone 7b. A few fronds turned brown, but I just clipped them and now it’s thriving out on our covered north facing porch.
Tina says
I have a boston fern my neighbor gave me it was dieing. I repotted it and put it in the miracle grow mulching soil and sprinkled miracle plant food on it evey 3 months and it is pretty right not.. but i have green worms eating the leaves what can i use to stop them from tearing my fern up? it is to big to hang it up i have a lot of new growth coming on it. My neighbor thinks i bought a new plant. I leave in ga it hot here if i divided it would it be ok outside until october ?
Anita says
I am planning to divide my beautiful ferns this fall and try to get new plants started over the winter. If I am successful, how many starts do I plant into a hanging basket in the spring? I would like to have another full basket but don’t want to overcrowd it? (I wonder how many starts the commercial greenhouses use per pot?)
A tip I’ve learned through experience is that ferns rarely do well in the pot that they are sold in. It seems that the pot is usually too small and the water either runs off the the top or out the bottom without soaking into the root system. I repot new ferns into bigger pots, loosening their outer roots a bit and using plenty of good potting soil. I use bigger hanging pots than they came in and they seem to be much happier.
Anita says
After thinking about my post above, do you think it would work to dump my hanging planter this fall, divide the boston fern as you’ve described, fill my planter with new potting soil and then put a number of plugs in the planter rather than planting them into individual pots? Perhaps then it would be growing and ready to go in the spring. Again, I don’t know how many plugs would be appropriate for my 10″ pot.
Thanks for any input.
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Hi Anita – You could put several youngsters in a 10-inch pot, but I’m afraid you might not like the effect once they start growing! I’m a one-plant-per-pot guy.
Anita says
Thanks. So basically you’re saying that the commercial growers put one plant in a basket rather than what they would do with say, flowering plants, where they put in a bunch. I always assumed that those hanging baskets were all started with several plants. Will go with the single plug per pot and see how that goes. Thanks for all of your great information.
Gail says
Kevin, I have 4 beautiful hanging ferns and 2 standing potted ferns on my front porch. It is now October, and our temperatures are anywhere from 60’s – 70’s during the day and 50’s during the night. We get freezing temperatures throughout winter. What do I do with my ferns? I do have a basement. Any suggestions are greatly appreciated!
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
HI Gail – Bring your ferns indoors, and, if you are not going to divide them, just provide the care described in the article above. Good luck with your plants!
Mary in Iowa says
I should be out shredding leaves, cutting down everything in sight, shoveling equine gold and adding it all to the newly built annual compost pen. What am I doing? Hippity-hopping from boxwood to fall chores to rabbit’s foot ferns to Boston ferns to who knows what next? This site is becoming an addiction, I fear. Question: Have you propagated ferns usually considered outdoor ferns? I have 21 varieties of ferns in the garden, have hankered after holly ferns forever, but the hardiest of them are listed for zone 6, not 5a. I purchased one at a very fine garden center this spring, and it has grown like gangbusters outside. I am mentally fidgeting like an indecisive squealing “Nervous Nellie” over digging and potting it up for the winter or leaving it out there to test its mettle. The plant tag simply said, “Holly Fern, Zone 5” with no variety mentioned. This thing is so gorgeous it just knocks your socks off and I don’t want to lose it. Any advice?
Diane F Tate says
Hi Kevin, I’m Diane and i live in Southern ( very)Louisiana . I just mail ordered this huge Boston Fern from Fl. It truly is huge and I love the look. Is it normal when you spread the fronds to water to see dead growth in the center? I’d like to keep it on the large side and repot it. It’s in a 10″ hanging basket type thing . What size pot do you think is the correct size to buy and how much of the root system do I cut off as its root bound at this point? I’m such a ninny with plants and the only luck I’ve had is growing figus (?) trees inside mostly because they like to be left alone.
e lion says
Hi, I have several Boston ferns, planning on using them in wedding decor in november.. wondered if I divided a few, how long till they would fill an 10 inch pot, like the original plant?
Carolyn in Canada says
I ‘rescued’ several Boston ferns in my neighbourhood last fall, and have kept them all winter indoors. It’s now late February, and one is in pretty rough shape. If I divide it now, will it have recovered at all by summer? Is it too late to divide the others? (they are pretty big). I love my ‘free’ ferns.
Lydia says
Hello all-
I have a little tip I’d like to share. Whenever I trim/prune/re-pot etc my Boston Fern (mine is indoors as I live in an apartment) and can’t go outside to take care the messy aspects of some of its care. I go to the Dollar Store and get a shower curtain liner. Since it’s big, cheap and waterproof, I place it on the living room floor, do my work on it getting leaves, water, dirt etc on it then ball it up and throw it away. No clean-up or wet, messy newspaper’cardboard!
Hope this helps anyone!
Heather says
Can I simply divide my fern in half and repot or does it need to go down to smaller chunks?
Tee says
Great information, thanks! I was just wondering what to ‘feed’ my Boston…I’m so in love with it, misting it several times per day when I’m home and since doing this after bringing it in for the coming winter, it has bounced back to it’s summer showiness. I also have two huge Kimberly Queens, not much room for me in the house now lol! I’m will forward this article to my SIL, as I gave her one of my Kimberly Q’s offspring to get her started with ferns.
Ann says
I live in WV I would love a Boston fern ..
vivian gerard says
hi there love your site on boston ferns they look so beautiful out side where its shady i have 2 boston ferns outside on front entrance facing east 1 plant is doing well the other is a very light color and much smaller any ideas vivian abbotsford bc
Cindy says
I have 9 Boston ferns. Two I bought from a local high schools greenhouse. The others I bought from Lowe’s at the end of summer for $2.00 each. They were pot bound so I Re-potted and they are thriving. I live in Georgia so they are enjoying the humidity and rain we get here
Mary F. Gibbs says
Hello to all the Boston fern fans.
I inherited my families Boston Fern….She is 56 years old. Carefully taken care of by my Aunt Elsie and then by her daughter Helen. When Helen passed away I received her. She had 5 dangling ugly fronds on her but within the year she was gorgeous and fronds touching the floor. She has been perched on an old time water jug holder. It keeps her up high and her fronds hanging beautifully. I had her stay upstairs this last Christmas season as she is HUGE and the space I needed for the tree is where she lives throughout the year. Well she has shown me her dislike of that idea and she is dropping the leaves off the fronds and lots of brown. The root ball is quite large about 13 inches across and has many old tired non producing areas that have not been cut off…. I was afraid she would suffer from me cutting those areas out. Looks like a porcupine. I keep her watered well but not overly much. She has behaved so well these past six years and not she is not doing well… what are your suggestions. Oh yes……her name…………it’s Fern.
Marti says
This is great information. I haven’t had house plants in years but was given one this spring. It looks pretty awful right now and I think it would do better inside than out. I thought I’d give it a soapy bath and put it in a nice pot instead of that plastic green hanging bucket it came in. Can I just lift it out of the green bucket and put it in a new ceramic pot?
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Hi Marti – Yes, you can shift the fern to a different pot. Alternatively, you can divide the fern as described above, and pot individually. Good luck with your plant!
Julie J says
Thank you for giving me the courage and know-how to divide my fern. It’s a gorgeous potted outdoor giant thriving in dappled shade in Southern California. At least 5 years old, I inherited it when it was on its last legs (fronds) during the drought. The shady locale and bi-weekly watering allowed it to come back to exuberant health. It has grown so much I’m afraid it will crack its clay pot, so I’m going to cut some babies off the edges in 2″ sections and repot the remaining smaller main section back in the same pot. Think I will give the babies away as gifts.
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Hi Julie J – Glad this tutorial was helpful to you!
Lilly Fluger says
Hi- I loved your article SO HELPFUL and also all these posts. I am wondering what to do with 3 very large ferns that have like plant sticks growing 3-4 inches above the plant, rather than at soil level. They have not been repotted for 10 years. If I divide them, at what level of soil could I bury these 3-4 sticks with the babies unfurling at end? Could I put them lower into the soil, or how would I do it. I wish I could send you a picture. They are both at sides of pot 2-3 inches up above the pot rim and in center 4 plus inch. Before I cut, I wanted some advice. I really appreciate any thoughts you might have.
Oh also, so glad I remembered this part. 10 years ago, I had shoelaces in the plant soil that I threaded around the plant and then had hanging into vases of water which would wick to the plant from below. I read about this for going on vacations. I think this made them think there was water down there and made super long fronds. Since that time the shoe laces have disintegrated but the fronds still grow long by habit it seems. If I replant by division can I cut the ends of babies fronds, and train them to grow shorter? Or more even and to make a nice rounded plant?
Lilly Fluger says
omg, I just watched a video of a garden expert who cut a healthy plant all the way back down to the sticks so that all the new fiddle heads would be from this year, and this made me wonder if I could just chop back to soil level my 3-4 inch sticks growing in a pyramid upward… Like cut them back to 1/2-1 inch to soil level? He made it seem like they would all grow back..
This was a dramatic cut!!! https://youtu.be/tIzMKi3l6Zw
Lilly Fluger says
omg, I just watched a video of a garden expert who cut a healthy plant all the way back down to the sticks so that all the new fiddle heads would be from this year, and this made me wonder if I could just chop back to soil level my 3-4 inch sticks growing in a pyramid upward… Like cut them back to 1/2-1 inch to soil level? He made it seem like they would all grow back..
This was a dramatic cut!!! https://youtu.be/tIzMKi3l6Zw
I had a previous post and it deleted it when I added this. It was a question about a 12 year old plant with sticks growing upward about 3-4 inches or more above soil level with fronds growing out at ends. I didn’t know what to do with these.
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Hi Lilly – It’s hard for me to advise on your Boston fern without actually seeing the plant. If you do not want certain stems, you can certainly cut them off. Or, remove the plant from its pot and divide as directed above, and discard any stems you do not want.
Avalonsteamer says
Our currently massive gem was purchased as a part of a set of 3 in a wicker basket, as a wedding gift to my parents in ‘89. Two of them died within months, but one had some vitality left, so my parents allowed me to give it an ‘overhaul’, and plant it outside… trying my best to do what I could to revive/save it. Since then, it’s grown out most of it’s fronds at about 4.5 foot long, and as you can imagine, is quite massive/impressive. We often have neighbors and visitors to the island pass it by chance, and ask to take photos of it. It thrives on Catalina Island, outside, year around, in a north/north-east facing position, with only a kiss of morning sun.
Mary Sok says
Hi Kevin!
I love the idea of splitting a fern to create smaller ones, even as gifts. The only problem is how to start one. I bought cuttings and I’m trying to start them, but they’re not pretty & are browning. I may take your advice & trim them all down to watch them unfurl itself as it grows. Do you suggest buying a fern or just watch these babies grow? Also, where do you live? I live in Southern CA. I’d love to have one of your baby fern.
Thanks,
Mary Sok
Linda Russell says
Very interesting, learned just what I wanted to know !