Growing ferns and tropical plants with John Banasiewicz
WA Fern Society president John Banasiewicz shares these growing tips.
Grow ferns in pots on the patio, hanging baskets or in garden beds in bright to dappled light. Most don’t like deep shade, full sun, draughty winds or frost.
Ferns need adequate moisture, excellent drainage and air movement around them, which helps retain humidity. Ferns grown in the ground should be mulched to conserve moisture.
Fertilise ferns in the warmer months at half the recommended rate. Use liquid fertiliser like Seasol Power Feed or a slow release fertiliser for potted ferns or a granular fertiliser for those grown in garden beds.
Best ferns for Perth gardens:
Bird’s Nest Fern
(Asplenium australasicum): Plant in a pot or in a shady area of the garden. Will tolerate deep shade but does best in dappled light.
Blechnum ‘Silver Lady’
(Oceaniopteris gibba) Fast growing fern which tolerates bright light and some sun if it is not allowed to dry out.
Holly Fern
(Cyrtomium fortunei): For a pot or garden in sun, part-shade or shade plant in acid or alkaline soil. Extremely hardy.
Rasp Fern
(Doodia media): A hardy small fern for part or full sun, best grown in the garden. Its new foliage is pink, red or orange.
Tongue Fern
(Pyrrosia lingua): A hardy fern for basket, pot or garden, good in part sun. Fronds are shaped like Eucalyptus leaves, come in a variety of forms and make great ground cover.
Elkhorn Fern
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Fishbone Fern
(Nephrolepsis cordifolia): Almost indestructible which will grow in almost any situation and can become invasive if not kept in check.
Rabbit or Hare’s Foot Fern
(Davallia species): Best suited to baskets but can grow in the round in semi shade and may need added pine bark chips or vermiculite and peat to improve drainage.