Boston fern: Diseases and Remedies (3-minute Read)

NOTE: Boston fern may be referred to as Nephrolepisexaltata in this article, in fact, those are the same plants, Nephrolepisexaltata is the botanical name for Boston fern.

Boston fern, also known as sword fern, is a popular fern species that grows in many tropical areas around the world. It is easy to care for, as it doesn’t require a lot of sunlight, making it a classic houseplant in North America.

In swampy, humid, and forested areas, this plant thrives, making it a good choice for partial-shade gardens in places like Southern California or Florida. Its sword-shaped, blue-green foliage contains tiny leaflets and grows erect, arching only when fronds grow larger. Boston fern is a slow grower and can be planted outdoors in the fall or spring or indoors year-round.

Why does my Nephrolepisexaltata roots have rot?

Root rot on your Boston fern (Nephrolepisexaltata) can be dangerous if left untreated. In order to keep your plant alive, we strongly suggest that you follow our advice if the signs start to show: blackened and mushy roots.
Boston

Why does my Boston fern have gray mold spots?

Gray mold spots are a specific fungus that regularly harms flowers and spreads swiftly. If you notice any brown (or gray) spots, this fungus is probably to cause. You risk your plant dying if you ignore these warning indications.

Our Solution

When you understand the root of the issue, the solution makes perfect sense. The majority of the time, it is caused by the Nephrolepisexaltata being overwatered. We urge you to cut off the infected roots and leaves, remove the affected sections of the plant, and then repot your plant in a fresh container with sterile potting soil.

Why does my Boston fern have leaf spots?

Leaf If your plants exhibit symptoms like rapid color changes in the leaves or leaves that wilt or droop, we give you all the information you need to recognize them and rescue your plants. For owners of Boston fern, this kind of illness is among the most distressing.

Why are my Boston fern leaves turning yellow?

In the world of horticulture, yellowing leaves are undoubtedly the most common problem. The two main causes of this problem are overwatering and a lack of nutrition.

Whether you think your plants are getting too much water, cut back on how often you water them, and take the following measures to see if they might be nutritionally deficient:

Each deficiency produces a different yellowing on the Nephrolepisexaltata in question, here’s how to spot them:

  • Yellow patches between leaf veins on elder leaves are the first sign of magnesium shortage. Veins continue to be green while the leaf’s core turns yellow. The leaf’s edges yellow last.
  • Yellowing between leaf veins is another sign of iron shortage, but young leaves on plant tops and branch tips are initially affected.
  • The newest leaves are first affected by sulfur deficiency, rendering them completely yellow.
  • Potassium deficiency shows itself when leaf edges turn bright yellow, but the inner leaf stays green. Older leaves show symptoms first, and leaf edges soon turn brown.
  • A broad yellowing indicates a nitrogen deficiency. Yellowing starts with older, inner leaves. Yellowing spreads as it advances, eventually touching new leaves as well.

Our Solution

According to the symptoms mentioned above, you just have to act accordingly. You can reduce your watering frequency, or fix a deficiency in Potassium, or Nitrogen, for that, you just have to buy a special soil for your deficiency, a consultant in a gardening store will know perfectly well how to inform you.

Is my Boston fern sunburned?

It is simple to determine whether your Boston fern (your Nephrolepisexaltata) has sunburn. Your plant will change color in this instance, beginning to turn yellow or white, much like it does on us.

Sunburned

As we saw above, if your Boston fern receives too much water or not enough light, the leaves may also change color.

However, there is a way to tell if it is sunburn; look at the bottom of the yellow leaves, the ones that have a shaded area closer to the root, if this area stays greener, it is probably sunburned, not something else.

Why are my Boston fern leaves turning brown?

The classic sign that a plant has been overexposed to direct sunlight and sunburned is the development of browning leaves. Rest assured that while this may probably save your plant from dying, it will adversely affect its growth.

Should I leave my Nephrolepisexaltata in direct sunlight?

No! Don’t leave your Nephrolepisexaltata (or Boston fern) in the sun if it displays the symptoms mentioned above; that’s why it’s in such a bad situation.

Our Solution

The remedy, as said in the paragraph above, is simple: just move your plant’s Boston fern out of direct sunlight. Your plant should swiftly re-grow with this strategy and appropriate watering.

Why are my Nephrolepisexaltata leaves drooping or wilting ?

This typically occurs when your Nephrolepisexaltata gets dehydrated. Large plants are more at risk since they naturally require more water than smaller plants.

Drooping

Whether your Nephrolepisexaltata plant’s pot appears light, the soil and roots are likely fairly dry and need water, so you can readily tell if it needs to be hydrated.

Our Solution

If the soil in your plant’s pot is completely dry, you will need to start by moistening it so that the roots will also benefit from the water. A common mistake is to drown the Boston fern right after a dry period thinking that it needs a lot of water.

This is the case, but giving too much water at once is the best way to finish it off, you should actually water the soil normally, resuming a quiet watering rhythm.

Caring Tips for Nephrolepisexaltata

Water Occasionally

Water is essential to the survival of your plant, however, it is important to balance the rate of watering. As we explained above, overwatering could have fatal consequences for your Nephrolepisexaltata.

You can tell if your plant needs water by touching the soil; if it still feels damp, it’s usually preferable to wait a few more days.

Always keep temperatures stable

It is also a good idea to keep your Nephrolepisexaltata at a stable temperature (especially if it is kept indoors!). At GreenShack, we generally recommend staying in the 65 and 85 degrees F range. Of course, do not place your Nephrolepisexaltata near a source of hot (or cold) air such as A/C units, radiators or the like.

Keep your Boston fern Dust-Free

This one relates to indoor plants. Just like your furniture, dust collects on the leaves of your indoor plants. The issue is that this can block the photosynthesis process from starting, which would cause the plants to gradually lose their color.

This would be a true journey into hell for your Boston fern and would also satisfy the pests.

To remove the dust, gently rub the plant’s leaves with a microfiber cloth. Dust can be removed more easily with a damp cloth, but stay away from corrosive substances like rubbing alcohol!

Keep drainage in mind

If you tend to overwater, you need to pay attention to your drainage, and we advise choosing a saucer and a pot with drainage holes if they are not already there.

You can add volcanic rocks (or any other pebbles with holes) to the bottom of your pot in the interim if your pots don’t already have holes in them. This will help to form a channel so that the water doesn’t pool there for too long (preventing the rot of the roots!).